The current ACMI operators own over 450 aircraft between them. On par with FedEx and UPS. The CVG operation is supposed to handle 150-200 aircraft.

 

Why are you on this thread? You don’t work here. You seem very interested in our “small” operation. I don’t see why I, on anyone else on here needs to comprehend what you are attempting to get through our heads. We are telling you we don’t care. Go somewhere else and troll.

I don’t mind someone telling me why my company is messed up, but it’s gotta be someone who works at my company at least.

 

Certainly if every ACMI operator dedicates every aircraft they control to Amazon then there is enough lift. That seems unlikely though. Amazon isn't known for paying a premium and that is what it would take to get lift previously dedicated to other contracts shifted.

 

I always laugh when management talks about performance metrics and on time departures. 99% of time it's never the crew. If it is the crew it's because we're short on reserves because the airline doesn't staff adequately even when we had 1/5th of the company furloughed last year.

 

Amazon tried to buy FDX....they have more money than most countries. They have purchased stock in ATSG (ABX, ATI, Omni, Cam) Cam has 150 ish 767s that Amazon would own overnight if they bought ATSG outright. ABX and ATI operate 40+ airplanes combined for Amazon. Atlas is also operating a simular number. Anything can be had if you have money.

 

How many of those operate aircraft that make sense to go into small markets? That’s the currently missing piece of the puzzle for Amazon being able to totally cut out FedEx/UPS. There is no ATR/208 equivalent being used by Amazon yet.

 

Cam is a leasing company. If Amazon bought them they would have to wait for the current contracts to expire to use the aircraft, put them on a certificate and find pilots to fly them. I’m not saying they couldn’t afford that and if they did I’d be first in line to fly them. But it would not be a turnkey operation. This development is going to take time but is well worth watching.

I suspect they plan to do this with drones as the technology improves. You are correct it is another piece of the puzzle which bears watching.

For pilots not on track to be hired at the Big 6, Amazon Airlines has the potential to be a new career destination but only time will tell. Under the current maximum whipsaw paradigm it’s only a small step up from a FFD carrier with similar levels of career risk.

The key point is getting in on the ground floor of the next big thing means taking a big risk with inadequate information and has a massive luck component built into it. I wish we would all be hired by the big 6 and make millions. It isn’t going to happen though so some of us need other options.

 

For a freight dog in SA or the Orient, that means two things. 😉

 

Wouldn’t a single low paid pilot in a caravan better meet that need than a converted CRJ?

 

If it did, they wouldn’t also use ATR’s.