Career Spotlight: Horses fly, too

Operated by Kalitta Charters, the Boeing 727 owned by H.E. Tex Sutton Forwarding has been converted to hold 21 horses and there is a carefully orchestrated boarding process. And while the horses are given individual berths and their own water and feed station, the pilots fly their cargo just as any cargo pilot would fly their goods—direct; usually at night; and, while careful to avoid turbulence, with less concern over passenger discomfort.

Yes, the cargo pilot is a creature unto himself (or herself). It’s often a solitary mission or with just one co-pilot, the flights are usually overnight, and there’s no one to get them coffee.

Air traffic control typically directs more than 28,000 commercial airline and 27,000 general aviation flights per day, but just a little more than 2,000 cargo flights, mostly at night. Cargo pilots don’t wait in conga lines for takeoff; they usually go direct from taxiway to runway. Air traffic is light at night, allowing ATC more flexibility and the ability to provide time-saving shortcuts in the air.

A cargo pilot career can be lucrative; they are often the highest paid in the industry. Because they usually fly at night, their schedules are often lighter than passenger airline pilots (the need for rest is important). But holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays are just like any day in this industry; don’t expect to be home a lot.

The big names in cargo are FedEx, UPS, Amazon, and Atlas Air—and, in this COVID-19 world, cargo business is booming. FedEx has more than 300 aircraft, UPS 250-plus, and Amazon Air continues to add to its 70-plus fleet. If you’re interested in a cargo career, FedEx offers its “Purple Runway” program, which takes pilots from its feeder network of more than 180 bases and helps them go direct into a FedEx career (fedexpurplerunway.com).

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