FedEx 101

[Mr Zog]

Since there is seems to always be a post concerning FedEx/UPS lifestyle and flying. I will try to in explain some of the basics at FedEx in the next couple of posts. First of all these are my opinions. I have been with the company for about 41/2 years, am a MD-11 F/O based in LAX. I was on the B-727 panel for exactly one-year (in fact my last activity on the panel was my annual proficiency check), I was an MD-11 F/O in ANC for about 2 years, and have been at LAX ever since. FIrst the basic domestic schedule at FedEx.

FedEx Operations 101


FedEx’s schedule is basically to fly from an out-station to a sort facility, sit while the sort happens, and then fly back to the out-station. This is commonly referred to as a “hub-turn”. FedEx has both a day and night sort (the night sort is a little larger than the day sort). The sorts are basically Monday through Friday. The inbound flights from the sort typically arrive to the sort facility between 10:00-12:00 (a.m. or p.m depending on if it is the day or night sort). The outbound flights will depart usually between 2:00 to 4:00. FedEx’s sort facilities are MEM, IND, OAK, AFW, and EWR, with MEM and IND the bigger ones. For pilots flying the “hub-turn” lines, they are typically week-on and week-off. Every trip must begin and end at the pilot's domicile (for ease just assume MEM as the domicile). The lines will either typically have a deadhead to the out-station on the beginning and end of the line, or have a weekend layover at the out-station. For example, the PHL line. Deadhead to PHL on Sunday, fly PHL to MEM Monday night departing PHL around 9:00 pm, sit in MEM for 3 hours, fly MEM to PHL Tuesday morning. Do that through Friday. Since every trip must end in MEM, they have to deadhead you back to MEM or sit you in PHL until Monday night. With the day sort, we now do the same type of thing but with day flying. Also, we have the out-and-backs for those lucky enough to live in MEM. For the “AM out-and-backs” you will leave on the outbound flights from the night sort, sit two hours at the out station, and fly the inbound leg to day sort. For the “PM out-and-back” you will fly the outbound flights from the day sort, sit a couple of hours at the out station, and fly the inbound leg to the night sort. Confused?



Here are a few examples from the bidpack:



SLC, DC-10 pairing. Day-turn

MEM – SLC: Depart 1530L and Arrive 1752L, crew rest in SLC

SLC – MEM : Depart 0700L and Arrive1040L



EWR, DC-10 pairing. Night turn

MEM – EWR. Depart MEM at 0306L and arrive EWR 0619L, crew rest in EWR

EWR – MEM. Depart EWR at 2248L and arrive MEM 0137L



For these trips you will typically do this the entire week



DFW out-and-backs, DC-10 pairing.

MEM-DFW. Depart 0330L and arrive 0500L

DFW-MEM. Depart 0720L (same day) and arrive MEM 0840L

(gone from MEM for just over 5 hours)



MIA, Evening out-and-back

MEM-MIA. Depart 1600L and arrive1900L

MIA-MEM. Depart 2030L and arrive 2200L (Same day)



Again typically do these the entire week



I would say these type of lines (insert IND, OAK, AFW for MEM for the other sort facitilities) comprise of about 70-80% of the domestic flight schedule.

Future post will talk about the international flying out of ANC and SFS.

 

[captain caveman]

Thanks Mr. Zog

 

[IrishSkies]

Mr Zog

Fantastic info! As you can see by the number of people who viewed this post, there is a lot of interest in this subject. Coming from another line of work (like flying for Uncle Sammy) makes you feel like the new kid in class and it's great to have folks take the time to explain the system. It's like playing golf for the first couple of times (or in my case every time) some people act like they never had a first day on the the course and your the only one who has ever sucked.

See if you can remember the General's wife who asked me this in the cockpit, "Have you ever done this before?"

 

[Humty72]

http://www.kdhtech.com/FDX_25HR_OPS.wmv

 

[Baby Cakes]

great post, thanks very much!!!

 

[fr8doggie]

http://www.kdhtech.com/FDX_25HR_OPS.wmv

Very, Very Cool!!! This should forever put to bed the myth that FedEx is a "back side of the clock" only operation. It's 24/7/365 baby!

 

[Oakum_Boy]

great post, thanks very much!!!

That video was annoying.

 

[brownie]

could u guys let me know how many are retiring in next 5 to6 yrs.
thanx

 

[Mr Zog]

Mr Zog

Fantastic info! As you can see by the number of people who viewed this post, there is a lot of interest in this subject. Coming from another line of work (like flying for Uncle Sammy) makes you feel like the new kid in class and it's great to have folks take the time to explain the system. It's like playing golf for the first couple of times (or in my case every time) some people act like they never had a first day on the the course and your the only one who has ever sucked.

See if you can remember the General's wife who asked me this in the cockpit, "Have you ever done this before?"

Brother from Another,

How's training going? Saw you got panel of the -10? Do I remember the General's wife, that was my "Finny" trip in the active duty. KC-135 in the early dawn over CA after flying all night from Korea? Best air refueling I ever saw......
Nothing wrong with you doing a "limit demo" for the General's wife (Just kidding!!). If you had any guts you would have said, "No, but I slept at a Holiday Inn Express." Ask "HomerSimpson" about my AR on a three ship of KC-135s over the Mediterranean? Trying to refuel on #3 when he is going about 30-40 knots fast to stay in position (Minimum Fuel, Breakaway). Wondered myself if I had ever done this before...

PS. "You called the Wolf"

 

[General Lee]

You know my wife? She told me she only liked UPS pilots? She is such a LIAR!!!!


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Falconjet]

Repeat info on FedEx 727 lines

This info is reprinted from some old posts of mine. Thought I would just add to the info presented above for the Boeing FE hopefuls out there.



Bid months begin on a Mon and run for 4 or 5 weeks and end on a Sunday. Bid months are either 28 or 35 days long. Usually there are eight 4 week bid months and four 5 week bid months per year. Min line guarantee for 4 week month is 68 credit hours and 85 credit hours for a 5 week bid month. Reserve lines pay 96% of the average line guarantee. 15 days on reserve and 13 off for 4 week bid month and 19 reserve days on and 16 days off for 5 week bid month.



In general, here are some of the typical pairings at FedEx. DH equals deadhead on passenger carrier.



Majority of pairings: Week on, week off hub turn lines. DH MEM to outstation city on Mon morning. Hotel. Depart 9-10 pm. Fly 1 or 2 legs to hub (MEM, IND, OAK, AFW, EWR), arriving between 10 and midnight. Sit for sort. Depart back to outstation from 2-4 am. Get back to hotel between 6-7 am. Sleep. Repeat each night until Sat morning, then either layover and sleep or DH back to MEM (or home). Seniority depends on the number and length of legs and the outstation city. Commuters best friend if you live in the outstation city. Pays 35-40 hours per week.



Out and Backs (O/B):



AM: Depart MEM from 2 – 4 am, fly 1 or 2 legs to outstation. Fairly quick turn around and back to MEM by 7-9 am. 5-8 hours on duty, pays 6 hours per trip. Fly 3 or 4 days per week, mostly week days. Goes fairly junior among line holders, depending on the city pairing and the number of legs.



PM: Depart MEM 2-5 pm. Fly 1 or 2 legs to outstation. Sit in ramp office or hotel if over 4 hours, waiting for the incoming freight. Fly back to MEM at about 9-10 pm, arriving between 11:30 pm and 1 am. Fly it 4 or 5 times per week. 10 to 12 hours on duty, pays 6 hours per trip. Go pretty senior depending on number of legs and destination city.



Day turns. DH to outstation or hub on Sun. Depart hub to outstation around 7- 8 am. Sit in other city for 5 or 6 hours. Fly back to hub or outstation city. Fly each day of the week, then DH back to MEM. Week on, week off. These go out of several cities and several hubs, although there are not that many of them. Tend to go VERY senior. Pay about 34-40 hours per week.



Hotel/Airport Standbys: Week on, week off. DH to hub city other than MEM on Sun. Stand hotel standby for 12 hours or airport standby for 5 hours Mon through Fri or Sat, then DH back to MEM. Go VERY, VERY senior. Pay about 35 hours for possibly zero block time.



Various weekend layover, west coast 2 or 3 day trips, and fill in trips usually make up some of the other lines out there. There are also “trash” lines that go fairly junior among line holders that have very little city stability and often flip between day and night flying.



Finally, Reserve lines. 3 types. RSV, A and B reserve.



RSV is on call 24/7 but requires 24 hour notice for trip assignment. Same number of days per month as A and B reserve. Goes fairly senior due to commuter-friendly aspect of the 24 hour notice.



B reserve: on call from noon to midnight. 1.5 hour callout (min of 1 hour if given late call parking right next to Ops). Often assigned trips up to a day ahead of time, usually by 10 am that day, sometimes just an hour before. Can also be assigned airport standby at MEM on reserve days. Folks who live in Memphis sometimes prefer B reserve over junky lines.



A reserve: on call from midnight to noon, otherwise the same as B. Pretty much the most junior lines in the bid pack. Sometimes assigned trips a day ahead of time, sometimes just an hour or two notice.



Some reserve lines have all the days bunched together (commuter friendly) and some break them up into 4 to 7 day bunches. There is a little bit of everything, even SIBA reserve lines (see SIBA below).



So there you have it. It is very difficult to define a standard line at FedEx, there really is no such thing, but these are the types of typical lines. The most common is the week on week off hub turn type line. There is also SIBA, which in the 72 is special flying to South America, but there are only about 9 or 10 lines of that out of 225 or so regular lines.