They broke the mold after Connie came out.

He's quite the penny pincher and he's not Connie. What makes you think otherwise?

The issue really isn't if he's up to it or not. The issue is corporate succession. Unless there is a plan in place to transfer the company when his hourglass runs out, it becomes one for the courts and the lawyers.

That's never good.

I don't know if he is or he isn't? I have no access to his books or have talked to anyone that does! All I know, he has been running a fairly successful company, from what I understand has some good contracts and he and Connie are attached at the hip. I have been told by several people that work day-to-day at YIP that he attends most of the K4 meetings, so I would assume he is involved in K4 business. I would feel more comfortable with Doug taking over, then anyone else.

Charters 1&2 are successful because of Connie. Yes Doug attends all the meetings and Connie is grooming him. But in the end, Connie is the brains

I have a buddy who left Kalitta for NAC recently. Makes around $120k to start based in ORD IIRC. Damn good move IMHO. He just buys positive space tickets to/from work with all the extra money he's making. I don't know much about the ACMI world so can't help there. But $$ talks.

Sorry, clarification. But do you mean NCA, as in one of the Nippon Cargo contracts?

If so, there was a long time where that was one of the best kept secrets in the contract flying world. Although I did hear that things went a little south when they got sold off to NYK shipping lines, but then rebounded back to a relatively good QOL afterwards.

Yeah that must be it

He loves it

I knew a few guys on it years ago, they loved it too. Granted, it IS contract, and the app/screening/selection process can be "thorough", long, and tedious, but well worth it once it's all done according to them. Also, great insurance and not too bad of a savings/retirement contribution IIRC. Although it could vary from contractor to contractor.

I do not see K4 going anywhere soon even if / when Connie heads west. If I were in my 30's or early 40's and cargo was my be all and end all then Atlas maybe a consideration if I were not interested in an overseas contract making far more than domestic cargo.

A move to Atlas would beg two questions for me, the possibility of an upgrade is years down the road just like heading to a major carrier and is the few left seat years really worth it? Secondly, Atlas have a sharp management team but just do a google and it would appear also a high debt load unlike K4. As mentioned if the economy etc takes a trip south how will Atlas handle it?

Hopefully K4's EXCO can get a contract sorted in the near future with the help of continued arbitration and that should hopefully bring a more leveled playing field along with hopefully more airframes.

At the end of the day, individual situations and choices can only be made by that individual, for me with 15 years left the move to Atlas (or anywhere) is negated by the fact that the potential extra money over the period doesn't make it really worth while added to that starting at the bottom of the list and getting leftover lines and thus a decrease in QOL.