Low pay, load your own cargo, commute with limited CASS to difficult bases. Mostly night auto parts. They have a difficult time getting/retaining people. CP is a nice guy but it's thr owners that think pilots are a dime a dozen.

 

That sounds amazingly similar to my current day-to-day. Do I at least get my own forklift? My back is starting to predate my body by about 50 years.

Is it an international operation? How low is the pay? A dime for a dozen has been met with inflation - a quarter will suffice.

 

I made about 60k my first year there as a FE. Salary plus a mileage rate, when you’re busy it really adds up. Since I left the structure was revamped, and pay is even better now. They also offer a commutable schedule.

The Boeing was a different world than the Falcons and Convairs; higher standards, higher pay, tougher trips, and a more close-knit group. I was there two years, and loved most of it. Getting called out at 4am to fly an hour and wait 7 for freight is never fun in itself, but we had great crews, sweet planes, and relative freedom to do whatever you wanted as long as the job gets done; easily the most fun I'll ever have in my career. It's freight, they push you to go, but if you say no, they're equally cool with it. I remember we landed in ELP at the end of a long trip and the company told us to reposition immediately to TOL and load the plane there for the next crew. We went to a steakhouse and had a nice meal first. Never heard a word from the company about that.

Most of the time all you have to do while loading is supervise; but everyone, including that captain, is usually helping push the pallet jack or strap things down. When you get paid by the mile and it's the middle of the night, it just makes more sense to help out the Mexicans so you can get home and back to sleep much quicker. I've yet to see anything like it, when needed, there is a cockpit gradient and ranks, but for the most part you're all there together as a team to do whatever you can to make the job easier for everyone else. Since you ask, initial and recurrent training does include forklift certification. However, I’ve only seen it sued on the road for real twice, both times it was the same captain, and he did it because had just popped a 5 Hour Energy and thought driving the forklift was hilarious.

The people on here complaining about IFL haven’t actually worked for them. There are definitely things to complain about, but I don’t know of anybody who has left that doesn’t look back at their time at IFL and smile. All I do at my current job is tell IFL stories, it was a great time.

 

I was there during the DC-3 era and feel the same way about IFL , we were more like a squadron back then than an airline, flying the Douglas in its twilight years and slugging it out with the Michigan winters, good , tough flying, outstanding airplanes and people. Good on you.

 

What routes do you guys do into Central America? Any Hawaii or Alaska? Just curious...

 

I've never thought of it that way before, but that description fits perfectly.

Whatever someone hires them to do. Lots of US, Mexico, and Canada.

 

I spoke with CP about a year ago when I was thinking of joining on the 727. I really didn't like the idea of being an FE (additional rating, plus, its the hardest job on the bird haha)

I sometimes regret not going, the whole on call thing is familiar to me, I'm on call 24/7 at my current job (don't fly much) Does IFL ever hire guys straight into the right seat of the 27?

 

Thank you for the insight. I've tried contacting them several different ways to no avail. Any advice as to the best way to inject myself into the fray? I live in Alaska, but I should have no problem jumpseating if necessary to entertain a one-on-one.

 

Hey What, Your experience might not fit is all. Keep applying via 350 or keep calling/sending in your resume. Check your pms!

 

Hiring for the new CRJ now in Michigan.