Excellent Series On Cargo Flying

John Gaquin wrote:
The only freight dog work I've done was in 727s and 747s. Real industrial
cargo, though, no overnite letters.


That ain't freight dog work... that's the big time! I'm talking about flying
Lances, Apaches, Aztecs and C-402s. Stuff that didn't allow you to climb over
the weather; you flew *in* it all the way. Aircraft that were the state of the
art back before I was born...


Very early in my career, I was offered
a job flying a Navajo (I think- some kind of cabin class twin) for a small
cargo outfit here in MA. With only about 400 hours, I was pumped!! At the
airport, the guy was showing me around, and I noticed there was no pilot
hatch, only the main door. He explained that the plane gets about half
loaded, then the pilot gets in, and the other guys complete the loading.
Even with only 400 hrs, I wasn't that dumb. I told him he was nuckin futz,
and walked away. Next freight I flew was maybe 20 years later in a 727.
Every day I think of all the thrills I've missed :-) :-)


Oh, yeah... I got offered a job flying Aerostars out of Charlotte into Atlanta
every night for a check flying outfit. I knew something was up early during the
interview when I was asked my attitude about the AD concerning the use (or
nonuse) of flaps in the Aerostar. Back then they weren't supposed to be used
for one reason or another .... I don't know what happened with the AD. So, was
I willing to fly hot or was I willing to ignore the AD? Neither option sounded
all that great. Anyway, I wasn't offered the job at first. They called me back
about two weeks later and then offered me the position.

That told me a couple of things: 1) I wasn't their first choice; and 2) their
first choice had already walked off the job. Well, I may be slow but I ain't
*that* slow. I thanked them for their interest but told them I had decided to
pursue other interests. Started nursing school shortly after that.

Still there were things that the experience gave me: solid IFR skills and
excellent airmanship. That's not bragging... it's just what I had to have to
survive. We all had it. I can remember reading the morning paper while enroute
in solid IFR to RDU. No copilot; no autopilot. Just me and smooth air. Never
had the guts to try to read while in turbulence....


--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE