Atlas Air Loadmaster
10-13-2016, 04:35 PM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2016
Posts: 1
Atlas Air Loadmaster
Hey everyone I have a question. I'm applying for a Loadmaster position with atlas air. I have all the experience from my time being an air operations supervisor with ups. I was wondering if anyone on here worked as a Loadmaster with atlas or any other company outside the milatary could give me some info on how the operation works. Pay ? Schedule ? Experience with the company ? How much travel and the accommodations ? Do you have a crew with you or do you just fly with the plane alone ? I love working with the freight side of airplanes and this would be a dream job type of thing for me but would like to get some personal experiences instead of opinions. Thanks ahead for any info.
10-14-2016, 11:31 AM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: Pawn
Posts: 1,138
I was a loadmaster for years and then went to the pilot side of the house. I can tell you this;
Schedules are usually 20 on 10 off. Expect to go to crappy places (the DHL system uses station agents usually), expect to stink, expect to get terrible sleep and rarely see a hotel. There are no regulatory rest rules for loadies, and they get punished. The longest I went without a hotel was 10 days and it was all Africa and Middle East flying. Always have baby wipes in your bag so you can wash your undercarriage now and then. Expect to get last choice of catering. Expect to have every Tom, Dick and Harry bugging the ever loving **** out of you while you're trying to load a plane, but OCC has to call you and ask if you have seen the crew yet. There are a million other things. That being said, being a loadie was the most fun job that I have ever had. When I was at World we had a decent life. Our pay was crap (no raises in over five years) and we didn't get any health insurance, but we still had an enjoyable time. Now a days, pay usually starts off at around $200/day plus per diem, medical and dental.
When I hired loadies at my previous companies, I didn't take anyone unless they were former military or had prior experience. We operate in an era where there is a tremendous amount of scrutiny from the FAA over load security. I wanted people who knew how to read a strapping plan, load a plan properly, and who I didn't have to babysit. If that's you, then good luck. I know the guys who do the hiring at Atlas and they run a good group.
Schedules are usually 20 on 10 off. Expect to go to crappy places (the DHL system uses station agents usually), expect to stink, expect to get terrible sleep and rarely see a hotel. There are no regulatory rest rules for loadies, and they get punished. The longest I went without a hotel was 10 days and it was all Africa and Middle East flying. Always have baby wipes in your bag so you can wash your undercarriage now and then. Expect to get last choice of catering. Expect to have every Tom, Dick and Harry bugging the ever loving **** out of you while you're trying to load a plane, but OCC has to call you and ask if you have seen the crew yet. There are a million other things. That being said, being a loadie was the most fun job that I have ever had. When I was at World we had a decent life. Our pay was crap (no raises in over five years) and we didn't get any health insurance, but we still had an enjoyable time. Now a days, pay usually starts off at around $200/day plus per diem, medical and dental.
When I hired loadies at my previous companies, I didn't take anyone unless they were former military or had prior experience. We operate in an era where there is a tremendous amount of scrutiny from the FAA over load security. I wanted people who knew how to read a strapping plan, load a plan properly, and who I didn't have to babysit. If that's you, then good luck. I know the guys who do the hiring at Atlas and they run a good group.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
