Cargo Flying

[Flying Spaniard]

Hello,
I am starting my CPL in Australia next year
and i am thinking about the posibillities to get a job in the flying world.
Last month my brother invited me to go with him on the jumpseat to tiblisi he is a captain on a Russian cargo airline and he is enjoying it very much, i liked very much what i saw.
my question is if there are mor jobs for cargo pilots than for Passanger plane pilots?

Do Cargo pilots make less money?
what about the hours?
i know that my brother makes lots of hours but that is russia...
i suppose that when somebodey has made lots of hours it will be much easyer to be accepted for work anywhere.
i dont care where i have to live so what ae the best poss. to get a job?

Sorry for my poor written English i hope to improve that in the next few months

Thank You in Advance
Fabian

[Trislander]

Hi Fabian,

I too would be interested in a career as a cargo pilot. I think that the hours very very much depending on when the customer wants the freight delivered. I am not sure about pay, I really could do with finding out a bit more about it myself.

Good luck, hope your flying goes well,
Tri

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http://www.aurigny.com/images.gb%20/trislander.jpg
"Ayline 221 airbourne"

[johnnypascall]

Have you guys discovered anything cos I would be very interested.

[Avenger]

Chaps!

Don't know if this helps but here goes.
When I was flying cargo it was all T/P with max hours 300-350 per year, mainly night freight.Boredom is a big factor when you have 3 days off a week and only start work at say 7.00pm.The pay as an FO was about the same as on passenger T/P but with an hourly duty pay as opposed to sector pay. I guess it all worked out about the same but we had a lot more free time than the pax people.Pay on the cargo jets is about the same as pax but without some of the add-ons.
The Independent Pilots Assc has a list of salaries by company which will help you.
I'm now on pax jets which means we fly more hours 600+ for about the same basic but we have more sectors so more pay. I guess the overall improvement as an FO from T/P to jet is about 10k plus about 4k sector pay so about 14k up. As a captain though, the difference is much larger. T/P pax and cargo Cpt at about 40-45k but on jets at least 55-75k.
Most cargo people like the environment, few delays, no descent profile probs, more hands on flying etc, and I've even seen a few of our FOs go back to cargo from PAX.
Theres a commom misconception that frieght pilots are second grade.. Forget it.. when we recruit these guys get the first calls. Adding on the SEPs for pax is easy, as is pushing the AP in, but they tend to have good handling skills as a group.
Good luck.