Cargo(UPs) vs. People...lifestyle issues

[ptarmigan]

Thanks for the help, I'm just not sure if I am in fact prepared to get up at 3am night after night for years and years, so I'm trying to gather info on how difficult it is. I am a night person, I've thought, but for me that consists of staying up til 2am and sleeping til 10am. Thanks though, all this is helpful. Though I'm sure I'm being presumptuious at this point, as I haven't even got an interview or the hours yet as PIC, just doing some homework.

Certainly wouldn't be "for years" at FedEx, unless you chose that, and it wouldn't be like that anyway, as has been noted!

 

[myq2u]

"I'm a Regional Captain considering a move to Air Tran vs. UPS. For the money, I know its a no-brainer. I've been trying to gather info on exactly how hard the night flying is."

I have two close friends at UPS (Md11 FO 3+ years @ UPS and B757/767 CA 10+ years) – both are laid back guys and definitely “people persons” (there goes the ‘peoples persons work only at SWA’ - theory). Also, they are definitely no kool-aid drinkers. They seem to be pretty happy where they are and as far as night flying, they said you get used to it quickly because the international flying is so diverse, you might be flying nights, you might be flying days, and there are many different kinds of trips so once you get better seniority you can bid what you like the most. What they like the best (besides their bank accounts ) is the seemingly bright future for cargo guys (seemingly because obviously you just never know).

My Airtran friend (737 CA 5+ years @ AT) likes it as far as the people he’s working with. Also, they are growing fast so his seniority keeps improving. However, he doesn’t think his airline will be around 5 years from now! I was surprised to hear that but he honestly believes that his airline will be either bought out by someone, merge with someone, or even merge with more than one airline. Of course, he used to work for a legacy airline before he was furloughed so he might be slightly paranoid, who knows? Either way, when I called him he said that if UPS or Fedex “called me today, I'd be gone yesterday!” …And remember he likes it there. He said: “The stability is the most important thing to me and my family – I learned it the hard way..” By the way, another friend of mine at Jetblue feels the same way - he’s trying to go to Fedex or UPS and he even tried to attend several job fairs hoping for an interview.

Regarding night flying you said: “I've seen quotes that it takes 10 years off your life, etc.”

Yet maybe the real question is:

How many years off your life does a furlough, merger, bankruptcy, etc. take???

Also, my AT friend said that he misses international flying a whole lot - there’s only so much one can do in Akron, OH! (well, I'm sure he also misses the international override pay, the international per-diem, etc) Either way, both airlines are great companies to work for but based on my friends' opinions I’d lean toward UPS.

Btw, the MD11 FO at UPS said that when he was doing recurrent not too long ago, one of the recruiters was asked about the 1000PIC rule and his answer was something like:” we might change many things in the future but we’ll never waive the 1000 turbine PIC requirement” So based on what you said earlier, you might not have a choice anyway; whatever you decide, good luck to you.

 

[Pilot Doc]

I've seen quotes that it takes 10 years off your life, etc.

I'm aware of no evidence that working nights shortens your life expectancy, but if it does, the effect is certainly much less than 10 years. Smoking causes that magnitude of an effect - I doubt night flying compares.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Either way you go, I would not ever go to Airtran until you have at least 1500-2000 PIC turbine. I think Airtran mins are 500 PIC but just in case, it's good to have around 1500-2000 before you leave the left seat job, IMO.

 

[Motive Flow]

Either way you go, I would not ever go to Airtran until you have at least 1500-2000 PIC turbine. I think Airtran mins are 500 PIC but just in case, it's good to have around 1500-2000 before you leave the left seat job, IMO.

Exactly. It's nice to have a cushion of Turbine PIC time just in case. That's for any Major job (not just AirTran).

 

[capt. megadeth]

Exactly. It's nice to have a cushion of Turbine PIC time just in case. That's for any Major job (not just AirTran).

True very true

 

[Muff-N-Man]

Days off

What are the typical days on/off schedule at UPS, for both domestic and international. I've heard 7/7, but don't know for sure.

 

[wolfbayne]

Thanks for all that info myq2u, that was very insightful, and to Megadeth, yeah, I've considered that too, and I am leaning towards hanging out til I get to 1000 hours PIC. It just sux right now being on reserve and hardly ever getting called, though the time off is nice...

 

[Airpiraterob]

i saw stated that the time of flying depends on what fleet type youre in.
A good question here is what types are they hiring in to and will that remain a consistent practice of hiring when there is hiring to be done? whats the most common type to be hired into right now and as such a newhire, whats the schedule to be expected in such a position?

I used to do feeder work for UPs. I slept 4 hours in the mjiddle of the night and 4 hours in the day. over 2+ years time of this 5 nights a week, my body was never as sicke as often as it was and job performance suffered. even tho i might total 8 hours of sleep in a day, splitting it up in 4 hours blocks every 8 leads to fatigue and doing stupid things. I couldnt do all 8 hours in the daytime becuase groceries have to be bought and life things have to take place. Family life sucks when your asleep during life. I don't want to ever go thorugh that again. i think the thread starter wants to know how to avoid such an issue and if going the UPS-FedEx way, how soon after starting that will he be able to sleep 8 hours straight at night and how often.

also how do you adjust back and forth day/night for when youre not at work? those are my questions.

 

[ptarmigan]

The feeder schedule is not the same as the trunk schedule.

 

[mcjohn]

What are some companies that fly feeder routes for UPS? Are most routes flown into Louieville?