Are the requirements for cargo pilots different than airline pilots? I know that the pay is better, but what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Yair,
Cargo carriers are airlines and for the larger ones the requirements are the same as any Major passenger carrier (in some cases they can be even greater). The pay is not necessarily better but comparable again depending on the carrier.
The main pro is boxes don’t complain, don’t get drunk and rowdy and don’t get sick. The main con is much of the cargo operations happen overnight. That means alot of flying when most people are sleeping which has been proven to be hard on the body. Also many operators have long routes that may keep you from home for many days (even weeks).
Adam
Thank you Adam. I guess I will stick with my original plan to become a normal passenger pilot, because I definitely do want to have a family 
Yair,
Although there are some alternative flow programs like mountain air cargo to FedEx… generally speaking, the route to major cargo carriers still starts with the regionals just like any other pilot with sights set on the legacies. You can get an idea of what passenger carriage flights are like and see what you’re priorities are when it comes time to move on to the majors.
-Hannah
Yair,
For the main cargo companies like FedEx and UPS, the requirements are the same as for the major passenger airlines. For some of the smaller carriers, the flight time requirements are less stringent than with the airlines. The licenses and ratings required by the FAA are exactly the same, regardless of which airline you work for.
The advantages of the cargo airlines can be longer flights, more exotic destinations and not having to deal with passengers. The advantages to the passenger airlines are day time flying, going to more “normal” destinations and the interactions with the public. I much prefer the airline side of things, but to be fair, I have not experienced the cargo side of the industry.
Chris
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I think a Youtuber named 74Gear is dual cargo/pax. How might someone get a gig like that?
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Jacob,
There are a number of airlines that also have charter operations. In the case of 74gear he flies for Atlas which is a cargo operator but also does some military and corporate passenger charters. Other passenger airlines (like Hawaiian) do some cargo charters. In either case these charters can be bid on but they’re not the bulk of the operation.
Adam
Jacob,
As Adam mentioned, 74Gear flies for Atlas. They do fly some passenger flights, but they are not regular passenger flights like you might think of. They are more along the likes of military and sports charters. United does fly some cargo only flights, the pilots seem to love doing them as there is less hassle.
Chris