With the vacation season upon us, searching for—and delivery—presents is prime of thoughts.
And whereas Santa and his reindeer take all of the credit score for delivering vacation packages by way of the nighttime skies, in actuality, it’s the cargo airways, like UPS (UPS) , that do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Daily, UPS plane fly 22.3 million packages to each nook of the globe (together with the North Pole). Whereas the majority of the corporate’s parcels are transported by floor autos, like vans and tractor trailers, air companies characterize an necessary a part of firm operations.
UPS jets journey for much longer distances than its floor fleet, which usually have a radius of simply 125 miles. UPS’ Subsequent Day Air, 2nd Day Air, and Specific Vital companies ship time-sensitive packages, like pressing medical provides, necessary or high-value presents and different gadgets, and perishable items that may arrive as shortly because the day they’re shipped.
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In comparison with passenger pilots, UPS’ pilots take pleasure in versatile schedules, elevated job stability, and aggressive and even increased pay, since there’s extra constant demand within the cargo trade than with industrial airways.
Just lately, the view from the cockpit received even brighter for UPS pilots, due to an necessary new U.S. authorities contract.
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What’s new with UPS pilots?
In April 2024, UPS was awarded a crucial new contract from the USA Postal Service (USPS), which ended its 20-year partnership with FedEx (FDX) , the world’s largest categorical transportation service.
When the brand new contract took impact in September, UPS turned the nation’s major air cargo supplier. A spokesperson for the uspilots union, the Impartial Pilots Affiliation, informed Freightwaves that the corporate deliberate to rent greater than 300 pilots over the following yr as a way to assist the demand.
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This makes UPS one of many few airways that’s actively hiring pilots. UPS additionally boasts six-figure pilot salaries which are aggressive with industrial airways, though the superior ability units required by candidates in all probability received’t qualify for the corporate’s “job provide in 10 minutes” program.
What’s UPS Airways?
UPS pilots fly for UPS Airways, a subsidiary of the United Parcel Service that was established within the Eighties.
Its air supply service really dates way back to 1929, when UPS packages had been merely transported as baggage on industrial flights.
UPS predominant competitor, FedEx, turned a revenue in 1976, thanks partly to the corporate’s fleet of Boeing 727 jets, which made it clear that supply companies didn’t must depend on industrial plane to ship their packages.
FedEx’s cargo freighters had been really decommissioned passenger plane—technicians actually eliminated the galleys, bathrooms and rows of seating, swept out previous crumbs, strengthened the flooring to face up to heavy hundreds, and configured doorways for cargo loading. It’s a observe the trade continues to make use of immediately.
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The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 allowed UPS to ascertain its personal airline, though the corporate performed its operations by way of contractors like Evergreen Worldwide Airways, Interstate Airways, and Ryan Air by way of a lot of the Eighties.
UPS Airways was based in 1988 with its predominant hub in Louisville, Kentucky. Its strategic placement on the western fringe of the Japanese time zone allowed UPS to achieve a lot of the continental U.S. in beneath three hours’ flying time. Later, the corporate added one other distribution facility, in Anchorage, Alaska, which enabled it to get to 90% of the industrialized world in beneath 10 hours.
At this time UPS employs 3,000 pilots and has a complete fleet of 500 plane: About half are company-owned, and the remaining are chartered.
UPS pilots function Boeing 747, 757, and 767 jets, together with Airbus A300 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 plane. Along with Louisville, pilots are primarily based out of those U.S. cities:
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Dallas, Texas
- Ontario, California
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Rockford, Illinois
UPS additionally operates worldwide air hubs in Miami, Florida, Hamilton, Canada, Cologne, Germany, Taipei, Taiwan, and Shenzhen, China.
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What do UPS pilots do?
Because the commanders of cargo plane, UPS pilots don’t need to work together with passengers. As an alternative, they safely transport freight and oversee the loading and unloading of cargo. They nonetheless have all the standard pilot duties of inspecting the plane, recording any points, planning out the most secure and best journey routes, speaking with air visitors management, and working the plane by way of takeoff, flight, and touchdown.
For years, airways had grooming commonplace insurance policies stating that pilots couldn’t have beards, ostensibly attributable to security considerations about whether or not or not their oxygen masks would match appropriately with facial hair. Nevertheless, in 2020, UPS relaxed this coverage and now permits beards, lengthy hair, and pure Black hairstyles, like Afros and braids, for all of its staff.
In contrast to the remainder of UPS’ workers, UPS pilots don’t need to put on the corporate’s brown shorts; slightly, they gown in uniforms consisting of a blazer with epaulets, a gown shirt, and a tie. Alternatively, they will change out the jacket and put on a customized leather-based bomber jacket from Karbon. Their headgear incorporates the uslogo on a middle defend framed by gold wings.
How a lot do UPS pilots make?
UPS pilots are paid primarily based on their years of expertise, the plane they function, and the variety of hours flown throughout every bid interval. They obtain 81 hour month-to-month and reserve ensures.
In keeping with the profession authority Certainly, which bases its wage estimates on worker surveys and job postings, a UPS pilot makes a median wage of $286,741.
The pay vary for a first-year pilot begins round $124,000 and tops out at $515,000. These estimates are roughly in-line with pilot salaries supplied at FedEx in addition to industrial airways like United Airways, Delta Air Traces, and Southwest Airways, the place seasoned captains can mint salaries within the excessive $300k or $400k vary.
Though their salaries are aggressive, many individuals really assume cargo pilots have the higher deal than industrial airline pilots, as a result of, effectively, they don’t really take care of individuals.
Cargo pilots additionally usually spend much less time away from residence than industrial pilots, attributable to shorter flying routes; nevertheless, they usually fly extra nighttime hours than their industrial counterparts.
UPS pilots additionally take pleasure in advantages together with medical, dental, and imaginative and prescient insurance coverage, paid time without work, 401(ok) advantages, inventory choices, and tuition reimbursement—plus they’ve the chance to journey on standby without cost, and, arguably, the world’s finest workplace home windows.
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How lengthy does it take to develop into a UPS pilot?
Relying on this system they select, pilot candidates may be on their manner towards incomes their wings in a yr to 36 months. Candidates usually possess a bachelor’s diploma and a few flying expertise previous to enrolling.
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UPS affords two “FlightPath” packages:
- FlightPath I entails a year-long UPS Flight intern place adopted by 30 months with its Ameriflight associate program. Upon commencement, pilots obtain interviews for the usFirst Officer place.
- FlightPath II is a 36-month program that breaks down right into a 24 month developmental program at Ameriflight, the place candidates obtain their ATP License, adopted by a 30-month Growth and Mentorship Program with UPS. Upon completion, these pilots additionally obtain interviews by UPS to develop into considered one of their First Officers.
Is UPS hiring pilots?
Sure, UPS is at present hiring pilots on their Careers Web page. Pilots who don’t enroll within the FlightPath I or FlightPath II program should maintain a present unrestricted ATP certificates, a FAA First Class Medical Certificates, be licensed to work within the U.S., and have a minimal of 1,500 hours of whole fixed-wing pilot time, amongst different necessities.
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