Best facilities in UK for cargo pilots?

[Jimbo-in-debt]

Out of interest...

Which airports in the UK have the best facilities for cargo pilots while they kill a few hours between sectors or when delayed?

And for that matter which have the worst facilities?!

And why do cargo pilots seem to get such a rough deal when it comes to rest rooms / facilities? If your counterparts with the airlines had to put up with some of the facilities you have to wouldn't there be an outcry?

Thanks,

Jimbo

[VP8]

I thought the following applied to freight pilots..........

• Your aircraft was getting old when you were born.
• You have not done a daylight landing in the past six months.
• ATC advises you of smoother air at a different altitude, and you don't care.
• When you taxi up to a handling agent they roll out the red carpet, but quickly take it back when they recognise you.
• You call the hotel van to pick you up and they don't understand where you are on the airport.
• ATC asks you to "keep the chickens down" so they can hear you talk.
• Your aircraft has more than 75,000 cycles.
• Your company call sign is "Oil Can".
• The lady at the handling agent locks up the popcorn machine because you plan on "making a meal of it".
• Your aircraft has more than eight faded logos on it.
• You wear the same shirt for a week, and no one complains.
• ATC mispronounces your call sign more than three times in one flight.
• Your D O mysteriously changes your max. takeoff weight during the holiday season.
• Every handling agent makes you park out of sight of their building.
• You have ever walked barefoot through the handling agents office because you just woke up.
• You mark every ramp with engine oil.
• Everything you own is in your flight bag and suitcase.

VEEPS
:E

[Phileas Fogg]

And why do cargo pilots seem to get such a rough deal when it comes to rest rooms / facilities? If your counterparts with the airlines had to put up with some of the facilities you have to wouldn't there be an outcry?


Such a rough deal? As an adhoc cargo operator they may work to very relaxed limitations whereas they can do a month's work in a fortnight and take the rest of the month off.
The schedule may be by the day, not the hour or minute thus when they're ready to go to the airport they'll go and not before.
They will often be paid offshore, by the block hour or into overtime without that thing called taxation etc. etc. etc.
Yes, they'll work on aircraft perhaps without adequate toilet or catering facilities, they work hard but they play hard also and the financial rewards can be far higher, in the pocket, than those flight crew farting around with complaining passengers down the back!