FedEx Creates Pilot Pipeline

[bafanguy]

Not a lot of detail yet but a pretty big carrot to dangle to entice people to join FedEx's freight feeder system at entry level:

“…FedEx also announced it had signed an agreement to be the launch customer for the new ATR 75-600 production freighter, under which FedEx will purchase 30 of the freighters with options to increase the order to 20 more. The purchases are part of FedEx’s strategy to modernize its feeder fleet and develop a pilot training program…”

"...thanks to a collaborative training program we are planning, will create a reliable pipeline of well-qualified pilot applicants for FedEx Express pilot jobs, leveraging the experience they will gain in our feeder system..."

https://aircargoworld.com/allposts/fedex-signs-on-as-launch-customer-for-cessna-skycourier-408/

 

[bafanguy]

Just pure speculation about this FedEx pipeline thing (which, without seeing details, may be much ado about nothing):

Since the ATR72 operation is Part 121, IIUC, pilots will need an ATP or at least a rATP. To cast the widest net, they'd have to affiliate with colleges whose grads are eligible for a rATP.

This MIGHT be enticing enough to new guys to divert some of the flow from regionals...and into whatever the FedEx deal actually is.