Any Fedex News?

[P3tarbaby]

It has been REALLY quiet on the board lately. Has anyone heard ANYTHING about classes? August? Keith, Albie, Huck, USNFDX...anyone...?

 

[slowdryver]

I haven't heard anything about classes. Just the usual rumors about which aircraft are going to replace the 72's. Fiscal year ended last month. Maybe some hope of news relatively soon from the bean counters whom seem to get the ball rolling. Hang in there ya'll.

 

[Hornetkid]

Got an e-mail back from KD this week

Quote

" I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will have a class by the end of the year".

Back to the shallow end of the pool, my legs are getting tired

 

[USNFDX]

Internal hiring

Iwas told that 5 instructors who's 3 year training contracts are up will be hired to the line in Aug or Sep.

 

[klhoard]

Rumors

Nothing confirmable here,

And I thought that Rumor Control was bad in the military!!

 

[Goose17]

vacancy?

It has been said before, but just to reiterate...

The B-727 is not short on pilots by any means. This is our entry level aircraft for the most part and appears to be sufficiently/slightly over manned at the current moment. I am a second officer sitting reserve by choice in Memphis. They typically use me between 6-8 days per month. First officers seem to fly slightly less and captains are being used about twice per month or so.

I want to see more guys on the property like everyone else does, but I don't see it happening any time soon based on what I said above. The REAL problem is the MD-11/MD-10. They are SHORT, SHORT, SHORT of bodies. My neighbor is a training dude in the MD-11 and has said that they have reworked and reworked the syllabus to get more throughput. They can handle up to 20 per month now apparently which is up from 8-10 per month if I recall correctly. He has also mentioned that we have picked up 19 Swiss Air MD-11s and are working on 11 Delta MD-11s. Growth combined with a heavy retirement schedule from this plane means they need to throw bodies at it as quickly as they can train them. That being said I don't think more will come in the front door until there is room in the Boeing.

Just my .02 worth. Hopefully we will start getting jammed into the MD-11 and there will be a giant sucking sound of vacancy in the Boeing which will lead to some serious hiring in the not too distant future.

Goose17

 

[NightFlyer]

The folks in training on the MD11 told my class that the Swiss Air thing was not a done deal yet. I think it will happen but it's just not official. They are currently training 16 crews a month and will be ramping up to somewhere around 18 crews a month by the fall. Our ability to except additional aircraft into the MD11 fleet is limited by training right now.

I second what USNFDX said about the professional instructors. One of my instructors is a professional and he said that he's going to the line this fall. They are currently interviewing for professional instructor postions from internal applicants. In my ground school class they had three student instuctors sitting in the back of the class so they are gearing up for more training.

As far as hiring goes, I haven't heard anything. Hang in there guys.


NightFlyer

 

[skytrain]

Spoke w/ John Snyder (SP?) last month at the Air Inc Seminar and he said that he was "hoping" for a class this Fall. As usual, nothing firm. Despite meeting expectations on EPS and an 8% growth, bottom line is until the MD-11's suck up enought crews to create a vacuum at the bottom end with the 727's, we're left to continuing the dead man float.

 

[General Lee]

To my knowledge, none of the Delta MD-11's have been sold to Fedex, and most were just parked. World Airways I beleive is leasing 3 of them, or maybe bought them. This does not rule out that Fedex will eventually buy them though. I think UPS also wants them.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[AlbieF15]

John Ryder with an R for those of you applying or going to when things turn around.....

Professional instructor interviews on the 15-16th of July. May be simply for attrition but even if they are just "maintaining" number of professional IPs its a good thing (vice letting the department shrink and wilt...)

My line number went up 60 in this last reshuffle on 1 July, which indicates quite a few age 60 guys STAYED on the panel vice retired when they aged out of the captain/FO seats. Don't know how all that factors into hiring voodoo but I figured somebody on the boards would ask so I'm passing it on....

 

[klhoard]

Re: vacancy?

First officers seem to fly slightly less . . . <snip>. . .

Yup. . .

 

[P3tarbaby]

Thanks for the update.

Does anyone know how long guys have hung out in the pool in the past before being called for a class? More importantly, if we're in the pool, we will get called eventually, right?

 

[AlbieF15]

While I generally suggest keeping such comments off the public boards and on our home pages, I must add "amen" to brother Mailman's comments.

I have missed the MD by "that" much on the last two bids...and seeing the AVA FCIFS is just salt in the wounds.

However...Mailman...expect a PM shortly from someone inside telling you to keep that stuff "in house". Just like our previous jumpseat discussion, there can be legal ramifications if anyone thinks there is "pressure" being applied to not work. Big brothers at both the company and the union aren't oblivious to this board.....

 

[FoxHunter]

MailMan, nice to hear your concerns. I'm sure all the senior guys/gals would be happy to reduce their earning . I'm sure I can count on you to send me a personal check every month if I accept a reduced pension by cutting my earnings now. You must be an old timer here, probably been here three years, can't understand why your not a Captain yet. It is all the fault of the senior people flying too much, right Seems to me it is "F""k you, I want yours.

 

[USNFDX]

"the Great Draft Debate"

No question that there are some serious drf/vlt/ava whores out there. I'd love there to be hiring, people below me, and upgrades.

The contract allows for it, there is no job action on going, and of course nobody is on furlough.

The contract also has a provision for an approx 25% BLG cut and no VLT/DRF if anyone is on furlough

The reason Fedex has never furloughed is not because Fred loves the pilot group so much. It's because Draft/VLT allow the company to run lean and flex when they need to.

I would much rather have this system, than the traditional hard BLG system, and ride the furlough rollercoaster.

Who knows, FoxHunter may have 4 kids in college or maybe for x-wives, or some combination there of.

It's kinda hard to judge somebody until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

 

[AlbieF15]

Fox hunter and Mailman...its exactly this pilot v pilot diatribes on a public forum that can hurt us as we press to 2004 negotiations. My I suggest we agree to disagree, knock off this fight here, and move it to an ALPA or other private board.

For what its worth...I make my extra money at the ANG, not at FDX. However, I am still VERY junior and I can make as much doing one job as the other--so flying fighters and staying home at night generally wins over flying away from home in the sideways seat. If offered 150% for an MD11 FO flight it certainly might be a tougher choice....

As mentioned...there are tons of pros/cons to both sides. I would respectfully suggest BOTH positions are best expressed elsewhere.

Saying "NO" to PBS, however is highly encouraged

 

[AlbieF15]

Hence the on the post....

I'm on your side bro....not trying to lecture but my inbox gets info from both union and company men sometimes. We can sit and complain (I'm good at it at times...) over some AOC coffee if you want, but all I'm saying is our complaining MIGHT not be best in this forum. You saw how your (not uncommon) thoughts on vol/draft (which I have also posted) got immediately flamed by another FDX pilot. Right now, all of us need to be singing "kum by ya" and working on 2004. I mentioned PBS because I thought it was the one UNIVERSAL thing most FDX pilots don't want--but on second thought maybe some do so I'll keep those thoughts to myself.

Again, bro...I'm on your side. I'm VERY envious of those guys who's timing put them in right seats ASAP, and the MD11 is THE reason I came to FDX vice another operation. I hope we are both in class for that jet soon, and I hope the poolies are right on our heels.

Standard disclaimer...just a fighter pilot and I may be wrong....

 

[USNFDX]

Saying "NO" to PBS, however is highly encouraged

I'm Just curious.......how much does anyone really know about PBS?

I was talking to someone who is very involved in the union, and his position was more of 'this could be a good thing if we are able to put OUR controls on it, and what will the company be willing to give up to get it'

I don't know... I guess the company wants it real bad. Which makes very cautious about it.

 

[fox3]

S/O Captains

Mailman,
Do "Displaced Captains" really wear their Captain stripes while sittin' sideways? I've never noticed. Plus, I'm all for a "Displaced Captains" coming to the back of the -10 as long as they go to the bottom of the list. Afterall, if the Union is truly against changing the mandatory retirement age from 60, then they should support such an idea.

 

[AlbieF15]

Just got hit with my first "unable to drop---insufficient reserves" message in a while. It might be a fluke, or maybe it means manning is starting to stretchhhhhh just a bit on the panel. I hope its the latter....good luck poolies.

 

[Echopapa]

Job Security

Job security is not about how many pilots are below you, its how finacially strong your company is. Ask any of the United guys that had 1000 people below them that are now on the street.

Allowing pilots to fly overtime keeps the crew force leaner, keeps the company more profitable, and allows the company to endure small decreases in volume without having to furlough. It also gives the pilot group some leverage. UPS management had a furlough planned until the pilots quit flying overtime. Overtime allowed the UPS pilot group to flex the way they did business to keep people from hitting the streets.

I have never flown overtime since my personal time is way to valuable to me, but I don't have any heartburn with the guys that do.

Just my $.02

EP

 

[FoxHunter]

USNFX

Only one ex wife, but three kids in college.

MailMan

MD11 School House appears to be running at 110%. By the time I turn 60 all the DC10s will be gone. In any case I expect the retirement age will be well above 60.

Albie

Please don't talk about legalities or ethics. You seem to be happy to use this public forum to drum up business. IMHO it appears to like be selling the answers to the final exam. As an outsider I guess that could be could be considered the way the world works...as an insider hmmmmm

 

[AlbieF15]

Fox,

Dude, I was trying to cool things down, not throw more gas on a fire. You can fly as much as you want--per contract, per company, and per union. I just wish I was off the panel...that's all... I also have some buddies who've been in the pool for over a year, and I feel sorry for the "limbo" lifestyle they have to lead.

As for "selling answers to final exams"...well...I spend 4-5 hours per client doing coaching, etc and I don't think any of them thought they got "sold gouge". The gouge is out there on the net--what I have offered to do (based on some previous professional experience) is offer some strategies and mentoring to help folks do their best on interviews. Its not "free" because although my time isn't worth as much per hour as yours is, its still a lot of time and effort to spend for free when I could be working at FDX or flying in the ANG. I think most of the folks I've recently helped at JetBlue would agree it was worth their time, and if it wasn't then I'm sure they won't recommend me to their friends in the future. However, I'll let the former clients do the drumbeating. And...unlike some in the industry...if folks don't get hired after their interview they get a refund. How much has Kit Darby given back to anyone?

Message boards can be fun, but often banter degenerates into scathing personal attacks and ridiculous stuff. I have always tried to write on these boards as if I was having a conversation with a co-worker, and keep the tone light, professional, and respectful. If I failed along the way and offended you, I'm sorry. The "moral high horse" about not talking FDX issues comes not from me, but from some PMs from some folks who work hard to represent our issues to the company--so without naming names I think you know who might occassionally zing me a message.

Fly safe, take care of those kids, and enjoy your career. Hope I'm not too far behind you on the big iron....

 

[USNFDX]

Only one ex wife, but three kids in college.

Fox,

I edited my post accordingly!

 

[MadDogPilot]

I talked to KD this week. Still no word on the next class for the poolies, though she did say they might run a small one ONLY for the internals (the guys coming from corporate and instructors) in September. (Their contract says they get to be in the next available class, and since there isn't one, they will might have one especially for them. That way, they aren't in limbo, and the positions they vacate can be filled.) She said maybe late fall, or early 2004 for the next class after that. She said the pool should be drained in the next 12 months, due to retirements alone (though it sounds like a lot of folks are sticking around to ride in the back.)

Elvis Lives!

The Mad Dog