UPS Airlines

UPS Airlines is one of the world's largest cargo airlines, flying Boeing 747-8Fs, 767Fs, 757Fs and MD-11Fs through Worldport at Louisville — the largest package handling facility in the world and the centre of its global air network. Like FedEx, much of the flying is nocturnal and driven by sort times rather than passenger demand.

Flying for UPS Airlines

There is no ab-initio route. A bachelor's degree in any field is required for every UPS pilot position, and while published minimums exist, the competitive reality is around 4,000 hours total with 1,000 or more as Captain of a regional or corporate jet. For pilots still building toward that, UPS runs FlightPath, a 36-month programme designed to reach the benchmarks needed to interview with the airline, with mentoring along the way.

Hiring runs through application, an employment records review under PRIA, interviews and a simulator evaluation, with nine simulators in Louisville supporting training. Competition is severe — hundreds of qualified applicants each year — so exceeding the minimums rather than meeting them is what earns an interview, and the interview and simulator stages then decide it.