I'm fixing to retire in 3-4 years and would like to have a 2nd career flying freight for Baron Aviation or some other company. I am currently working on my instrument rating and have 150 hrs PIC (C-172).

What are the min reqts needed (besides a commercial ticket and instrument)?

What is pay?

Any and all advise, information, warnings will be greatly appreciated.

BurntOut (on Rockets)

Depends on what you mean by "freight".

If you're looking to fly big iron for several hundred thousand $/year with good benefits and retirement, you're looking at FDX or UPS. You'll need 5000 hours in airliners or military transports, or 1500 hours in fighters, plus an excellent track record and inside connections who will recommend you for the job.

If you want to solo old, small GA piston planes at night, in bad wx, possibly over mountains at night to an outstation where you spend your day snoozing in whatever makeshift facility they have available, you'll need at least 1200 TT, 500 XC, 100 Night (and CPL w/IR). Pay would start around $25K, maybe get up to $40K-50K after many years.

There's some stuff in between those extremes which might pay a living wage and provide medical bennies (no retirement) but most of it will require 1000 turbine PIC to qualify.

Like Rick said, even an entry level freight mover requires FAA Part 135 aeronautical experience minimums, which is beyond their control. I assume you presently have low hours (500). You are going to need to do some flight instructing and/ or working for entry level commercial jobs if you are on the poor side, or buy blocks of time if you are on the rich to get those hours. Part 135 IFR minimums are

total time 1200
X-C pt to pt 500
night 100
combined instrument 75
simulated instrument 50
actual instrument 0

I am well beyond the years to fly the big iron - I have no illusions nor aspirations in that regard. I would like to fly Cessna Caravans (or equivalent). But as you point out I'll need a lot more than my current paltry <200 hours total, but I am working hard on building them up. What are the entry level commercial jobs you refer to and would you know any of them in the Austin/Houston Texas areas?

As for the 135 hour requirement - it's just a commercial ticket with an instrument rating; is that correct?

Something like that for 135 SIC, but 135 PIC requires 1200 TT and the other times cubdriver listed above. Since most 135 freight operations start their pilots in single-pilot ASEL, they generally all require 135 PIC requirements.

Your options are the usual: CFI, diver-driver, traffic watch, pipeline, or you could search high and low for a 135 op which would hire (and insure) an SIC with wet commercial times.

Martinaire out of Dallas has Caravans if that's really what you want. I have a couple of friends over there who enjoy the company (though apparently are blind to the pay).

They might have a few Austin routes...I know they do some flying for Lone Star Overnight and also do a Victoria to Houston run for UPS.