Airline Pilot or Freight Pilot...
 

Hi all,

I haven't been on this forum long but I'm gaining knowledge all the time :)

At the moment, I have 7.7 hours PPL on a Cessna C150 and I plan to become an Airline Pilot - flying pax or freight. Just deciding which route do go down at the moment. Either Modular or Integrated, a very hard decision.

Anyway, I've often wondered what flying freight to pax is like and was wondering, as I don't know, do pilot's with an fATPL, have the option to fly freight or do you have to fly pax first??

I am interested in freight flying and personally, the B757 is one of my favourite aircraft.

There is no difference...Most pilots fly both cargo and Passengers during the course of their careers.
By the way, Cargo Airline pilots are also Airline Pilots, and are often better paid.

despegue - Ok thanks for your post. Yeah I know that Airline pilot's are the same as Cargo pilot's but just wanted to make what I was saying a lil clearer :)

I've been trying to find the diference between the two jobs like the pay scale, stress level's etc so that's why I thought I would post this thread up.

So once a pilot obtains a fATPL, I could apply for a Cargo job with say FedEx, DHL etc?

This is a little crass but oh well im a cargo pilot, luke sky walker vs Han Solo. You figure out who is who kid. Good luck it a hell of a ride if ya make it.

- You can apply for a pilot job with DHL yes if you have your fATPL
- For FedEx and all other USA carriers you will need a greencard at least, so a permanent resident ID for in the USA
- You can also apply for a job with Air Contractors and fly ATR's, get an upgrade for the A300 and get a job after that with DHL, it is a partner too of AC
- The first job after your fATPL is the most hard thing..

Thing is, will DHL/FedEX hire young pilots who just graduated from flight school with only 200 hours on their CV? and airlines like Qatar airways, Etihad, Emirates have a cargo section right?

Nekro in the thread that just was closed where you asked the same questions http://www.pprune.org/professional-p...rgo-pilot.html you were told to use the "search" function... :}

I did and I found this thread!

No hosties on cargo, not much point doing the job with no hosties!

About the only perk left!

Can we just spell it out for nekro and his/her chums.

There is NOBODY on the face of the planet that will give a 200 hr fatpl holder a paid airline flying job.

Your choice is either pay to fly programs/"cadet" schemes, or the old hour building and work your way up.

Are you sure of this????? ALL OF OUR NEW FIRST OFFICERS ARE JOINING WITH BASIC CPLS..... And its not P2F :):):)

But it is nationality based, so dont bother asking me which airline.

The national carrier in my country hires nationals with 200 hours as second officers, they train them within the airline and do their type rating there then get promoted to first officers. the problem is the national carrier in my country is not hiring because its going through some crisis. so this means when I get my fATPL with 200 hours on my CV will other airlines hire me?

My first flying job as an fATPL was in the right seat of a twin jet with the grand total of 215 hours, I was sponsored and my then employer put a lot of youngsters through.

Be nice if my present employers could afford to sponsor, I'd feel it was paying back for the privilege I had.

You have to live in US for so many years legally (10? I think?) to satisfy the Federal US Postal Service requirement to work at FedEx. Plus next year you will have to hold an ATP before any US carrier can hire you, regional or otherwise. Furthermore, no one can be "grandfathered" in, so anyone without an ATP currently working for a US carrier must obtain one or they lose their job.
Footnote; Due to the findings of the Colgan crash, the FAA is putting a lot of pressure on US carriers to thoroughly research applicants training records for a history of failures. Please realize that a failed checkride can make or break your career. You will never get a call from FedEx if you have a failure. Keep it clean!

look shane C...it will be YEARS and LOTS of money before you get an opportunity to even interview for a good job, boxes or passengers. get used to the idea

and if you are offered a job anywhere...take it

and don't think for a second you will have a choice...it will be luck, pure and simple