Editor’s note: The following article is not intended to be a ranking, but is only to serve as a list of possible options. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.
A low time cargo pilot job is a job transporting goods or freight for pilots who have a low number of flight hours, usually not much more than 500, and wish to build their hours while earning an income. These are essentially entry-level pilot jobs which require a commercial pilot license and allow you to build experience in smaller aircraft. Read on to learn which are the best low time cargo pilot jobs in the country and information about each company.
Quicklook: Low Time Cargo Pilot Companies
- Ameriflight
- Pilot Freight Services
- Air Choice One
- Tropic Ocean Airways
- Mokulele Airlines
- Hageland Aviation (Ravn Alaska)
- Boutique Air
7 Low Time Cargo Company Pilot Jobs
The best low time cargo pilot jobs are with companies that allow you to gain flight hours while earning an income. Below are the top 7 companies for low time cargo pilot jobs.
Ameriflight
Ameriflight is the largest cargo airline in the US classified as Part 135, providing cargo aircraft services regionally for DHL, FedEx, and UPS. They also service financial institutions, laboratories, and freight forwarders with a fleet of 131 aircraft.
Established: 1968
Location: 1515 West 20th Street, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: (800) 800-4538
- Website: https://w3.ameriflight.com/
Employees: 600+
Hours required: 250
Types of Jobs: Commercial Cargo Pilot, A&P Maintenance Technician
Services Provided: Cargo Flights, Charter Flights
Revenue: $204.3 million, annually
Google Rating: Unavailable
Pilot Freight Services
Pilot Freight Services is ranked as a top air forwarder by Air Cargo News and provides full-service transportation and logistics from over 80 locations in North America. Their services also include ocean and ground transportation, serving all areas of the planet. The company is proud of its retention with over 60% of their employees possessing 10+ years of tenure.
Established: 1970
Location: 2 Braxton Way, Suite 400 Glen Mills, PA 19342
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: (800) 447-4568
- Website: https://www.pilotdelivers.com/
Employees: 1,333
Hours required: 250
Types of Jobs: Commercial Cargo Pilot, A&P Maintenance Technician, Dispatcher, Warehouse, Supervisor, CDL and non-CDL Drivers
Services Provided: Freight Services, Logistics, Domestic & Global Transport, Customs Brokerage
Revenue: $874 million, annually
Google Rating: 3.0/5 stars on 25 reviews
Air Choice One
Located in the St. Louis Missouri area, Air Choice One is a small passenger airline servicing small airports in MO, AR, IA, IL, and TN with connections to St. Louis’ Lambert Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The airline supports cargo flights seasonally and hires pilots with a commercial pilot license with a requirement of 500 flight hours.
Established: 1979
Location: 12300 Old Tesson Rd Ste 200F St. Louis, MO 63128
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: 866-435-9847
- Website: www.airchoiceone.com
Employees: 55
Hours required: 500
Types of Jobs: Commercial Cargo Pilot, Airline Passenger Pilot, A&P Maintenance Technician, Flight Attendant, Dispatcher, Ground Crew
Services Provided: Commercial Flights, Cargo Flights,
Revenue: $1.3 million, annually
Google Rating: Unavailable
Tropic Ocean Airways
Tropic Ocean Airways offers private charters, shared charters, and cargo shipping throughout Florida, the Bahamas, and more. With a fleet of 13 aircraft, they were able to serve over 45,000 people in 2019 to 72 exotic destinations.
Established: 2009
Location: 1050 Lee Wagener Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: 1 (800) 767-0897
- Website: https://flytropic.com/
Employees: 93
Hours required: 500
Types of Jobs: Commercial Pilot, Cargo Pilot, A&P Maintenance Technician, Ground Crew, Dispatcher, Flight Attendants
Services Provided: Charter flights (shared and private), Cargo Shipping
Revenue: $8.9 million, annually
Google Rating: Unavailable
Mokulele Airlines
Founded in 1994 as Mokulele Air Services, the company was originally designed to provide small tours to passengers across the beautiful Hawaiian islands. The service is now one of the fastest growing airlines in the world and even has a shipping division which allows customers to ship cargo to ten different airports across five islands.
Established: 1994
Location: 355 Hukilike Street, Suite 103. Kahului, HI
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: 1-808-495-4188
- Website: https://mokuleleairlines.com/contact-us/
Employees: 88
Hours required: 500
Types of Jobs: First Officer, Captain, Flight Attendant, A&P Maintenance Technician, Ground Crew, Dispatcher, Baggage Handlers
Services Provided: Airline Travel, Business Travel, Charter Flights, Package Services
Revenue: $23.57 million, annually
Google Rating: Unavailable
Hageland Aviation (Ravn Alaska)
Specializing in serving 13 communities in rural Alaska, Ravn Alaska purchased Hageland Aviation and now operates as Corvus Airlines. Charter flights and cargo services are available. Opportunities for small aircraft pilots with low flight hours are available to build towards an airline transport license.
Established: 1948
Location: 4700 Old International Airport Road Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: 800-866-8394
- Website: https://www.ravnalaska.com/
Employees: 400+
Hours required: 500
Types of Jobs: Airline Pilot, Cargo Pilot, A&P Maintenance Technician, Ground Crew, Dispatcher
Services Provided: Charter Flights, Cargo Flights
Revenue: $58.7 million, annually
Google Rating: Unavailable
Boutique Air
Boutique Air is an airline service for commuters and shipments, based in the San Francisco area. They boast the largest PC-12 fleet in the country with 26 planes. Offering flights to select cities in the United States, Boutique Air is a great place to build flight hours.
Established: 2007
Location: 5 3rd Street Suite 925. San Francisco, CA 94103
Contact Information:
- Phone Number: 855-268-8478
- Website: https://www.boutiqueair.com/
Employees: 450+
Hours required: 500
Types of Jobs: First Officer, Captain, Flight Attendant, A&P Maintenance Technician, Ground Crew, Dispatcher, Baggage Handlers
Services Provided: Passenger Services, Charter Services, Cargo Services
Revenue: $55.74 million, annually
Google Rating: Unavailable
Smaller Air Cargo Companies Have Excellent Opportunities For Low-Time Cargo Pilots
You now know of several air cargo carriers that offer excellent opportunities to gain flight hours and earn an income at the same time. Carriers who support the logistical supply chain for major air cargo companies are hiring to fill several positions.
Plus, a major perk is that they hire for as little as 250 flight hours, too! Learn more about companies like these and stay informed of the latest and greatest information across the entire aviation industry by ordering your FLYING Magazine print and digital subscription today!
FAQ
A cargo pilot is a pilot who transports goods or freight for a company. This may include hazardous materials or special cargo so the plot must ensure all safety systems are checked to keep the aircraft safe. Cargo flights are often done at night as goods are delivered in the mornings.
Like a passenger pilot, a cargo pilot must pass all required testing and complete all flight hours required for a private pilot license, a commercial pilot license, and ultimately an airline transport pilot license, in order to fly large commercial cargo planes. You will also want to complete your instrument and multi-engine ratings for more complex aircraft.
The annual average salary for cargo pilots in the U.S. is $85,103. The range can vary between $51,000 and $142,000 per year, though the exact rate will depend on the size of the cargo plane being flown and the pilot’s years of experience.
