Anyone with experience Freight Runners Express FRE/ACE?

[Badger]

Asking for a friend considering employment with them.

Feel free to PM

working conditions, training quality, equipment, company atmosphere, etc

 

[Mtns2Skies]

I too, would be curious to know if this is a feasible route for me to go.

 

[Eric Stoltz]

Ahh the mighty Brazillia. Have fun in that one! I know two guys that flew there. They had all good things to say. But they are also mentally healthy, so they have a hard time letting the petty stuff get to them.

If you want TP flying with some great scenery, Ace up here in AK is a great place. Fitting their 1900Cs with all glass and AP. They even issue you a parka. They do some great flying and the pay is great.

 

[eventualpilot]

How many hours does your “friend” have? If looking for a lower time FO position your “friend” may be locked in for some time with their contract.

 

[Zeldman]

If you want TP flying with some great scenery, Ace up here in AK is a great place. Fitting their 1900Cs with all glass and AP. They even issue you a parka. They do some great flying and the pay is great.

Wow...Just checked out the web site, things have really changed at Ace. I mean really changed.

 

[Badger]

How many hours does your “friend” have? If looking for a lower time FO position your “friend” may be locked in for some time with their contract.

Yes, my "friend" noticed that provision in their employment agreement. 12 months plus 1 day per hour short of 1200.
Could add up to a 2+ year commitment (if friend has 800 hours currently)

 

[Velocity173]

$31,500-$48,700 and only 7 days off a month?

 

[flight2000]

$31,500-$48,700 and only 7 days off a month?

Don't most normal people only get 8 days off per month, depending on how the weekends fall?

Guess it depends on the other big factor, like how long is a normal duty day...

Cheers,
Brian

 

[Velocity173]

Don't most normal people only get 8 days off per month, depending on how the weekends fall?

Guess it depends on the other big factor, like how long is a normal duty day...

Cheers,
Brian

Normal people or normal flying jobs? I’m off 17 days this month. I think the regional guys get off about 2 weeks per month as well.

Not saying there is something wrong with that pay and schedule. Based on the qualifications and the pool of applicants, they’ll find pilots willing pilots to fill those seats. If I were in my 20s, it would be a path I’d think about. Today? Nope. Plus, too damn cold in MKE!

 

[EdFred]

$31,500-$48,700

That's the full stop right there.

 

[flight2000]

Normal people or normal flying jobs? I’m off 17 days this month. I think the regional guys get off about 2 weeks per month as well.

Not saying there is something wrong with that pay and schedule. Based on the qualifications and the pool of applicants, they’ll find pilots willing pilots to fill those seats. If I were in my 20s, it would be a path I’d think about. Today? Nope. Plus, too damn cold in MKE!

I know, just giving you a hard time.

I'm reviewing all of my flying options when I retire from the military in Aug 2022 - 28 years is long enough ...but the retirement pay is better if I stick it out the last 3 years. Won't be to hard since they are sticking me at DLA HQ's at Fort Belvoir.

Brian

 

[Velocity173]

I know, just giving you a hard time.

I'm reviewing all of my flying options when I retire from the military in Aug 2022 - 28 years is long enough ...but the retirement pay is better if I stick it out the last 3 years. Won't be to hard since they are sticking me at DLA HQ's at Fort Belvoir.

Brian

I asked for Belvoir after 4 yrs at Rucker. Never hurts to ask but you have to be prepared for the branch manager to literally laugh at you on the phone. “Nope, you can spent your summer in Iraq or your winter in Afghanistan. Take your pick.”

 

[flight2000]

I asked for Belvoir after 4 yrs at Rucker. Never hurts to ask but you have to be prepared for the branch manager to literally laugh at you on the phone. “Nope, you can spent your summer in Iraq or your winter in Afghanistan. Take your pick.”

They legally had to find me a joint job coming out of the war college (currently in ICAF/Eisenhower) and it was either DLA or the Pentagon. I'm glad they found a job at DLA for me since I'm a loggie by trade. All of my friends that got selected for BDE Command are going to those lovely places in AF and IQ to fill their one year before they assume command in summer '20. Question becomes how bad you want it. Not bad enough for this guy after I saw the games they were playing with last years group. Besides, my wife would have had a heart attack if both myself and our son (MOS 15T already in AF) ended up there at the same time.

Anyway, what were we originally talking about in this thread....

Cheers,
Brian

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I've heard both good and bad things about Freight Runners, and I've asked because they're pretty local to me.

The big drawbacks:
1) The pay, obviously.
2) They don't do particularly far. You'll fly an hour or less, sit on your ass for many hours, and then return. Yuck.
3) You'll fly mostly the same route/routes all. the. freaking. time.

The pluses:
1) Not a whole lot of other places you'll get Beech 99 time. It's kinda like a King Air in some ways...
2) If you have the Part 135 IFR PIC minimums (1200TT, plus night, XC and instrument requirements) you'll be flying solo as a captain from day one.
3) They do have the right seats set up now to be able to have a non-required F/O so that you can gain experience, so they will hire even if you're below minimums.

 

[Badger]

I agree ^^^^

Plus, how much PIC can you really log? As a 135 SIC, seems like stars have to align to log pic. Isn't that (pic) what applies to atp min's?

Not sure if sic hours help other than the paycheck and a resume item

 

[EdFred]

I agree ^^^^

Plus, how much PIC can you really log? As a 135 SIC, seems like stars have to align to log pic. Isn't that (pic) what applies to atp min's?

Not sure if sic hours help other than the paycheck and a resume item

1500 Total time

(5) 250 hours of flight time in an airplane as a pilot in command, or when serving as a required second in command flightcrew member performing the duties of pilot in command while under the supervision of a pilot in command, or any combination thereof, which includes at least—

(i) 100 hours of cross-country flight time; and

(ii) 25 hours of night flight time.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Plus, how much PIC can you really log? As a 135 SIC, seems like stars have to align to log pic. Isn't that (pic) what applies to atp min's?

Not sure if sic hours help other than the paycheck and a resume item

You can't log SIC. It's a single-pilot airplane, and because the opspecs allow for a single pilot, there's nothing that lets you log SIC time unless the PIC goes under the hood.

However, you CAN be the sole manipulator of the controls under 135.115 and then log PIC time under 61.51(e)(1)(i) (which I'm not going to quote because every single person on this board should know it by memory by now, right @EdFred?):

§135.115 Manipulation of controls.

No pilot in command may allow any person to manipulate the flight controls of an aircraft during flight conducted under this part, nor may any person manipulate the controls during such flight unless that person is—

(a) A pilot employed by the certificate holder and qualified in the aircraft;

Part 135 IFR PIC requirements are in 135.243(c)(2) and are slightly different from ATP requirements:

Has had at least 1,200 hours of flight time as a pilot, including 500 hours of cross country flight time, 100 hours of night flight time, and 75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time at least 50 hours of which were in actual flight

So, compared to the ATP requirement: 300 fewer hours of total time, 400 more hours of XC, 75 more hours of night, plus the instrument time - But no PIC requirement at all.