I'm a new civilian pilot setting goals to get to either the majors or a cargo airline, but would appreciate some first hand insight from anyone who flies cargo.

For my day job I work in e-commerce shipping and I've learned to really enjoy the fast pace of the logistics and shipping industry. I love working on a route and having a checklist every day. I work fine with people as well, in fact my people skills and work ethic helped get me into a management position. I feel like I could do well with either cargo or flying pax.

I'd love to hear your experiences and get some insight as to what I could expect working in air cargo vs with passengers.

DP

 

DP, pax and cargo are opposite sides of the coin and different in every respect besides the cockpit. You are suited to one or the other, though its best to experience both to best appreciate the differences. Cargo can be subdivided into 2 categories, scheduled (FedEx/UPS) and ACMI (Atlas, Kalitta). I am ACMI and can't speak to FedEx/UPS type operations so I won't, other than saying I imagine it to be somewhat of a middle ground. Pax tends to be more glamorous with newer airplanes and cleaner uniforms. ACMI planes are older and uniforms are replaced with tee shirts/sweatpants at top of climb. Pax flying is 2-4 day trips, either living in base or commuting and crash padding, followed by 2-6 days off. ACMI is 15-20 day trips, home based with paid tickets to/from work followed by 8-20 days off. Pax tends to be better paid but more monotonous. You are locked in the cockpit and do 12-24 hour overnights in Holiday Inns in places like Oakland, Omaha, Orlandlo. ACMI you have no cockpit door, no whiney passengers or high maintenance FAs, no stupid PA announcements, and will have 24-72 hour layovers in nice hotels in Europe and Asia and dirtholes in New York and Anchorage. Pax operations will get you more landings and keep you more proficient. ACMI is long haul with relief pilots and bunks. It is more physically demanding with jet lag and multiple time zones. Pilot skills tend to deteriorate and FO's get only 1-2 landings per month. I was a career changer too and found it to be a culture shock, and a marriage deal-breaker, but I have never looked back. Good luck!

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ not a bad comparison

 

As my dad used to say "cargo doesn't talk back"

 

Your interests sound more logistics than flying. Not withstanding the differences noted in the earlier post, flying either pax or cargo have many more similarities than differences.
On the other hand, your experiences and interest in management, suggest your more interested in the backdoor part of airlines. Unless you get to the highest flight management positions, you would not, as a flight manager, be involved with the nuts and bolts of the non flying portion of my company.

If you like to fly, you can do so (as a hobby) while endeavoring to be the next Fred Smith. If you fly for a living, you will have to be very lucky and good to retain a seniority number at an airline and move into a position that has you managing outside of flight. Good luck.

 

 

You will be a lot more likely to fly multiple legs before the hotel flying Paxs. You will be a lot more likely flying in the middle of the night with Cargo.

 

That picture sums up my HR portion from my Allegiant interview.

 

Huh? Cleaner?? I'll have you know my uniform is professionally dry cleaned prior to each trip. AND it's provided by my company...ie F.R.E.E. Wow.

 

The airlines have flight attendants, cargo has world class hookers.