FedEx Guys: wear your hat next week!!

[stonewall]

To be clear, the overwhelming majority of the Guard/Reserve guys I know at FDX and other carriers do NOT work one job against the other. Like Albie said, it's more like working both jobs full time. My schedule these past 7 mos has blown. It's just the 1%ers that p*** everyone off.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Now I'm sure Hugh is going to rip me for being a pompous a**.....

Not at all. My simple point is that there would be less "gamers" of the system if 1st year pay weren't so lean. I'm not advocating it, but when a guy can get O-4 pay for a year versus 2-3k month while trying to support a wife, an ex and 2.5 kids, I can see how the "gaming" comes into effect and it's hard to fault the guy when he's playing within the rules.

 

[SWPA Pilot]

I have complete respect for anyone doing any job in the military. But there were at least 5 guys in my newhire class playing the mil leave game and every time I tried to move an R-day, I kept getting insufficient reserves.

I'm not bitter about it, that is just what happened.

 

[Huck]

there is always a opportunistic guy or gal ready to make the extra coin.

And we appreciate it - remember that us GDI's are forbidden in the FOM from any outside flying for money. I used to pick up King Aire and Citation trips on my off days at my last two jobs - but I don't risk it here. So I NEEDED open time to make ends meet my first year.

Thanks to all you part time military guys out there though. Looks pretty thankless to me, most of the time....

 

[PurpleInMEM]

Contract Section 12.A.1.b

"Pilots shall not fly aircraft other than those operated by the Company for hire or remuneration unless authorized by the Vice President, Flight Operations, or his designee."

Huck:

You want an "outside flying letter" by your ACP. I did this my first month on the line and I continue to do contract work today. Better to get your side gig going now before we strike....oops I mean 'in case' we strike. Basically you put into the letter verbiage that you won't work for a company that competes with FDX Corporation and that you won't allow the outside work to impact availability or hours of service at FedEx. Lots of guys do it. Any questions call the ACP. If he has any questions refer him to the friendly Contract Enforcement folks at the office on Kirby Parkway.

My first year I was dropping R days to fly contract. Made substantially more money but still worked the same number of days every month. If you want to work extra days it's an easy way to do that too.

 

[USNFDX]

I have complete respect for anyone doing any job in the military. But there were at least 5 guys in my newhire class playing the mil leave game and every time I tried to move an R-day, I kept getting insufficient reserves.

I'm not bitter about it, that is just what happened.

Insufficient reserves has very little to do with guys on mil leave. More to do with the scheduling software that was implemented about 18 months ago. Acccording to one ACP, in "a perfect world" they would have exactly enough reserves to cover "forecasted" open trips. So in theory, you would never be able to move R days.

It is actualy easier to drop a trip, then move an R day.

 

[Huck]

Thanks PIM.


Actually I'm (thank God) to a point where I can make more money flying open time. But that doesn't help my "diversity"....

 

[FNG24]

For the brain trust here, I know the amount of guranteed hours is 74 a month right? How much more time could one pick up, realistically, say the standard 72 s/o...and any info on trips that pay extra etc....my friends there do the reserve thing, but they say it is a wash, since time off traveling back and forth and their drill pay is about the same as picking up extra trips.....they say they mostly do it for the pointy nose fix....thanks gents

 

[stonewall]

It is about a wash regarding pay (for an O-3). I'd rather fly Guard simply because it means I'm home. I try to work the Guard days around my FDX schedule, but it doesn't always work out that way.

 

[AlbieF15]

...another reason to do it is survival.

In 2004, we had 2 pilots killed flying fighters in the Reserve/ANG jobs. It is HARD WORK maintaining proficiency in multiple jets, and it takes a lot of personal committment. Again...not trying to get on a soapbox, but if you fly fighters you NEED those 6-10 sorties just to stay sharp. Experience carries you for a distance, but currency and proficiency (and recency of experience) are all important too.

Every part-time warriors # 1 job is to not end up on a plaque in the Greenway library.

Fly safe bros...