How does it feel to fly Freighters?

[shon7]

Just curious - when I think of flying and a career in it - I think of the busy airports and the gates and walking up in the uniforms amongs throgs of people- but then I am thinking passenger flying.

So how does it feel to fly cargo? Do you like it better? Who serves the meals in the longish flights?

[Huck]

I like it better. That striding-down-the-concourse stuff got old with me back in my passenger-flying days. In cargo, we fly jets, then we go home. Very little other activity.

And the hungriest pilot usually gets up and throws the meals in the oven!

[tinyrice]

Actually, as freighters have become less of an airline addendum, and more of a real revenue opportunity in their own right, I think the image and practice of driving freighters has improved immensely. With the SLF selling their brains to round up the ticket price, and then bitching like crazy about their $19.95 ticket from the Earth to the Moon ( and back ), many find freighter flying as rewarding as flying passengers but without the B/S involved. I work with people who could fly better seats in the passenger world, yet choose to fly freighters each month.

[CR2]

amen tinyrice.

[sludge]

Freight Dogging is miserable! No real food, just machines, cold concrete ramps, no flight attendants, just other pilots. Flying all night is miserable, you'll feel like a zombie and take years off your life.

[wonderbusdriver]

I wholeheartedly agree with tinyrice

- depends on what company you fly for - as always

[tinyrice]

Well Sludge, what do you think an International pilot does? He/She flies all night, doesn't get to see a flight attendant thanks to the fortress cockpit, and who eats the food anyway. And thats what every pilot in aviation is aiming for, the left seat of an International widebody - why - because thats where the loot is. If it wasn't for freighters, pilots might never get the time / experience needed to set them on the road to fly that man sized aeroplane. Freighters rule, especially in todays Just In Time business environment. Now if I could only get a job working on one..............

[Grond]

Hey, tinyrice. Don't know what these 'International widebodies' and 'man-sized aeroplanes are' but there are plenty of freighters which fit the bill on both counts. Lots of freighting 747's and Tens around.

Once you get used to the sleep pattern the life is great. Food is great too mainly because in our outfit we buy it ourselves - we have to cook it ourselves too but you soon get to know who is checked out on oven operations;)

[TOPBUG]

Food??

[TowerDog]

Freigt is great.

If I had the choice, would fly freight again.
Who needs the head ache and problems with pax and F/As. (F/As are usualyy male homo sexual types anyway)

Made more $ flying freighters and had better lay-overs.

As far as strutting through a crowded terminal with uniform and shiny 4 stripes, yeah it is fun the first few times. Some folks think ya are God, but most others think ya are a porter and supposed to take care of the luggage.:D

Have flown more at night and on backside of the clock hauling pax across the pond, than freight.

Miss the freighters, wish my company would get some

[BLEKE]

having flown freight, night express for the first seven years of my 'career' , I've been flying SLF for the last three years and I can't wait to go back to the cargo business:)

[WO]

So, after hearing how cool freight flying is, the next question has to be, " How do you get into it"? What's the normal requirements?


WO

[TowerDog]

WO:

Smarts and classic good looks....:D

[CaptainCargo]

Have a look at www.micropages.co.uk under my name if you want an idea what it is like

[Sean Simpson]

Ha - Great site Cap - haven't chuckled so hard in a long time.

[CAT1]

No slots, direct routings, quiet radio, as much fuel as you like, good people....why would you want to do anything else? (just don't mention food)

[ironbutt57]

Feels great....take your hormonal whinging cabin crew and......well you know what to do......i'll heat my own "meals" and sleep when I want ....so there you have it......did the pax thing for 10 years too.....freight is good stuff.....but not for everybody:) :) :) :p :p :D

[narrowbody-boeing]

ABsolutely fabulous "oldbean"

[Stonebird]

Great site, Captain Cargo! Damn! My shirt-ironing tricks are exposed! Motorway workers! exactly! You can just imagine the high & mighty exec drafting the new uniform rules, thinking how smart the crew will look...in their new brown gear & 'appallettes'....on the apron it's a different story - the lorry driver in every freight pilot shows itself in the choice of coat & boots, the only part of the smart new uniform visible being the trouser bottoms! Good stories, mate! I fly cargo round Africa, it's a laugh-a-minute, too! Guess the only part I miss are the hosties!:D

[DownIn3Green]

Great!!!!!

[CaptainCargo]

Thanks, chaps! Captain Cargo is shortly moving to www.landings.com

[MidnightSpecial]

I love flying freight. It's not all nights, though that depends on the airline.

I grew to hate walking through the passenger terminal. It was more like a large shopping mall with a crappy food court and didn't have much resemblance to an airport. Some terminals have CNN in every waiting area and you can't get any peace and quiet. When I am in uniform pax are always asking me for help. Most of them are in fear and are usually delayed so they can be pretty cranky. A lot of pax hate flying and airplanes.

To me, flying means seeing the windsock flapping by the freshly cut, green runway grass. I enjoy strolling out to my plane on the ramp and hearing the birds. I enjoy being with airline people and other pilots who like being around airplanes. Give me cargo any day.

MidnightSpecial