Becoming a freight pilot

[nevet]

I currently live in the US and want to be a freight pilot. I have zero flying experience but I can get my flight training paid for free (GI Bill).

Is there any way I can be a freight pilot without being an airline pilot first? I really don't want to fly pax.

I really don't care about the freight company or how much they pay, as long as I can make a few bucks and fly sometype of jet (no turboprops), I will be happy. I am open to pretty much any location around the world.

Am I living a dream or can I make this a reality?

[Flying Mechanic]

you will be very lucky to get your first job on a jet anywhere in the world flying freight.....1000 of pilots unemployed all over the world. If you are in the USA, take a job flying anything! start on pistons and , then turbo prop, then Jets, thats the route i took, flew freighter turbo props.....was the best flying in my career!

[Exup]

Why do you think there is a difference between a freight pilot and an airline pilot, everyone has to compile to the same rules.

[MonsieurFromage]

It'll take a while to make it to flying a jet with a wet commercial certificate unless you get super lucky.

However, enjoy the journey on the way there! Flying those turboprops and piston twins looks like a lot of fun.

[22k]

Cockpits all look the same past the door anyway!! No difference apart from the fact that you need fangs to fly freight and you have to avoid garlic.

[Caboclo]

The only jet airlines who will hire you without previous jet time are the commuters. Plan on instructing/flying skydivers/flying Grand Canyon tours/towing banners until you get Part 135 minimums (1200 total, etc). Then get a freight job in a piston twin, stick that out for a year, then start applying to the regionals. Once you have a couple thousand hours jet time, you can start applying to the jet freight airlines. Regardless of what route you choose, plan on living in poverty for the majority of your career.

[Dan Winterland]

Once you have the experience to get onto the types freight companies operate, then apply for those jobs in preference to pax jobs. Don't make the same mistake as those who assume the standards are lower and the jobs easy to get. They aren't. And also note that the freight companies tend to operate wide bodies which will usually require more experience.

[zeddb]

Dan is absolutely correct.

Freighters are operated to the same standards as any other commercial aircraft and just because they park in the rough end of the airport does not mean that they fly any differently to the jets parked on the air bridges.

Freighters are moving away from the 747 Classic/707/DC8 type operations, in Europe at least onto 744/748/777 equipment so experience of one of these types is an advantage. That means flying pax variants for a bit in practical terms. Some airlines operate pax and freight variants but the trend, again in Europe, is for freight to be carried by specialist operators, sometimes in the airline's colours.

As you are in the US, your dream ticket would probably be FedEx or UPS or Atlas who seem to be the big players. As has been suggested, with zero hours you will need to work your way up the ladder. Maybe consider a move to Florida. MIA and MCO are chock full of freighters.

Best of luck. I moved to freight a couple of years ago and the only question in my mind is why I didn't do it 10 years earlier.