Originally Posted by
ll17ll
Hello, I am interested in a career as a cargo pilot. I've completed my introductory flight at the school I plan on attending. I am just curious what kind of holiday schedule I can expect as a cargo pilot. I'm aware the busiest time would most likely be before the holidays, but what do the holidays normally look like? Specifically, as a low hour newcomer. Thank you for your help!
As a low-hour new newcomer, you won't necessarily be eligible to hire into those jobs, but when you do, you can "bid" for your schedule like everyone else, but there's a good chance you'll work the holidays.
That said, I have had thanksgiving and Christmas off for several years...but other years in which I worked every holiday.
A "bid" is a request that you put in monthly to the company. The company lists all the "lines" of flying, which is the time one is expected to be at work during the following month. These lines may include specific flights or for some operators, just the days one can expect to work. If you want a particular day off, list the lines you hope to work, in the order you hope to work them.
The company will go through each request or "bid," and will award those with the greatest seniority their first choice, and so on down the line; the lines are awarded based on seniority.
You may also take vacation, if it's available, and if vacation is allowed during the time you want it (sometimes others have taken the available vacation times in a given month; bidding is sometimes by seniority, sometimes by the first person to put in their vacation request.
I wanted time off to attend a high school graduation this month, so I bid a particular line that had me working early in the month, and I took some vacation to nail down my time off to ensure I'd be at the graduation.
Some cargo operators, indeed many, will assign work days in blocks of up to 20 days at a time. This gives 10 or more days free at a time; the trick is making the days you want fall on the days off for the lines you bid. If you bid a line that starts on the first of the month and goes through the 16th, for example, you have the remaining days off after the 16th. If you bid a line for the following month that starts on the 14th, then you have the 16th off until the end of the first month, and the first off through the 14th...a month free.
The opposite can also happen, in which you're working 30-40 days at a time away from home.