Fed Ex Pool

[Goose17]

Just creating a spot for info/rumor sharing on Fed Ex's pilot pool. I am a member of the pool and I am totally in the dark. I interviewed at the end of August, got a letter a few weeks later welcoming me to the pool, and that's about it.

Goose17

 

[AlbieF15]

Keep hearing Pireps classes resuming in Feb, with more to follow. Rumor only--about 200 needed after those two classes for retirement attrition and mail contract. Doing the math the traditional 16/month starting Mar/Apr would work. See furloughedpilot.com for the actual company email.

All this is 2nd or 3rd hand....have a backup plan.

Sorry you are treading water...perhaps you'll get some good news before Christmas.

 

[Goose17]

AlbieF15,

I have read the info on the furloughedpilot.com site before and the site actually interprets the info to mean that the TOTAL number of pilots will increase by 200 by 2004. This would be in addition to the retirements which are as follows from the Fed Ex site: (keep in mind these are known retirements and I have heard that they lose around 100 or so per year as unscheduled departures due to medical and various other things)

2002: 58
2003: 83
2004: 76
2005: 128
2006: 162

... and it continues in the mid to high 100's for a long time. I have also heard rumors of the Postal Service requesting Fed Ex doubles the current contract for mail. The same rumor also said that Fed Ex told the USPS not during peak.

I know there is alot of unverified rumors floating about out there as well as in my message above, but that is why I want to discuss this topic. We are kind of in the dark here and would all sleep a little better with some information.

Goose17

 

[Beaver]

I'm swimming with you as well. Had a friend that talked to the director of training and said classes would resume in Feb. I've heard the number of swimmers is between 50 and 70. I wouldn't expect to hear anything until after the new year. This is all second and third hand info so take it as you want. See you in Memphis.

 

[loungelizard]

I'm in the pool also. I was originally schedulled for the Nov 26 class but received the cancellation letter and "Congrats you're in the Pool" letter back in October. My letter said no classes until at least Feb 2002. Kim Daniels has told me I will be in the first class when they start up again for what that is worth. I was originally offered a 22 Oct class but could not accept due to Military committment(Bad Luck). I interview the first week of July and found out the first week of August.

 

[USMCFDX]

Right now there is a HUGE training backlog, and as I see it this in the main reason the last two classes of the year were postponed.
The USPS does want us to carry more volume, but FedEx wants only a little at a time to see how it affects route structure. I would bet that Fred wants to carry all that they offer, it will just take time to get it into the system. The number of orange mail bags in conatiners on ramp is amazing.
December is predicted to put a heavy load on the system. All seats except the 727 FE were offered vacation buyback this bid month.
Last rumor I heard is still 1 or 2 classes a month starting in Feb. With the first two classes being the two from 2001. No word when and if they will open up the app window again.
Good luck

 

[Buffy]

Not Exactly True (vacation buyback)

USMCFDX,
Vacation buyback for Capts and F/Os all aircraft. No buyback for S/Os.

 

[USMCFDX]

Thought I read that DC-10 backseaters were offered buyback. Maybe I had a dream about it while sleeping in the lounger during a Hub Turn. Sorry for the bad gouge. For what it is worth two good friends are in the back of the 10 and get used all the time while on reserve, while I sit in MEM and watch the Jerry Springer Show in my crash pad.

 

[AlbieF15]

Can you explain what vacation buyback is and what is means? I gather it implies you are quite busy (lots of business) when the company doesn't want you leaving.

 

[USMCFDX]

Basically the company has determined that it needs the pilots (all or some) who will be on vacation to fly. You end up getting paid for the vacation you would have taken plus an incentive to skip your vacation. It is spelled out in the contract exactly how and how much.

 

[Purple Haze]

I'm swimmin' --- Sep 21 interview. Keep the rumors coming!


You gotta believe

 

[T-38Dude]

Classes starting back up again

Great news. Got a call today from FedEx for a training class on 14 Jan. Beverely called and said the 14 Jan class will be for 8 people. She said there will be one more class of 8 in Jan as well. I tried to get as much out of her as I could about the next couple of months. She didn't have much more to tell about future classes after Jan. However, I have a bud that is in the "pool" and she said sometime in the Spring for him. He interviewed in mid Oct. So I would think probably pretty far down in the pool.

Just for your info as well. I interviewed back in Jun. I was originally sheduled for the 26 Nov class. That was the first one I could get to because of the old military committment thing. For you Air Force guys stuck in "stop loss", may want to try a waiver. The Air Force gave me one. I guess they figured they could survive without a T-38 guy. Best of luck to all.

 

[Goose17]

T-38Dude;

Thanks for the great news! Everything I have heard (all rumors) has said nothing until February. This is definitly a glimmer of hope. Like Purple Haze said, keep the info flowing...

Goose17

 

[Buffy]

Great News

T-38 Dude,
Great News! The more the merrier.

 

[Goose17]

a little more info...

The following is from Kim Daniels at Fed Ex:

Last week we got confirmation on two January classes, 14th and 21st (8per class). There are no positions in the pool but I do try to pull in the order they were interviewed with availability in mind. My plans are to re-schedule Nov and Dec classes first then start with the others in the pool. I feel pretty good that we will continue in Feb with more classes but no dates have been confirmed.

 

[loungelizard]

Got the call from Beverly Hyter on Monday the 17th. Scheduled for class on the 21st of Jan. Originally interviewed in July and scheduled for 26 Nov class. See you in Memphis!!

 

[Goose17]

More info

This rumor just in from a friend who spoke with the chief pilot...

There will be 2 classes per month 8 people in each from January through May. There are 89 people in the pool. They may take more than 8 in each class to get through the entire pool.

Goose17

 

[VaB]

Straight from the Sys Chief Pilot from the FedEx pilot website:

"New hire classes of 8 each on 14 & 21 January. Maybe two more classes
of 8 each in February. No firm plans for hiring after that yet...but maybe
a few more classes. LAX MD-11 domicile is breathing hard, but that's it so
far. Probably a bid in February or March. Off-line jumpseaters on our
aircraft are still being worked on. Still dependent upon door locks and
verification of employment. Lots of maybes, probablys and ifs."



Sounds pretty much the same as all the other rumors flying. Hang in there fellas.

 

[Goose17]

FAA inquiry notification

Just got notification in the mail yesterday from the FAA that Fed Ex checked on my records again. This is a good sign. I would like to think they are checking one more time before they call with a class date and an offer of employment.

Goose17

 

[Beaver]

records checked

Got notification that FEDEX made the records request from the FAA. Hope this is a sign.