FedEx Lifestyle, NOT Sugarcoated!!!!

[RichardFitzwell]

To which "retards" were you referring?






.

Sorry, that could have been taken the wrong way. I was referring to the mental giants that have nothing constructive to add...not to FedEx pilots.

IMO - your type of flying is the most demanding in the industry. I have nothing but respect for any pilot at FedEx, UPS, etc.

 

[Fox2]

Great info! Can anyone provide an example of a typical schedule? How are lines typically built for the junior guys? How many Reserve days in a row; per month? How commutable for new hire heading to Memphis?

Thanx

 

[active_herk]

To any 727 F/O or S/O

Being ANC based, I'm not in the loop to alot of stuff that goes on in MEM, but just recently talked with a buddy of mine who is in the back of the boeing. He told me the schedules have gotten progressively worse over the last few years with very few DDH and a lot more out and backs. He was going to hang out in the back a little while longer to make life a little more friendly (he's a commuter). Anyone care to comment?

 

[Z_Pilot]

Being ANC based,

Is ANC primarily night flying too?

 

[PanelApe]

Junior Schedule

First of all let me say that things are moving pretty fast right now. Chances are you will not remain junior as long as some have recently.

The junior guys typically get reserve A (basically midnight to noon). The typical Reserve A line has about 6 days of reserve, 5 days off, 6 on , 5 off, etc. If you don't put yourself on first fly, you'll probably fly about every other day. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

Commutable. Yep. It helps if you are a "good commuting" city. Several FedEx flights each day (Dallas, Chicago, Indy, etc). If not you can stil commute, but it gets a little more difficult. I commuted to reserve from a small city for 18 months without a problem.

Easy. Nope. But it is stable and growing. Pay is good. Seniority is getting better. I guess if you take care of yourself and work at staying healthy it is a good decision. I'll let you know for certain in 20 years when I hit 62 (after they change the age 60 requirement).

I had the chance to go to SWA earlier this year and chose to stay. Don't know if it the best decision or not - again will find out in 20. BUT....things at FEdEx don't suck so bad that I knew to jump ship right away. I guess it is what you make of it.

Hope this helps. If you have specific questions I can answer - pm.

Good Luck

 

[LEROY]

Qol Issues

PanelApe is right; things are moving very fast right now. I've been on A reserve for three months, but I can (and will) bid a line next month.

Reserve has been used heavily this month. Lotsa AM out-and-backs, lotsa layover trips. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. The plusses way outnumber the minuses at this point.

P.S. PanelApe, when you graduate to the back of the -10, do you become a "PanelNeanderthal" or a "PanelCroMagnon"?

 

[active_herk]

Is ANC primarily night flying too?

Its hard to put a specific label on ANC flying. We primarily fly international to Asia, but do get the occasional run to the lower 48 or to Europe. With international legs, we see a little bit of everything. I've had trips where the whole trip is during daylight hours, but with circadian shifts your body feels like its at night. I've also had night hub turns at Subic. I guess its all relative. I don't know if this answers your question, but hopefully gives you a little insight.

 

[sf340flyer]

my offer to any FEDEX guy (or Gal). Come to my house on an overnight (i'm in indy) fly Microsoft flight sim with me, and then to Mc Donalds we go for a great dinner. In return I would need a letter of Rec. Just kiddin.


I have heard that you guys get the weekends off and I have heard that you have 36 hour overnights on the weekends. Could you guys share some info on that. And also, If you need sometime off, for say a triathlon, is it hard to get days off.

 

[sleepy]

I work for about a year (before I was furloughed) in the international air cargo business. It is a tough lifestye. Most of the trips were a week to 15 days. Working on the backside of the clock gets old pretty fast (it usually took me about two days after returning home from a trip to feel normal again). I gained about 35 pounds in that year from the crappy lifestyle. I really don't miss it.


That said, FEDEX is a much better place to work than where I was. I am sure that the schedules are better than what we had. It is one of the strongest airlines out there, and that really matters the most. Since you are at ASA, go fly 4 or 5 DCA naps in a row, after the last one, that is how you will feel most of the time flying international night cargo.

 

[maddoggiestyle]

Flying the back side of the clock will always exist here at FedEx, that's the nature of the business, but it is only part of our very broad range of schedules.
It really depends on what equipment you are on and where you are based.
I am based in ANC and the flights to Asia leave in the late morning and the ones to the lower 48 leave in the afternoon. There are no a.m. out and backs here. About 80% of the flights out of here are international so, you have to deal with jet lag rather than shifting sleep cycles.
Since we started the postal contract a few years ago , our ratio of day to night flying is 50/50.

 

[PurpleTail]

You can beat this dead horse into the ground all you want but the long and short of it is you can ask the same questions to 100 different FDX pilots and get 100 different answers...thats the beauty of it though.

FDX is what YOU make of it, the nice thing is we have options. Options to fly days or nights, options to fly domestic or international, options to fly narrow-body or wide-body, options on where to be based, options to be senior or junior. Different aircraft have much different schedules and QOL. SWA is a great company with an awesome group of pilots but if I had to fly 737's domestic the rest of my career I'd go nuts, BUT that is just me.

The guys you see that are all beat up are the ones usually chasing the almighty $$. The guys that look and feel great are taking a little less money but are senior in their seat and have a nice QOL. It is what you make it, plain and simple.

I count my blessings everyday I am where I am. Where else in the industry can you go from flying private jets with a fractional to flying a 630,000 MD-11 to Asia and around the world in less than 3 year and make $120k+ being on reserve??? Job security is probably the most important thing to me and I feel like I am at the best company for that. Say what you want but FDX is a GREAT place to be with some of the nicest pilots I've ever meet.

I'll get off my soapbox now, sorry.

 

[AlbieF15]

Its a ticket to an early grave, hard hours, old jets, tough approaches, mean management...its bad bad bad.

So...all you guys with a line number lower than...say...3900 or so really ought to see the light and either retire or find an easier job.

If you can't see the sarcasm, I agree 100% with some other posts. There are some tough trips, some cush trips, but if you keep in shape, keep a healthy attitude, and don't work 100 hours a month I think you can be very happy here. I know I am...

 

[Lord Wakefield]

Where else in the industry can you go from flying private jets with a fractional to flying a 630,000 MD-11 to Asia and around the world in less than 3 year and make $120k plus being on reserve??? Job security is probably the most important thing to me and I feel like I am at the best company for that. Say what you want but FDX is a GREAT place to be with some of the nicest pilots I've ever meet.

I'll get off my soapbox now, sorry.

which fractional?

 

[yellowfever]

Where are the pilot bases for Fedex. Where are the junior bases?

 

[PurpleTail]

which fractional?

Flight Options


Bases: 90% of the pilots are based in MEM (727,A300/310,DC10,MD11/10), then about 5% based in ANC (MD11/10) 3% in LAX (MD11/10) and 2% based at SFS Subic Bay, Philleppeans (A300/310). Rough estimates of course.