Good and Bad cargo companies
11-03-2008 | 08:03 AM
#41
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Standing in front of the tank with a shopping bag
"He has to unload it himself...."
- not too long ago a friend who flies small turboprops hauling checks reminded me that Fedex and UPS pilots aren’t real freight dogs but rather airline pilots who happen to be flying boxes; I guess I do see his point. [/color]
I consider myself a freightdog that wears a uniform. I guess I don't see his point. The main difference between his and my job is that after flying the stuff there, he has to unload it himself.
fbh
I consider myself a freightdog that wears a uniform. I guess I don't see his point. The main difference between his and my job is that after flying the stuff there, he has to unload it himself.
fbh
True freight dogs get dirty loading loose auto parts into bins (getting oil on their shirts, uniform, etc.) and then flying a C210 or Twin Beech, with no autopilot, over Lake Michigan in the middle of a winter night. They try to trim their aircraft well enough to enjoy one-half of their Subway $5 Foot Long, and then eat the other half for breakfast. They moved to Ypsilanti, or Flint, or Pontiac, to follow a dream, much like the aspiring actresses who moved to Hollywood yearning for the silver screen, only to end up in the adult film industry
. Yes, now they have to unload their airplane in the snow, sleet, or rain. Then, they in their dirty uniform try to jumpseat home to their family or significant other only to be rejected.. (Pre 9-11, "Are you 121 or 135?", Post 9-11 "Sorry, you guys are not in the CASS system")Airline pilots, who fly freight, that are DRIVEN to their aircraft in a dry and heated (or cooled) van or that sit and complain about their CONTRACT or their unacceptable CREW MEAL or that they are worried about their A & B FUND are not true freight dogs. Nice people, good pilots, just not true freight dogs. Yes, this include UPS, FDX, Kalitta, Astar, ABX, ATI, Cappy, KHA, Express 1, Ryan Intl., Transcon, Express.Net, TDX, Gemini, etc. These pilots MIGHT have been true freight dogs at one point of their career, but have survived their 135 on demand days to become what they always wanted to be: Airline pilots who fly freight.
No disrespect, by the way, fbh.... All in good fun here
.In Unity,
B727DRVR
P.S., There are those freight job extremists who say that anyone that burns Jet A or that hasn't scraped the ice off of their own airplane is not a true freight dog either.. But I think that's a litle extreme..lol
11-03-2008 | 10:07 AM
#42
Nice lookin' tree, there!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,242
Likes: 14
From: Tool-Box, old man
Sideshow and DRVR,...Two execellent posts! I guess I must be a "recovering" freight dog. Looking back, they were great days, as I've lived many of Sideshow's and your examples. I actually miss some of them!
cheers!
fbh
I guess I must be a "recovering" freight dog. Looking back, they were great days, as I've lived many of Sideshow's and your examples. I actually miss some of them!cheers!
fbh
11-03-2008 | 01:15 PM
#43
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 938
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From: Standing in front of the tank with a shopping bag
Sigh.............
Sideshow and FBH,
I'm sorry that it seems that we have shared some of the same experiences in aviation
.... LOL!In Unity,
B727DRVR
11-03-2008 | 01:29 PM
#44
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,077
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From: MD11 CPT
.
11-03-2008 | 05:32 PM
#45
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: sitting
Real freightdogs:
When told that there are no hotel rooms since their company is too cheap to pay for more than one day (check in time is 3PM but it's 6AM) head over to the couch in the lobby and go to sleep.
Get chased out of commuter airline terminals like vagrants at 6 AM by airport police because they had nowhere else to sleep during the sorts at places like HUF.
Drain pony kegs (provided by the fleabag hotel) while eating cheese steaks and stromboli delivered at 6AM and then get lap dances by the delivery gal who just got off at the strip club three hours earlier who works two (and sometimes three) jobs.
Constantly have to stand at the door of UAL cockpits waiting for jumpseats while the captain checks the scab list because "only losers or scabs fly for companies like yours".
Have late shows for work because they can't get out of the Motel 6 hotel room because there's a shoot out in the parking lot.
Hitch hike to the layover hotel because the hotel van got car jacked on the way to picking you up, and cabs refuse to come "over there".
And many other sordid stories too racy for here.
When told that there are no hotel rooms since their company is too cheap to pay for more than one day (check in time is 3PM but it's 6AM) head over to the couch in the lobby and go to sleep.
Get chased out of commuter airline terminals like vagrants at 6 AM by airport police because they had nowhere else to sleep during the sorts at places like HUF.
Drain pony kegs (provided by the fleabag hotel) while eating cheese steaks and stromboli delivered at 6AM and then get lap dances by the delivery gal who just got off at the strip club three hours earlier who works two (and sometimes three) jobs
.Constantly have to stand at the door of UAL cockpits waiting for jumpseats while the captain checks the scab list because "only losers or scabs fly for companies like yours".
Have late shows for work because they can't get out of the Motel 6 hotel room because there's a shoot out in the parking lot.
Hitch hike to the layover hotel because the hotel van got car jacked on the way to picking you up, and cabs refuse to come "over there".
And many other sordid stories too racy for here
.
11-04-2008 | 12:40 PM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,100
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From: C47 PIC/747-400 SIC
great thread, loved my round engine(DC3,CV340)freight days, St.Ex days,and Ernie Gann nights, slamming through the weather, shoot a non-precision approach to a 3400 foot runway, unload, recaffeinate,and blast off again. during those crazy days,nights,days,in the boom ,boom 90's ,I felt like I was trading my address for an N number, we were living aloft, constantly ,great experience,at the grad school level for aviators,but not for everyone, like the Marines are not for everyone. Still,I cherish the memory of all those hard days nights.
11-04-2008 | 01:07 PM
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2008
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great thread, loved my round engine(DC3,CV340)freight days, St.Ex days,and Ernie Gann nights, slamming through the weather, shoot a non-precision approach to a 3400 foot runway, unload, recaffeinate,and blast off again. during those crazy days,nights,days,in the boom ,boom 90's ,I felt like I was trading my address for an N number, we were living aloft, constantly ,great experience,at the grad school level for aviators,but not for everyone, like the Marines are not for everyone. Still,I cherish the memory of all those hard days nights.
Well said. That basically sums up my life right now. If I wasn't laughing I'd be crying. Speaking of good and bad does anyone know anything about IFL Group Inc? Their website is not very informative and I'd appreciate any input here, good or bad.
11-04-2008 | 04:39 PM
#48
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: C47 PIC/747-400 SIC
IFL group was my alma mater, great people,great airplanes, great maintenance,a by the book operation,with good pay for that level, but I havn't been on the property since the turn of the century,so hopefully someone with more recent dope can help you.
11-22-2008 | 03:34 PM
#49
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Still the same could not have put it better my self. DOM meets you at the airplane when you show up whether there is a problem or not asking if anything needs to be looked at or repaired. Cant even remember the last time i dispatched with an MEL in the Falcon. Wish i could say the same about my last company where i flew a $30 million dollar RJ. Anyway i may be biased because i work here but after talking to other guys in our niche of the market I really believe IFL is in a league of their own.
11-22-2008 | 06:30 PM
#50
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: back in the right seat 121
Back to the original post. Not sure of specific companies due to being out of the 135 freight market for some time. As for your time. To get a single pilot freight job you will need FAR 135 minimums, (1200TT I think).
I do know Ameriflight and Airnet are 2 big operations. As a former AMFer I can say you will learn to fly, and fly well. You will load and unload planes. It is your job to be a customer service representative. I remember on the first day of ground school they told us we were hired to be customer service people (package delivery) first and pilots second......... The goal was to deliver the package, the flying was secondary to that goal.
As you posted you are not into customer service so you think freight is better. A little secrete in express freight........ Customer service is all we are about. 3 minutes late requires a written report. Remember in freight if you do not get the package by the delivery time it is free, when was the last time the airlines offered that deal............
P.S.
Night freight is tough on the body. The last year has been tougher than the previous 10, I must be getting older........
I do know Ameriflight and Airnet are 2 big operations. As a former AMFer I can say you will learn to fly, and fly well. You will load and unload planes. It is your job to be a customer service representative. I remember on the first day of ground school they told us we were hired to be customer service people (package delivery) first and pilots second......... The goal was to deliver the package, the flying was secondary to that goal.
As you posted you are not into customer service so you think freight is better. A little secrete in express freight........ Customer service is all we are about. 3 minutes late requires a written report. Remember in freight if you do not get the package by the delivery time it is free, when was the last time the airlines offered that deal............
P.S.
Night freight is tough on the body. The last year has been tougher than the previous 10, I must be getting older........
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