Wondering what life is like for UPS flyers out of MIA. Schedules, routes, aircraft based in MIA, seniority? Is it primarilly old Challenge Air Cargo flying? Thanks.

About 8 to 10 deep south lines which is impossible to hold if you're not top 15 on the list, Rest are domestic crap and about 25 rsv lines and 15 or so central american lines with 24 hrs off between each trip and 18 to 20 day/night turns. All isn't too bad but not a very friendly domecile if you're commuting. Majority live in south or within florida.
good luck on your decision.

A lot of trips start/end/layover in St. Pete ?

Thanks,

FF
The commute to ANC is getting old.

You lazy ***, download a bid package and check for yourself! The answer is YES. 4 lines with ALL PIE layovers and several that commercial into PIE (those 4 lines went senior, the last one went to number 1626... We need to get senior, FAST!). Get BID PRO and create a profile for MIA 757.

See you in the Kong if I ever get to fly again.

Listen here Junior,

I'm gonna take you out back and......haaaa !!!!

The bid packages here are like learning quantum physics and Bid Pro is about as easy as Chinese Arithmetic. When you get old like me, well I'll digress about that later.

Thanks for the info, see ya in Soho.

DD

I'm sorry this may be a stupid question, but what does all that mean?

I'm not too familiar with how the airline/cargo gig works(I'm a military guy), but I was born and raised in Clearwater, FL which is about 10min from PIE and I actually did a good portion of my GA flying out of PIE through high school and college so eventually one day I would REALLY like to fly for UPS out of PIE.

I've got a couple of questions I was hoping you all might be able to help me with...

1. Exactly how difficult would it be to get those routes out of PIE for a new guy fresh out of the military? Also how difficult is it to get a MIA domicile?
2. If you do get the PIE routes are you still technically based out of MIA?
3. Now if you were not able to get the PIE routes, but were able to get a MIA domicile how difficult would commuting be from the Clearwater area down to Miami? Basically what are your options? It's about a 5hr drive which would definitely get very old so would it be possible to jumpseat from PIE to MIA?
4. If the MIA domicile is a very tough one to get what domicile can a junior FO expect to get?

Thanks and I apologize for any dumb questions. I really don't know a lot about the airlines having always focused on flying for the military, but I have definitely realized that flying for the airlines/cargo is something I would like to do down the road.

If you're a new guy you won't hold pie . The most jr guy doin pie has been here over 8 yrs and rest are very senior and live in pie. The commute is pretty easy to mia or fll and a super shuttle ride to mia. As a junior guy you'll still need to have a crashpad, as far as holding mia, there is no vacancy and there are hard to come by.
Good luck with your decision.

1. Hard to get those trips for awhile as stated, but in 2007 several new hires were assigned MIA. You would probably get MIA after a few years at the most.
2. Yes.
3. Jumpseating always a possibility, but depending on the trips, you may not have to do very many commutes to MIA, flipside, 5 hour drive is something you'll end up saying "That isn't so bad" because you rely on your car. Much advantage in that.
4. Anchorage, AK has been the domicle UPS has sent most every newhire or pilots on probation in the last year. Louisville is biggest domicile by leaps and bounds, so that is always a possibility.
Good luck!

There was one unfilled spot in MIA on the previous bid last fall. That being said, I live in FL and didn't take the spot because the junior trips suck and reserve goes senior.

Thanks guys for the replies.

Whereabouts in FL do you live? What is your current domicile and how is the commute?

Nice avatar by the way. That's Buffetts Hemisphere Dancer in mine. The airlines are actually a backup option for me if I can't get Buffett to hire me as his Copilot.