What's good about flying freight?

[deltahotel]

Currently flying charter - contemplating a change. What makes freight work good/bad/indifferent? What makes it better/worse than other flying?

Thoughts please. Thanks.

[before landing check list]

I like boxes because people are obnoxious. Seriously though, Ilike nights because the air is smoother, ATC is less hassled so we get cleared direct. And I liked the 2 weeks on/off schedule. Course now I am furloughed and flying C12's for Uncle Sugar in Kuwait for six months..............
j

[CaptainCargo]

It's the best kept secret in aviation....check out the www. link...

[Airbusser]

Which link would that be?


I am very interested as I will start in the cargo flying next week so....

[Engineer]

Airbusser

It is a secret so you will not get to see it

[ehwatezedoing]

It's a busted secret, take a look at this!

[Lodestar]

Well captain cargo,

I just visited your link and read all your stories. If ever you finish your novell please let me know so I can be amongst the first ones to buy a copy.

It looks like we will be flying for the same company as well, maybe one day we will meet in the crewroom somewhere around europe!
One thing tough, i will be flying the widebodied pieces of metal so i will bare in mind the inertia and the difficulties of driving that thing around......thanks for the tips

[3 Holer]

Freight never complains about delays, the weather or in flight catering !

[fightson]

Most times you arrive at a hotel and someone has been kind enough to leave there finished tray outside there door. That's when you know your a TRUE freight dog

[Tandoor]

Simple really..... No slots, direct routing, parcels don't get drunk, don't lose passports, don't get lost in duty free etc. etc, Best of all we can carry as much fuel as we like and there's a flight engineer!!!!!!!

[6076FtHigh]

Further thoughts......

How about: no slots, cavok, winds calm, fewer delays.....

on the other hand...... nights, smaller crews, fatigue.

Overall i think the pro's outweigh the con's.

[Lodestar]

One thing tough....


Do not ask too many questions about it because you'll be out before you even know it.....

[freightdoggy dog]

Boxes don't wear shellsuits and the M25 is empty.

[crazy_max]

There are no Saudi's in the boxes trying to kill you and every other Christian in sight.

[Aussiefly]

Its easy,
No Self loading cargo means ,no delays, drunks, heart attacks or old grannies with their knickers down thinking this is a toilet!(true story)
Flying in your nice Jim Jams, always having the drink just the way you like it, the food is always hot and of course the big burley engineer to keep you out of trouble.
If only they paid the bucks!!

[CR2]

Don't agree with the "no delays" though. Delaying a freighter flight in order to wait for this or that cargo that is late, is commonplace. Only thing is no pax to whinge about the delay.

[BlueEagle]

My last ten years of flying were on the B747-400, mainly pax but a small fleet, (8), of freighters.

Most relaxed time ever was on freighters. Just have to get used to the fact that no one really gives a toss about your transport etc. However, no one gives a toss if you get delayed or cause a delay.

Hard to beat Anchorage in the Spring/Summer/Autumn for a layover and probably the quickest de-icing station on the entire planet!

If I could have had the option to continue for a couple or three years on the freighters I would have jumped at it.

[maxepr]

Sometimes you are driven to/picked up from the foot of your airplanes stairs, and then delivered direct to your hotel room.

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If you think like you always thought, you will get what you always got!

[latetonite]

be carefull to step into the night freight business! once you are in, you will be in there forever. you will never fit in another kind of flying anymore. and anyway, I doubt any other decent day company will ever want you again..

[Smokie]

Controversial !