deleted....

 

And who said the "Tweet" was just a 6000 lb. dog whistle? Tsk tsk tsk...

 

If the T-6 counts that means all the boys and girls flying the mighty Caravan are suddenly qualified.... You just made 4000 pilots VERY happy

 

How does that logic train work? The fact that it's PT-6 powered?

When the 'Van is used to train high performance flying such as aerobatics and formation, then I buy the argument.

The whole premise behind the question is that in the past, many majors have allowed military guys to use their single-engine trainer/fighter experience to meet the minimums because of the type of flying that is done in those single-engine aircraft. For Navy guys, it's been the T-34 and Harrier time. For USAF guys it was just the F-16 (because we used the Tweet, and it's just recently that guys with tons of T-6 time are going to the airlines).

While I appreciate the arguments that will naturally follow about the demands of single-pilot night freight flying (yes, it's demanding), the major airlines clearly don't (or hadn't in the past) see the two types of flying to be the same.

 

Call me crazy, but I'd say single-pilot night freight flying has more in common with two-pilot night freight flying than aerobatics and formation work in a T-6, or surface attack in a Viper does.

 

oh boy,where do i begin.....actually i would be more impressed with T6 time of the round engined and tail wheeled variety....

 

Begin wherever you want. Do you have a counter to the information I provided? Good or bad, agree with it or disagree with it, it's what is (although not currently at FedEx, in this case).

As would I.

A "T-6" is the one built by North American. The thing the USAF flies is still the Pilatus PC-9 Mk II, no matter how Beech tries to wrap it in an American flag.

 

Probably true. But, then again, that's not the reason they would hire a high performance military guy (because his experience is obviously not similar to FedEx's flying type).

Again, this isn't my opinion. It's the opinion of some of the major airline hiring departments.

 

no dog in this fight, Godspeed all !!!

 

Based on this reasoning then no commuters, other majors, corporate, or military fighters have anything in common with flying night freight. So that is all they should hire? I have to tell you, I have flown night freight in bad weather with other stressful factors in a viper and the package absolutely, positively had to be there! I just didn't have to land to deliver it! Guess it is all on how you look at it.

The thought process isn't to try and get something in common, but to have an individual that is trainable and capable to operate effectively for the company. Military pilots that are instructors have had advanced training, and have proven that although their skill set may not directly correlate to flying freight, It has shown that they are very capable pilots and easily trainable for a given task.

I have been flying night freight for 16 years and I can tell you that both sides have something to offer!