To fly Freight ?

[Boeing Freighter]

Hi all ,

I am very much a freight dog enthusiast , ... , i want to fly for a freight / cargo airline when i'm older , but first have a few Q's ...

1. After PPL , i take it i would have to go straight through right up to f/ATPL , like a passenger pilot ? ... Any chance i would be taken on with just a CPL , as a First Officer.

2. Would i absolutely have to go through another area of aviation before flying freight ? ... have to become a Passenger pilot first or ... ?

3. What is requiered to do regional freight flying , like in a twin aircraft , at night or stuff like that ? what hours / experience / licenses ? surely its not a full ATPL ?

4. Before holding a CPL ( being paid to fly ) , do companies exist where they dont pay YOU , but pay for the aircraft expenses , sort of flying for free ?

thats all for now i think , no doubt i'll be adding to this ( and others ).

Thanks

Calum

[Daysleeper]

1. ask on wannabes. I dont know much bout the new JAR system. In the old days you could get a CPL and be taken on as an FO. Do the ATPL grounds and have a frozen ATPL till 1500 hours. its probably about the same. Someone else will probably correct me.

2. Both pax and freight require the same standards from you as a pilot. Its the same licence. Take a job where you can. If you really want to do freighting find out as much as you can about it. It may change your mind! Then stucture your applications but if you get offered a job slumming it on a pax airbus :O

3. Same as to fly regional pax turboprops. So frozen ATPL type thingy. There are a number of freighter turboprops out there which are an excellent starting place in aviation.(see list below)

4. Yeah but dont go there. A job involves getting paid. If you have done your training and got your licence you are providing a valuable contribution to a company and should get paid for it. Dont get me wrong it might not be a huge amount but you should absolutely not work for nothing.


You might want to consider reading

DHL www.dhl.com
TNT www.tnt.com
Chanex www.channel-express.co.uk/
ACL www.aircontractors.com/
Atlantic www.airatlantique.co.uk/ or
www.atlanticairlines.co.uk/
BAC express www.bacexpress.com/

and last but not least www.flyjem.com/cargo.php

almost forgot as your in scotland
www.highlandairways.co.uk/

for news

http://www.payloadasia.com/News/news_frames.htm

www.tiaca.org/


Just a short bit of homework:}

Freighting can offer a large and varied range of options it suits me but its not for all.

[Boeing Freighter]

Cool ,

Thanks vey much Daysleeper.

Calum