"Mortimer Schnerd, RN"

I think the author hit the nail on the head.

I think they're tap-dancing with their data a bit, to sensationalize, but
are essentially accurate. For example, the main focus of the report is
clearly small-plane freight. But then he quotes these figures:

"In the U.S., air express accounts for more than 70 percent of air cargo
shipments, researchers at UNC Chapel Hill found. Revenue for U.S. air and
express freight was nearly $30 billion in 2004, a record, the Seattle-based
aviation consultant Air Cargo Management Group found."

Now, I may be wrong, but I think he used some full industry figures there,
not just small cargo numbers.


For those of you who don't know, I used to do this kind of flying. Not
no more.

The only freight dog work I've done was in 727s and 747s. Real industrial
cargo, though, no overnite letters. Very early in my career, I was offered
a job flying a Navajo (I think- some kind of cabin class twin) for a small
cargo outfit here in MA. With only about 400 hours, I was pumped!! At the
airport, the guy was showing me around, and I noticed there was no pilot
hatch, only the main door. He explained that the plane gets about half
loaded, then the pilot gets in, and the other guys complete the loading.
Even with only 400 hrs, I wasn't that dumb. I told him he was nuckin futz,
and walked away. Next freight I flew was maybe 20 years later in a 727.
Every day I think of all the thrills I've missed :-) :-)