Why freight over regionals???
- Thread starter Adam2006
- Start date
CapnJim
Well-Known Member
I knew this one would start a sh'tstorm.Adam2006 said:
I was convinced that freight was the way to go, on the basis of upgrade time and starting pay. I changed my mind on the basis of the schedule, 121 time, 50,000lb MGTOW, flight benefits, a bunch of other little 'nice-to-have' things. Just one man's decision, mind you. Different people have different needs and different opinions.
It's easy for freightdogs/regional pilots/frac pilots to fling poo across the bandwidth at the various strengths and weaknesses of each type of work. I have good friends that are flying freight, and they seem to really like it. Of course, there's things to bitch about on both ends, but if you're happy doing the work that you do (and I am) then it's all smoke and noise signifying nothing.
I don't know anyone personally who flies fractional, but from what I gather it's somewhere between regional and mainline flying, with good benefits and work rules. Sounds pretty nice, really. Precious few CFI's can go straight into frac flying though, due to the 2,500/500 mins., and, insome cases, turbine time.
So it all really comes down to personal needs. If you're young, single, and a bit 'adventerous' in your taste for flying, freight-doggin' is great. If you've got a wife and kids, or you just want the stability of schedule, regionals are the way to go. And, of course, that's probably a vast oversimplification as there's many, many other variables involved that combined with your needs and wants may sway you wither way. Best advice I can give: Learn as much as you can about both types of work, weigh what you learn against what you need long- and short term, and make a decision that's best for you, rather than some goofball internet opinion (like mine).
As always, best of luck!
p.s.: I left out an important variable! Company stability. It does you no good whatsoever to get the best job flying job in the world if the company stock is dropping like Cynthia McKinney's political career and you're furloughed after 6 months! Things to check out: Stock price, 6 month trend, and 3 year trend. Regional? Study the relationship between them and their mainline carrier. How's the mainline carrier doing financially? Fuel hedge? Strike? Is the company growing? By what rate? Talk to pilots one-on-one if you can, and do your best to weed rumor from fact.
I know it's a lot, but doing as much home work as possible before hand will pay huge dividends in your career. With oil at ridiculous highs, every jet company in America is feeling the pinch. Try to figure out who's going to skyrocket ahead when things stabilize in '08. (<-- Uh-oh! Political commentary!! Thread makes a sharp left turn in 5, 4, 3, 2,...)
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
First, let me say that schedule is pretty kick @ss. At typical regionals you're working 10-14 hour duty days, so you easily work half of what they do (for more pay than first year f/o's for sure). Per month on average, how much time do you log? Also, I've *heard* AMF guys have to load their own freight. Is that true? If so, is it back breaking or fairly easy? Do your planes have a/c (serious question)? Are you on salary or hourly? Is there opportunity to pick up 'open time' or fly more to earn more? $33k isn't too shabby when you combine it with getting turbine PIC however, and actually being on duty <30 hours per week. Also, how much of AMF's flying is during the day? Are most runs typically at night or during daytime hours like yours are (I would consider 3-9pm daytime flying).Trybysky said:
I applied at AMF. I had 1900+ TT, 300+ multi, ATP mins, was working as a CFI. I received call backs from a multitude of airlines, (including 135 companies) however the bastages at AMF never called me. I guess they saw ERAU and equated that to "will jump ship at earliest possible moment for a regional".
Good advice. As an FYI for others out there, keep in mind some regionals/companies are privately held and as such don't have to disclose the information that publicly held companies must.CapnJim said:
AMF always has junky looking planes, lol, which has that certain flair look to it. For example, the Chieftains with the bastardized window coverings of the interior cargo area....along with the faded and cracked white/blue paintjobs. Full-up Freightdog. Some of the best machines I saw, apart from the FeDex Caravans, were the 210s, 402s, and 404s in ABQ.
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat: I am slow. But anyways, here's my answers too:
I have an alright one currently, UPS run with an 0515 show, crew car, and hotel by 0830 (NICE hotel too, on the coast w/ a bay view and free breakfast). Layover in a little touristy coast town until about 1500, then back to the airport, 3 more short legs and walking out of the door to go home at about 1840. On Mondays it's a 1310 show, and home by 1840, so no layover. This run only blocks about 2.3-2.5 a day though.
There's a lot of variety between runs and bases. Some bases have night runs, we don't. We do have a few that are fairly high flight time though, where you could log 75-100 hrs. a month, but the layovers are kinda long and it's a crappy schedule. I'm happy to give up the flight time- I like to get home early so I can have time to do things (or sit around and do nothing).
I wouldn't call it back breaking. Loading three 1100 lb. pallets into a Caravan in Laredo, Texas where it's still 85 degrees at 0300 by myself was back breaking. This is nothing. My last leg of the day really fills me up to almost max. volume and t/o weight, but it's still not bad. Of course, it is only a Chieftain.
Well, hope that helps somebody some.
That is a nice schedule... however they're not all like that.wheelsup said:
I have an alright one currently, UPS run with an 0515 show, crew car, and hotel by 0830 (NICE hotel too, on the coast w/ a bay view and free breakfast). Layover in a little touristy coast town until about 1500, then back to the airport, 3 more short legs and walking out of the door to go home at about 1840. On Mondays it's a 1310 show, and home by 1840, so no layover. This run only blocks about 2.3-2.5 a day though.
There's a lot of variety between runs and bases. Some bases have night runs, we don't. We do have a few that are fairly high flight time though, where you could log 75-100 hrs. a month, but the layovers are kinda long and it's a crappy schedule. I'm happy to give up the flight time- I like to get home early so I can have time to do things (or sit around and do nothing).
Speaking for the PA31's... Bank flights, yes- always, but they're not too heavy. DHL flights- PA31's don't do those, but I think they load/unload everything for the a/c that do. At least they did when I did them occasionally in the Caravan on the east coast. UPS- They usually load at the hub, you load/unload at outstations, but drivers help a lot. Normally they throw it on the plane, I put it where I want it. I've heard that at some other bases they do all the loading/unloading, but not sure on that, maybe someone else knows.
I wouldn't call it back breaking. Loading three 1100 lb. pallets into a Caravan in Laredo, Texas where it's still 85 degrees at 0300 by myself was back breaking. This is nothing. My last leg of the day really fills me up to almost max. volume and t/o weight, but it's still not bad. Of course, it is only a Chieftain.
Definitely not the PA31's, I'm pretty sure the 99's don't, and not sure about the Be-1900's or Metros. I would venture to guess that the Brasilias and Lears do.
Basically a salary. The best way to earn extra is to be a training captain if they like you and you're into that kind of thing. There are occasionally extra flights you can pick up on Saturdays at my base, but not too often. Revenue "specials" (unscheduled flights for extra pay) seem to be rare here, not sure about the other bases. For the amount of actual work this job entails, I don't think the pay is terrible.
Basically all of it at my base. I think the last bank flight is usually in by 2130. I personally wouldn't mind being nocturnal again if there are any night runs at my next base.
Hmm, dunno. I doubt it's because you were from Riddle, we have a few here. I haven't met many, but I don't think it's because they discriminate against Riddle grads. Probably should've called the recruiter to follow up if you were really interested. You might've gone straight to a Be-99 with those times if you were multi current and not picky about your base.
Well, hope that helps somebody some.
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
MikeD said:
The junky looking planes are usually the ones that fly the best.
EatSleepFly said:The junky looking planes are usually the ones that fly the best.
Exactly. They have that special look to them.....junky in a classy way. The Chieftain I mainly flew at my last company was interesting. It was a '74 model, and had flown with Skywest Airlines way back when they were getting started as a small carrier in the early 70s. It was still in the original paint scheme.......N160SW was it's reg number.
Was still going strong with cargo. Of course, it was still working for Skywest too, since Skywest owned our company and we earned a Skywest paycheck.
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
KLB said:
What do you mean by program?
"Training captain" is AMF's fancy name for "company instructor."
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
Yeah, any training captains that are JUST training captains (not line pilots too) will normally be Burbank-based. I don't think they hire them very often though. Some of the job sites probably just keep putting that up.
Most bases have training captains in some or all of the types they fly, but they're line pilots too. Dallas is probably the exception, at least for the PA31, since there aren't many there and I think the few that are, are outstationed. They always seem to have trouble filling that run (the Vernon outstation). Maybe I will call and try to get TDY down there sometime for a change of scenery.
Most bases have training captains in some or all of the types they fly, but they're line pilots too. Dallas is probably the exception, at least for the PA31, since there aren't many there and I think the few that are, are outstationed. They always seem to have trouble filling that run (the Vernon outstation). Maybe I will call and try to get TDY down there sometime for a change of scenery.
Hootie
Old Skool
I am the official dfw tdy biatch. I am forced to deploy there monthly. Heres the rub.
-Training captain? In DFW? LMAO!
-Watch the MX carefully.
-The runs are "AMF great" if you dont mind living in the sticks for 6 months.
-Flying out of DFW is a pleasure. Good airport, good controllers.
-The ACP is a good guy (big plus)
-Pilot group are all good guys
Try to get the OKC outstation. Lots of tornadoes and since it never see's the mother base, shaving and black socks are optional!
-Training captain? In DFW? LMAO!
-Watch the MX carefully.
-The runs are "AMF great" if you dont mind living in the sticks for 6 months.
-Flying out of DFW is a pleasure. Good airport, good controllers.
-The ACP is a good guy (big plus)
-Pilot group are all good guys
Try to get the OKC outstation. Lots of tornadoes and since it never see's the mother base, shaving and black socks are optional!
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
lol...Hootie9750 said:
Hey are you PHX or BUR based now? (when you're not in DFW, that is...)