Cargo to major
08-12-2006, 01:47 PM
#1
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Joined APC: Aug 2006
Posts: 42
Cargo to major
Hello everyone,
I have a quick question. I tried searching through the forums for similar questions but didn't have any luck in finding an answer. My whole dream has to become an airline pilot for a major airline. According to a lot of the posts that I have been reading, the right seat in a cargo jet is more promising than that of a regional. My question is, is it possible to start in the right seat of a great cargo company such as UPS or FedEx and work my way up in the hours there and then move to the airlines industry (assuming i am given an opportunity)? I am in no way trying to say either industry is better than the other. I am simply a curious 16 year old, airline pilot wanna-be that is curious if starting in the right seat of a cargo jet could result in the cockpit of a major rather than the right seat of a regional. Thanks everyone!
08-12-2006, 01:57 PM
#2
Freightmama!
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 757/767 FO
Posts: 2,880
Well, to answer your question, sure, if you go to FedEx or UPS and get experience there, you will be competitive to work at a "major". I consider FedEx and UPS "major" airlines but obviously you mean a passenger carrier. Having said that though, I would have to tell you that getting on with FedEx or UPS takes pretty much as much (if not more these days) experience, luck, networking, who you know, etc. etc. as getting on with a "major". Basically, going to FedEx or UPS as a substitute to a regional doesn't do you much good because if you can get on with FedEx or UPS, you are past the regional stage of the game. Am I making sense?
08-12-2006, 02:13 PM
#3
Just happy to be here
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Position: 777 FO
Posts: 163
ElBow513,
A person doesn't start out at FedEx or UPS without experience. That experience must consist of at least 1000 hrs of turbine Pilot in Command time. Many pilots get this experience at a regional airline, military, or corporate flying.
To many people, myself included, a job at FedEx is the last one they will ever want. The pay and benefits far outweigh those of just about any passenger airline. The cargo airlines also have much more stability and job security than most passenger airlines.
To answer your question, by the time one gets to UPS or FedEx, they have enough experience to go to a passenger airline if they want to. They just have to decide which one they want to do more.
A person doesn't start out at FedEx or UPS without experience. That experience must consist of at least 1000 hrs of turbine Pilot in Command time. Many pilots get this experience at a regional airline, military, or corporate flying.
To many people, myself included, a job at FedEx is the last one they will ever want. The pay and benefits far outweigh those of just about any passenger airline. The cargo airlines also have much more stability and job security than most passenger airlines.
To answer your question, by the time one gets to UPS or FedEx, they have enough experience to go to a passenger airline if they want to. They just have to decide which one they want to do more.
Last edited by Fartknocker; 08-12-2006 at 02:15 PM.
08-12-2006, 04:54 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: A300 Captain
Posts: 257
I applaud you for asking questions especially since you haven't had the chance to get out there and realize what's going on. I was with Pan Am after the Navy and took a job at FedEx as soon as I could, well before Pan Am went under. My strategy was to get to a much more stable business model than passenger carrying. It's paid off. The right seat of a feeder cargo may help you build your time, but it really doesn't matter, just get the time. Personally I prefer flying boxes; they don't complain and you don't have to deal with the FA's, passengers and post 9/11 bs on the passenger side of the airport as much. The bottom line is FedEx and UPS are making BILLIONS that's with a B in profits, which means to some extent security. I will tell you something that a wise old captain told me when I left Pan Am:
1. Have at least a years salary stashed away and never touch it.
2. Live well below your means and save over and above what your contract allows, and
3. Don't ever think it can't happen to you. If someone had told him 20 years prior that PanAm would be going down the tubes he would have had them drug away in a straight jacket. I would bet many United, Northwest and Delta guys feel this way now too.
Good luck
1. Have at least a years salary stashed away and never touch it.
2. Live well below your means and save over and above what your contract allows, and
3. Don't ever think it can't happen to you. If someone had told him 20 years prior that PanAm would be going down the tubes he would have had them drug away in a straight jacket. I would bet many United, Northwest and Delta guys feel this way now too.
Good luck
08-13-2006, 08:26 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD11 F/O
Posts: 653
Current Airline Choice
I'm a FedEx first officer. Last week my captain who is an insructor told me he had a student that had been with DELTA 10 years. I kind of didn't believe him. Then , that very night I was sitting at the bar and saw an old squadron mate from the Navy. I hadn't seen him for over 15 years. He told me he would quit his 10 year Captain job at UNITED tommorow to start at FedEx. Build time and in 5 years, passanger carriers might be the most elite job out there. But right now, only a moron would quit FedEx.
08-13-2006, 11:58 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2005
Position: MD-11/10 Captain
Posts: 533
Originally Posted by ElBow513
Hello everyone,
I have a quick question. I tried searching through the forums for similar questions but didn't have any luck in finding an answer. My whole dream has to become an airline pilot for a major airline. According to a lot of the posts that I have been reading, the right seat in a cargo jet is more promising than that of a regional. My question is, is it possible to start in the right seat of a great cargo company such as UPS or FedEx and work my way up in the hours there and then move to the airlines industry (assuming i am given an opportunity)? I am in no way trying to say either industry is better than the other. I am simply a curious 16 year old, airline pilot wanna-be that is curious if starting in the right seat of a cargo jet could result in the cockpit of a major rather than the right seat of a regional. Thanks everyone!
08-13-2006, 09:44 PM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2005
Position: 777 FO
Posts: 931
Originally Posted by MD11HOG
I'm a FedEx first officer. Last week my captain who is an insructor told me he had a student that had been with DELTA 10 years. I kind of didn't believe him. Then , that very night I was sitting at the bar and saw an old squadron mate from the Navy. I hadn't seen him for over 15 years. He told me he would quit his 10 year Captain job at UNITED tommorow to start at FedEx. Build time and in 5 years, passanger carriers might be the most elite job out there. But right now, only a moron would quit FedEx.
I had a United 767 (maybe 757, not sure) Captain in my FDX new hire class last year. He showed up to indoc with resignation in hand.
08-14-2006, 11:46 AM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: 767 Cap
Posts: 1,306
Originally Posted by Ranger
I'd make the change to a "major" but I really don't want to take the pay cut.
08-14-2006, 06:22 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2005
Position: FredEx Captain-Retired
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by fdx727pilot
That's what I told the CA flight attendants at the pool in BQN when they asked why I didn't come fly with them.
08-14-2006, 06:22 PM
#10
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Joined APC: Aug 2006
Posts: 42
Thank you everyone for your opinions. I think I started this thread off wrong by comparing fed ex to a regional. Obviously I was wrong, sorry 
. I just got the wrong impression because a pilot friend of mine at Alaska told me he logged hours flying cargo from KYKM-KSEA and back. He said his flight school that he CFI'd at was contracted under FedEx or something like that so that is how I got the wrong impression of FedEx. I really would not mind flying cargo at all since hey...its still flying jets! I've just always been amazed by imagining having 150-300 people trusting you with their lives and having the great responsibility of all of them. Also, pretty flight attendants might be a plus too haha, jk jk...Anyway, is there any such thing as a sort of lower end/regional level cargo carrier? Obviously not UPS or FedEx...I sort of meant the original topic to query whether there was a small cargo company to get on with for say 5-10 years instead of a regional. Then my question is, if such a company exists, is it smarter to go with them and then hop to a major instead of a regional to a major. But hey, maybe I'll get hooked on cargo and love it too much to leave :-).
. I just got the wrong impression because a pilot friend of mine at Alaska told me he logged hours flying cargo from KYKM-KSEA and back. He said his flight school that he CFI'd at was contracted under FedEx or something like that so that is how I got the wrong impression of FedEx. I really would not mind flying cargo at all since hey...its still flying jets! I've just always been amazed by imagining having 150-300 people trusting you with their lives and having the great responsibility of all of them. Also, pretty flight attendants might be a plus too haha, jk jk...Anyway, is there any such thing as a sort of lower end/regional level cargo carrier? Obviously not UPS or FedEx...I sort of meant the original topic to query whether there was a small cargo company to get on with for say 5-10 years instead of a regional. Then my question is, if such a company exists, is it smarter to go with them and then hop to a major instead of a regional to a major. But hey, maybe I'll get hooked on cargo and love it too much to leave :-).
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