Air Freight Pilots?

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JasonCT

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JasonCT
Anyone here have any expieriance running air freight?

Care to share your thoughts on this as a career option? Any personal stories you can share, etc?

Seems like a good way to build tons of multi time even though the pay is not great.

Love to hear your thoughts!
 
There are MANY MANY options for a starting job. The small outfits that fly small twins have a reputation of having crappy planes. One of the standards is that in between legs, you fill your oil & check your fuel level :)

Then there is the Caravan outfits. SIngle Pilot turbine time is also great to have.

All & all you need to talk to several people that work for a company before you take a job there to make sure that it fits you. Lots make you sign a 1-2 yr agreement.

Being a Freight dog makes you into a skilled pilot because you fly no matter what the WX is & usually you hand fly. Some of the guys that go from CFI to 121 can't fly with a flight director & an auto pilot.

After flying a Caravan for a year, I got a another job flying a Caravan getting paid the same as a regional captain that has been working 3 yrs in the right seat & 2 in the left.


http://www.willflyforfood.cc

Good Luck
 
Eamon,

Care to tell us what your progression was from the time you got your commercial to your first Caravan gig? Did you instruct or fly the freight in piston twins? How did you get the Caravan job?
 
CapeCodJay said:
Care to share your thoughts on this as a career option?
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For UPS or FedEx? Yeah -- great pay, major carrier benefits and privileges, etc, etc. For one of their feeders or a light twin night freight runner? No, not as a career.

Seems like a good way to build tons of multi time even though the pay is not great.
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That about sums it up -- a stepping stone to a job you would want to make a career.
 
TMetzinger said:
Eamon,

Care to tell us what your progression was from the time you got your commercial to your first Caravan gig? Did you instruct or fly the freight in piston twins? How did you get the Caravan job?
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My first flight ever was May 1999. PPL Oct 99, IR Oct 2000, Comm July 2001.

I never got my CFI. I bought a C-150 the week before I got my PPL & flew it every day after work. Then I moved up to a few larger planes.Then I shared & bumed my way to a few multy hours.

I got my Multy/Commercial 8/11/2001. At the time I had 1200 hr single. I was ready to get a job, but ya'll know what happened the next month. I spent the next few years just flying personally with the occasional load of jumpers.

When I was layed off from my regular job Dec 24th 2004, I decided that I was going to get a flying job no matter what. I sent out 50-60 resumes & got 6-7 responces & 3 interviews. I went on 2 interviews & took the second.

The time frame from the first resume to hire was 30 days. Hours at time of Resume were 2200TT 90 Multy

As long as you have 135 mins, you can get a job today. It isn't hard.

After you fly for 1 year in a 135 outfit, everyone will start to take you seriously. I had an interview with a regional carrier just after 1 yr with my last job. I didn't go because I got a better offer the day before for another Caravan job. The regionals pay REAL low to start.
 
Coincidentally...happened to see this today.

PILOT WANTED FOR NIGHT time, single pilot, freight operations, flying the Cessna Caravan. Competitive salary and benefits. Minimum requirements Commercial license with Instrument rating, 2,000 hours PIC, Part 135 experience, single pilot freight experience preferred. Positions available in following states: NE, TN, TX. Fax resume to MO/(573) 299-4151.
 
with 135 mins at 1200 hours, I wonder why they want 2000 hours PIC? Could this be an insurance requirement, or a reflection of the fact that there are lots of furloughed pilots out there?
 
Those are same requirements quoted me in the 1980's for flying Caravan's solo by Mountain Air Cargo in NC. Requirements were less for flying right seat in a Shorts.
 
TMetzinger said:
with 135 mins at 1200 hours, I wonder why they want 2000 hours PIC? Could this be an insurance requirement, or a reflection of the fact that there are lots of furloughed pilots out there?
Click to expand...

My last 2 companys had 1200 hr pilots working, so it must just be to weed out some resumes. I can't see it being an insurance thing.

A Caravan is too far down the food chain to be interesting to most regional guys, let alone majors.

Also almost ALL the regionals are hiring, not laying off. Just about all the Regional furloughed pilots have been offered jobs, maybe at 1/2 pay, but offered. Comair, Chataqua, Express jet, Masaba, Mesa, Horizon, Colgan are all hiring... Eagel might be the only one that isn't but that is because AA has them all screwed up. FOs there are sitting in the right seat for 5-6 yrs. 3 is the max in most of the rest.

Third, most Caravan sized companys will NOT hire you if you are on furlough.
 
Hmm, so I wonder, if I send in a resume when I hit 1200 hours, will I be considered, or will they think I'm a slow learner who ignored the requirement?

Perhaps if I had already been through Caravan school I'd be more attractive (I have been thanks to a former gov't employer, but it's been a while and I should go back for recurrent training).
 
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Here's another one.

PILOTS FOR FAR 135, ME (C310) cargo, requires 1100TT and multi-engine rating, OH, WV, KY, CT, NJ, NY, great schedule, great pay. Responses by FAX: NY/(716) 668-5006.
 
TMetzinger said:
Hmm, so I wonder, if I send in a resume when I hit 1200 hours, will I be considered, or will they think I'm a slow learner who ignored the requirement?

Perhaps if I had already been through Caravan school I'd be more attractive (I have been thanks to a former gov't employer, but it's been a while and I should go back for recurrent training).
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Time in type is a plus, If you have 100 hr in type you don't have "High Capt Mins" for the company to worry about. Having some school isn't much help. A good example of this..............

I did initial Caravan training in Feb of 05. I had to do it all over again Feb 2006 when I started my new job. I am heading out yet again tor 3 weeks training on how to fly a Caravan with my 3rd Caravan job that I start next week.

Every New Hire gets full training even if you have 1100 hr in type like me.
 
Len Lanetti said:
Here's another one.

PILOTS FOR FAR 135, ME (C310) cargo, requires 1100TT and multi-engine rating, OH, WV, KY, CT, NJ, NY, great schedule, great pay. Responses by FAX: NY/(716) 668-5006.
Click to expand...

What is considered GREAT PAY for this type of job?
 
TMetzinger said:
did you just switch jobs again? Where you headed now?
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Wiggins. FedEx feeder. The route is out of my home airport. :) :)

They say most have 5-7 uniforms in the closet by retirement... I am 1/2 way there :)
 
Ahh... I know Wiggins, I think they either do or used to operate the Caravan based in Columbia MD.

You weren't at the last job very long - did Wiggins make you a better offer or were you unhappy with your other gig?
 
Dean said:
What is considered GREAT PAY for this type of job?
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35-50K a year is good pay for a feeder cargo or a check runner.

here is a list of regional & majors.
http://www.willflyforfood.cc/Payscales/PayScales.htm
Take the wage & times it by 850 is about normal pay..... $22 X 850 = $18,700 to start in the right seat at the regionals.

here is the norm IMHO in the regional/major route

1st yr Regional R Seat 18K
2nd 24K
3rd 28k then you make left for 4th yr
4th 40K
5th 42K then if lucky you move to right in the majors on the 6th-7th yr
6th 32K
7th 35K
8th 38K
9th 42K If lucky you make Capt
10th 60K

Where is the $250,000 job I was promised?????? LOL
 
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TMetzinger said:
Ahh... I know Wiggins, I think they either do or used to operate the Caravan based in Columbia MD.

You weren't at the last job very long - did Wiggins make you a better offer or were you unhappy with your other gig?
Click to expand...


One day while I was at Rochester, I found myself surrounded by 3 Wiggins pilots. They told me their Chief pilot had an offer for me & if I didn't take it, they were going to break my knee caps so I couldn't load the plane & then my thumbs so I couldn't fly. I am a lover, not a fighter, especially when the odds are 3 to 1... so I took the offer.
 
Eamon, ya just gotta do what ya just gotta do, man! Good luck with #3!!

your friend,

Eamon
 
Eamon said:
35-50K a year is good pay for a feeder cargo or a check runner.

here is a list of regional & majors. Take the wage & times it by 850 is about normal pay..... $22 X 850 = $18,700 to start in the right seat at the regionals.

here is the norm IMHO in the regional/major route

1st yr Regional R Seat 18K
2nd 24K
3rd 28k then you make left for 4th yr
4th 40K
5th 42K then if lucky you move to right in the majors on the 6th-7th yr
6th 32K
7th 35K
8th 38K
9th 42K If lucky you make Capt
10th 60K

Where is the $250,000 job I was promised?????? LOL
Click to expand...

I think I'll stay with being a COP, at least I can pay my bills.
 
Eamon said:
Wiggins. FedEx feeder. The route is out of my home airport. :) :)

They say most have 5-7 uniforms in the closet by retirement... I am 1/2 way there :)
Click to expand...

Wiggins! Congrats. I love their base up at MHT.

I owe you like 3 or 4 cases of beer at this point . . . .

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
astanley said:
Wiggins! Congrats. I love their base up at MHT.

I owe you like 3 or 4 cases of beer at this point . . . .

Cheers,

-Andrew
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Hey Andrew, WASSUPP?

Beer? What are you doing on the 4th? I will be at MHT all week with a car and the day off.

Where are some good brewerys around Boston?
 
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