Atlas/Southern/Kalitta > Fedex?

[FearlessFreep]

Not one single pilot has left FedEx for any other company since I've been here.

I think a lot of guys on this board have some serious misconceptions about FedEx or they are trying to justify their choices to themselves.

As good as "you guys" have it then why is it that all you do is b*tch and moan?

You don't know how good you do have it. Compared to the ACMI operators you guys are definitely under-worked and over-paid.

Guess the rest of us are all jealous, good for you guys. You should count your blessings.

Of course it could be construed by us on the outside looking in that you have to pay some kind of penance for that kind of bounty. Just what would that be? Those of us on the outside have some ideas.

From a business perspective 600 hours in 5 years and two months vacation a year is not very good utilization especially when you consider that you have to take some time out of that for training. That works out to 10 hours a month, not including the vacation. How do you keep current? I flew Feeders for Fedex and did more than that. You guys must be some kind of special to deserve all that! When you consider how much the company pays for that amount of work, to me that is not something to crow about but something to be worried about.

Ask your buddies about 1998, don't think that you wouldn't possibly see that drama happen again.

You guys have your bread buttered on both sides, the edges and it's dipped in honey. You really seriously need to quit yer b*tching!

I definitely think that the bulk of the ACMI's out there are under-paid and over-worked. I would certainly like to see something better. Am I jealous, nope!

Your lucky to be at Fedex, otherwise you would be actually working for a living.

Nothing personal. Fly Safe!

 

[Whine Lover]

FedEx is a Helluva Company/Job.

It just wasn't a good fit for me in my prior 23 years of airline flying, and....It certainly wouldn't be a good fit for me now.

If I was 20-30 years old with the current, and most likely future, crappy state of the Industry it would certainly be on my "must apply" list.

So, NO...There are many of us who recognize it as a great place who are not trying to justify anything as it relates to past decision making...It simply remains that "one size does not fit all".

Just as not everyone desires to work at SWA, the same can be said for FedEx.

Doesn't make anyone or either airline a "Bad Guy".



YKW

 

[HA25]

4th year FO pay vs. 2nd year pay at Fedex

Atlas: $95 x 62 hr: $5890
Kalitta $88 x 62 hr: $5456

Fedex 2nd year : $140 x 74 hours x 1.09% (pension) = $11292

and yet all these idiots aren't even going to bother to apply.. Yeah, right..

 

[HA25]

Compared to the ACMI operators you guys are definitely under-worked and over-paid.

And there gentleman lies the problem with ACMI's and why they'll never be as good a place to stay as Fedex... Guys like him, who actually feel that way... instead of realizing that in fact, it's ACMI guys that are OVER WORKED and UNDER PAID.

 

[bigsky]

and yet all these idiots aren't even going to bother to apply.. Yeah, right..

I dont think anyone can really argue that Fedex isn't one of the best and far exceeds World, Atlas etc....
However many people move on with their life, get married and have kids. I for one cant afford to give up a job making 200,000 a year, foreclose on my house and start flying as an engineer on a 727. Maybe it may work out better over a 10 year period....maybe not.
Some of these ACMI carriers offer a good career, Id be perfectly happy to stay here. The only thing I really like about Fedex is the stability! Again been there with AA and almost left to go to UPS several years ago....would just be getting off furlough about now......Its all a crap shoot!

 

[LongBeachTrijet]

I've been at FedEx for 5 yrs and have a TOTAL of 600 hrs, enough vacation to have essentially 2 months off a year (soon to increase), a lucrative retirement plan, 1st....did I say 1st Class deadheads for any travel time over 5 hrs, and an hourly pay rate as an FO the same as a Kalitta 8 yr 747 Captain. I could go on and on.

Good for you! Seriously. However, not everyone can or wants to work @ Fedex. Not starting a pi$$ing match, just stating fact.

Not one single pilot has left FedEx for any other company since I've been here. And the biggest thing of all.......what are the odds of your company being around 20yrs from now? What do you think the Vegas odds would be; (cargo company X vs. FedEx)?

Vegas odds would have also chosen Pan Am or even Eastern at times. I have no doubt that your employer will live long and prosper. It is just that the same has been said about the above mentioned airlines.

I think a lot of guys on this board have some serious misconceptions about FedEx or they are trying to justify their choices to themselves.

I think that Fedex is a fine company.

With the information that is available through forums like this, I think that most people have an accurate enough concept of what it's like to work at Fedex.

As for the choices people make; It goes without saying that you, me and everyone else justifies the choices we make. If you're suggesting that people somehow feel a need to rationalize away the reasons that they're not working at a company that is at the top of the industry, then I disagree. Everyone has their own reasons for their choices.

Cheers!

 

[Talon757]

Well said, LongBeach. Life is more than money and liking what you are doing counts for a lot. I enjoy the current gig very much and plan on hanging my hat here until I become an official 'old fart' and can't fly anymore.

 

[BornAgainPagan]

I've been at FedEx for 5 yrs and have a TOTAL of 600 hrs, enough vacation to have essentially 2 months off a year (soon to increase), a lucrative retirement plan, 1st....did I say 1st Class deadheads for any travel time over 5 hrs, and an hourly pay rate as an FO the same as a Kalitta 8 yr 747 Captain. I could go on and on.

Not one single pilot has left FedEx for any other company since I've been here. And the biggest thing of all.......what are the odds of your company being around 20yrs from now? What do you think the Vegas odds would be; (cargo company X vs. FedEx)?

I think a lot of guys on this board have some serious misconceptions about FedEx or they are trying to justify their choices to themselves.

World has been in business for 60 some years and their pilots have the privilege of flying our country's troops. Last I checked, that is a longer time being in business than FDX. Let's keep it in perspective, anything can happen to any company.

I am retiring in a couple of years from an ACMI gig and I have zero regrets for not working at DAL or FDX.

No need to be such a pompous ass in your ivory tower pal. When you grow up some more you'll see that there is more to life than money and time off on the beach. Please spare us your ability to "go on and on"

To each their own.

 

[propjob27]

FedEX pros:
Hourly rate
Pension
Hours flown:
I flew 72 hours LAST YEAR. Yes, 72 hours in 2010. HKG FO who bids reserve. I have 6 years with the company and have flown 658 hours Total. Doesn't take higher level education to do 658/6 and figure out how many hours per year I have flown...

Cons:
The flying SUCKS.
Fedex intl pilots think 48 hours is a "long" layover.
When I was at ATA, 72 hours was considered a "short" layover.
5 days was considered a long one. Those have never even existed at Fedex.


Definitely a job you come to for the hourly rate. Not the quality of flying.

 

[ExAF]

Bitchin is good!

All pilots bitch. No matter how good you have it, pilots always bitch. A happy pilot is a bitchin pilot. It is the nature of the beast.

 

[skypine69]

109.6 hours per year. Yeah....i went to college!

Propjob...You must have some sort of min daily pay? (for line holders, I assume reserves have a min monthly) Fedex is a great job, but I am not sure I would enjoy sitting sideways on the 727 for 2-4 years flying nite turns in and out of MEM. I really enjoy my ACMI gig, I like the flying, the airplane, the people. I had 4 days in HK awhile back which is cool since I really like it there and have some friends there. Only drawback is I did not know I had 4 days there until about a day into it. Had I known early, I would have flown my wife out for a little vacation for her.

 

[propjob27]

'pine 69:

Min pay per day of 6 hrs per day.
Min pay of 886 per year, unless you drop reserve days and/or trips (which I did).

No, its not a great job.

I never sat sideways. Its 2011 last time I checked. NO ONE has to sit sideways. Even we finally got rid of enough of those old POS....

I went to SFS as a new hire (a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, called Subic Bay The Philippines) as an FO on the A300.

HKG sucks. However, you don't fly a whole lot (72 hours last year) as a guy who purposely bids reserve.

Repeat: I came here for the 150(hr) x 886 per year. Not much else more man. And according to the IRS, 132,900 is exactly what I made last year.

I miss laying over in BUD or BUC for 5 days at a time with ATA. There is hardly such thing as a "good" layover at FDX. But eventually common sense prevails and you need to feed yourself (and/or family).

Q. Wow, cool! You had 36 hours in Paris man! What did you do!
A. I slept the entire time because I suffered from chronic fatigue due to the regularly scheduled pairing I flew In on. I really, really, hope the rest rules change soon even for us!

However, I kinda chukle at my paycheck when it shows up for flying as little as I do. That alone adds a hint of a smile to this gig.

If I had some senority at World or Atlas, I would likely NOT punch out for this outfit. Kalitta, I dunno. Eventually, you look yourself in the mirror and you get pissed off you ain't making 150ish a year as an "airline" pilot like your dad did (at least I did).

Nuf said. Roll with the punches. Take this job and **** it

'pine 27

 

[skypine69]

what up dude...I hear you on all that. still 132K is pretty good coin for never really working! you still in HK?? I go thru there a lot, lets get together sometime. we got a lot of ATA guys over here, just flew with one for 2 weeks.

 

[Jurasicpilot]

ITS BETTER OVER THERE!

Ive heard this crap for years and years and years. Its like having one of those signs that says "Free Beer Tomorrow". Well, No Sh*t.

Have a friend that bailed from FedEx because his pay check kept bouncing or it didnt come at all. (that would be back in the falcon days for all you kiddies reading this) I also remember guys getting hired at Eastern thinking "whew" we made it. (back before anyone heard of Frank overthere and thats a WHOLE other topic which you just never know what @@shole may take the helm at the home office)

The moral is, big today may not be tomorrow and vice versa.

If you havent made the big bucks yet and are foaming at the mouth thinking about it. Great, go for it. However, your tax rates go up (way up) deductions go away and you end up giving even more to uncle sam. Your way of life will evolve and you will most likely be in the same mindset in years to come.

 

[HA25]

I'll trade low wages and low taxes for high wages and high taxes.... in the end the net is higher and the work is usually easier.

 

[Whine Lover]

So, I'm looking over my neighbors fence and I'm wondering " How does he get that lawn so green....?"




YKW

 

[tubineotter]

amen FMSpeed. i want to make as much as possible and quik as possible save as much as i can and retire as soon as possible. this working stuff is for the birds. id rather hang out and relax on the river @ home

 

[waka]

I've been at FedEx for 5 yrs and have a TOTAL of 600 hrs, enough vacation to have essentially 2 months off a year (soon to increase), a lucrative retirement plan, 1st....did I say 1st Class deadheads for any travel time over 5 hrs, and an hourly pay rate as an FO the same as a Kalitta 8 yr 747 Captain. I could go on and on.

Yeah, whatever you elitist dolt with misplaced arrogance. Grow up.

Not one single pilot has left FedEx for any other company since I've been here. And the biggest thing of all.......what are the odds of your company being around 20yrs from now? What do you think the Vegas odds would be; (cargo company X vs. FedEx)?

I think a lot of guys on this board have some serious misconceptions about FedEx or they are trying to justify their choices to themselves.

That is a lie. Your overly inflated ego is amusing.

 

[OrionFE]

I've been at FedEx for 5 yrs and have a TOTAL of 600 hrs, enough vacation to have essentially 2 months off a year (soon to increase), a lucrative retirement plan, 1st....did I say 1st Class deadheads for any travel time over 5 hrs, and an hourly pay rate as an FO the same as a Kalitta 8 yr 747 Captain. I could go on and on.

Not one single pilot has left FedEx for any other company since I've been here. And the biggest thing of all.......what are the odds of your company being around 20yrs from now? What do you think the Vegas odds would be; (cargo company X vs. FedEx)?

I think a lot of guys on this board have some serious misconceptions about FedEx or they are trying to justify their choices to themselves.

dude...you have to be Air Force because you talk like a "spoild" little rich kid! So what, you are a FedEx pilot! Good for you. We are all aviators and we do the best we can. People like you bring the profession down. I think for all spoiled military types like you that get their dream job with FedEx, should read "Fate is the Hunter" before you show up with your big ego's. Aviation use to be one, proud profession.

Retired Navy!

 

[bahumba]

dude...you have to be Air Force because you talk like a "spoild" little rich kid! So what, you are a FedEx pilot! Good for you. We are all aviators and we do the best we can. People like you bring the profession down. I think for all spoiled military types like you that get their dream job with FedEx, should read "Fate is the Hunter" before you show up with your big ego's. Aviation use to be one, proud profession.

Retired Navy!

Unbelieveable.....typical of your breed!

 

[Talon757]

Um....I'm retired USAF and while I think Malter1 is way out in left field I resent the tone taken here by OrionFE. We all who wore the uniform served our country no matter what service branch we were a part of. That is something I feel good about. That was then, this is now. I am now a civilian airline pilot. To turn this into military/civilian rant is way out of bounds. I choose to fly for Atlas. I like it here and see no reason to change. If you like FedEx than good for you. After the last few years it would seem that ANYONE who has a job is in pretty good shape! All jobs aren't a good fit for all people for any number of reasons.

 

[unwashed]

maybe typical of the FE breed? and a discharged Seamen to boot.

 

[Zoneload]

Sounds more like a Navy/Air force thing than a military/civilian rant..

 

[OrionFE]

My apologies.....nothing against the AF, I fly with a lot of good guys. The guy just pi$$ed me off! Think before you type........

 

[Talon757]

No worries, Orion. I spent 14 months as the MAC guy on Diego Garcia so I speak Navy too!

 

[PHXFLYR]

I dunno.... for all of us with a flying gig; don't you think that our time might be better spent if we all just stepped back for a second, took the time to appreciate what we got and tried to improve upon it rather than wasting our time constantly looking over our shoulder to see what the other guy has ? Do that long enough and you can make yourself miserable in the process, no matter where you fly or what your paid

PHXFLYR

 

[SMcC]

I'm not at FedEx or any of the ACMI's, so as an outsider I have to ask about the extremely low crew utilization being talked about here. I assume some exageration is involved, and that the numbers were not meant to reflect an average cross section. But still.... How long can that last?
...and is this really the ideal you all want. Personally I'm in the career because I like to fly.

 

[HA25]

We all love to fly, but there are only so many 16-18 hour days a person can work before they drop dead from fatigue. Don't worry about utilization at the wages ACMI pilots make. Trust me.

 

[SMcC]

Worried? ...no
Just asking a question, which incidentally had nothing to do with ACMI wages.
I hesitated to ask my question because I feared it would be misconstrued as flame.

 

[HA25]

No worries, here's the thing. If you love to fly (meaning hand fly, take offs and landings) DONT fly heavy long haul equipment. In a typical month you'll get two to three landings if you're lucky and there were times when I flew a whole month and got none. It's 95% cruise with nothing to do but tick off waypoints on your flightplan.

Fly domestic short haul to get more "flying" in.

IMHO