FedEx Posting 04-01

[TonyC]

Posting just realeased is Excess bid for 30 DC-10 SO's. The text of the posting addresses MD-10 plans, as well as future hiring plans. From VP Cheever:

"As I have communicated in prior postings, the Company is continuing to pursue its goal of converting DC-10’s to
MD-10’s. By the end of FY05, the current DC-10 fleet will be reduced by eleven aircraft (from 43 to 32).
Consequently, we find ourselves in a position where it is necessary to post an excess bid for 30 DC-10 second
officers. The posting is open for bidding as of Tuesday, January 27 and will close at 1500z on Tuesday, February 10.
There will be one practice bid on Friday, February 6. Pilots will be excessed from the DC10 second officer seat in
seniority order from among those pilots who bid to relieve the excess. If an insufficient number of pilots bid to
relieve the excess, pilots will be excessed from the DC10 second officer seat in reverse seniority order. Please
review the 04-01 Q and A for bidding examples.

[FONT=courier new]               Fleet Plan
======================================
Month   B727  Airbus  DC10  MD10  MD11
FEB 04   114    89     43    31    42
SEP 04   113    92     35    35    42
MAY 05   112    97     32    42    42
[/font]

Future Postings and New Hires
==========================
We anticipate the next vacancy posting to open in the spring. We are currently working on the FY’05 business plan,
which will determine our staffing and hiring requirements."

[FONT=courier new]Posting 04-01
Official Posting of Crewmembers
Vacancy (V) or Excess (E)
-------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Approx
                                          Training  Present
No. of        Crew Position     Vac.Type/  Start    Sen. No.
Positions V/E Dom. Equip. Seat   length     Date    High/Low
--------------------------------------------------------------
30         E  MEM  DC10   S/O    P/INDEF   Mar-04   10 - 4020
[/FONT]

Apologies for the discombobulated formatting - - this board and spaces don't get along well.

[EDITED to REPAIR Formatting - - CODE works GREAT! ]

 

[fox3]

What's Your point?

I don't understand why you would post this on a message board. What purpose does it serve?

 

[Intruder One]

To inform us there will be no FedX hiring in 04'.This is better than the wishful thinkers that spread rumors of hiring when there is none.Thats for the info ......TonyC

 

[MK82Man]

I appreciate the post

Tony C -- thanks very much for the post. For any FedEx wantabee, it is real hard to get a "firm grip" on what FedEx will do in 2004. From everything I've read, and the folks I've talked to, the exsisting pool will be exhausted, all the folks in the training dept who were promised the line will go to the line, and a few corporate dudes and maybe the odd box thrower, etc, will move to be a "purple pilot" badge holder. Other than that, it could be a dry hole for the year. I think we all hope that interviews will crank up in summer and maybe some lucky folks will be new poolies for early 05 training, but with the downsizing from 3 holers to 2 buttons, that creates negative pressure for new hires ..... so I appreciate anyone who takes time to post info to help those of us who would love to be at the company. The second officer squeeze is part of the puzzle. Let's hope it is more optimistic.

 

[TonyC]

Re: What's Your point?

I don't understand why you would post this on a message board. What purpose does it serve?

Oh, it just seemed like the thing to do at them moment. Some people value information. Sorry if it offended you so much that you felt like you needed to take to the keyboard to fire a shot. Shoot, I even "Previewed" the post a dozen or more times to make the tables look half-way decent. I guess you didn't appreciate that, either.

I'd be more than happy to let you even rant at me in person - - I'll be checking in for my ONT trip in about two hours. Maybe we can talk about it over some "free" hot cocoa and popcorn.

For anyone else interested, particularly poolies... the information was intended to enlighten you as to how you might want to plan your life, at least for the next few months. Good luck, and hang in there.

 

[dane]

TonyC,

While I am not in the market for a job in the US(still employed elsewhere) any factual info is great. Keep it comin' I say!! Don't be put off by slightly negative comments.

A question: What is an MD10? Some sort of DC10 and MD11 hybrid??

Regards,

dane

 

[AlbieF15]

.

For any FedEx wantabee, it is real hard to get a "firm grip" on what FedEx will do in 2004

Hey partner...its pretty darn hard for those of us on the property to get a clue either. I tend to be pragmatic, but my little ray of sunshine on the issue is that when I got hired in 02, our class was told only "we can only guarantee there will be one class behind you..." Well...fortunately for me and T38 dude another 200 guys got hired over the next year. Maybe when they turn the taps back on we'll be so lucky again

PS--Sometimes if a female DC 10 goes into heat a bad male MD11 might jump the fence before another DC10 gets the chance. The expensive little b@stard that results is an MD10.

 

[TonyC]

A question: What is an MD10? Some sort of DC10 and MD11 hybrid??

Yes, some sort of. It's almost like they chopped the front 15 feet of a DC-10 off and replaced it with an MD-11 nose. At first glance, the cockpits look very similar. When you start looking closer, pushing buttons, or trying to land, the disappointment sets in.

It's a digital interface to an analog jet.

 

[JethroF15]

Ha!!!

PS--Sometimes if a female DC 10 goes into heat a bad male MD11 might jump the fence before another DC10 gets the chance. The expensive little b@stard that results is an MD10.

Now that's d@mn funny!! This middle of the night stuff is doing wonders for your stand-up comic career Albie. Keep em' coming dude!

 

[dane]

TonyC,

I've spent 4 years now on the MD80+90. These airplanes suffer from the same good intentions. That said, I love flying the MD, especially the -82 and -83 if they are heavy!! It's sort of a love-hate relationship with focus on the love.

Regards,

dane

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Tony C,

Thanks for the info. It offered much in the way of dispelling ugly rumors.

I also found it useful in planning my future.

 

[fox3]

Skin a Little Thin?

Dude, all I asked is what is the point of taking an internal FedEx Document and placing it on the internet? There is absolutely nothing to be gleaned from this posting except the fact we have too many S/Os in the -10 -- that's it. I don't think the company has a clue yet as to what they plan on doing with regard to hiring, as stated by Cheever at the end of the post. Have a nice night.

 

[FedExpert]

Albie, better lay off the coffee. I have to agree though that I haven't heard very good things about the MD10. Fox3 must just be pissed off that he is getting close to being excessed...maybe back to the Boeing? Got to make room for the over-the-hill gang. Thanks for the post TonyC...most poolies probably appreciate any info. Let them decide if it is useful or not.

 

[LEROY]

Well this is one well-chlorinated poolie who seems to think it's D@MN good info to hear anything from internal comms, especially since we poolies aren't afforded any official correspondance.

BTW does anyone have any info on the displaced DC10 S/Os? Are they able to hold 727 F/O? Will they mostly trickle back to the Boeing panel? Just trying to get a hold on how this excess bid will directly affect us.

Any info is tremendously appreciated!!

 

[Falconjet]

DC10 S/Os

For the Feb bid pack the DC10 S/O list included pilots ranging in seniority from number 10 (yes, number 10 (ten) (one-zero)) to number 4020. Those super senior, if over 60, obviously can only go to the back of the 72, so you can rule that out.

Otherwise, every one will be given an opportunity (in seniority order) to take a seat in another aircraft that they can hold with their seniority. Some of them could take the opportunity to upgrade to Capt, some could hold right seat in something, and those toward the bottom would likely only be able to go to the back of the Boeing. So you don't know how it will shake out until its over.

If 30 senior pilots decide to switch seats its no big deal for the bottom feeders. But you have to assume that most of the folks who could be holding a "higher" seat are not doing so for quality of life reasons, so its unlikely a lot of them will move.

If they get through the first round going down the list and 30 people didn't chose to go for another seat, then they will start at the bottom and start assigning the junior guys to a different seat that they could hold.

My guess is that most of the displacements will be involuntary and thus will be the junior most pilots, who will likely only be able to hold the third seat in the 72. That is just a guess. Perhaps some of the mid-seniority guys will go ahead and move up a seat by choice. Maybe some of the junior guys will see the writing on the wall and see if they can use the opportunity to get into a right seat.

The good news is that the bid closes on the 10th so we don't have to wait too long to find out what happens. If you are in the pool I don't think this will affect you too much, its just a shuffling of the deck so to speak.

Either way the 100 or so new-hires rumored will be most welcomed by me and everyone else in the back seat, and hopefully it will be even more than that.

Let the flood gates open!, he said with fingers crossed.

FJ

 

[33A]

Who's Out

Let me preface this: the following information is for planning purposes of poolies only.

Regarding the displaced DC10 SO(s) only the top 160 (out of a total of 263) could hold the right seat of the 72. They probably would have bid it last year if they really wanted it. And it looks like the top 50 or so of these 160 are age 60+ guys anyway.

Unfortunately for me and the excessed, it looks like the panel of the slave ship will be getting a lot of company soon.

There may be a meaning to this madness - this is a short duration bid, closing Feb 10th. My guess is the company will quickly follow it with a widebody bid in March with equal primary vacancies for the Airbus and MD-11.

Additionally, the back of the 72 lost 27ish from the last bid, if the excesses flow to the back of the 72 we are net-net right back to where we were last November. We were'nt in great shape then staffing wise in the back and we aren't now (I was called for draft 3 times in the last 28 hours).

A potential problem for the poolies is too many moving the the 72 panel this will tie-up the training program for 2 months (since we are at a reduced capacity due to inactivity and movement of those involved in training).

Looks like May might be the earliest realistic on-property date.

BTY - This excess bid takes the SOs down 12% while the plan is to take the a/c down 25% over the next year. Depending on the next widebody bid, this may not be the last excess and the next one won't just be in the back seat.

I still can't see the economic justification for the MD10 conversions with so many Airbus and MD11 airframes available. Part of me this published fleet plan is posturing and another plan is well in the works.

When are the 72s going to start dropping into RVSM conversion at an estimated quarter-million per a/c?

 

[Goose17]

my crystal ball...

Here is what I guess will happen. Other than a couple of stragglers, all of the movement from the DC-10 S/O seat on this excess bid will be the bottom feeders. The only seat they can hold is the back of the 727. They will start training very soon. Training should take a couple of months. Just when they are hitting IOE (Initial Operating Experience), the spring bid will come out. These 30 or so dudes/dudettes will bid 100% off of the glorious 727 panel and find themselves right back into training for right seat classes of most likely the 727 or possibly something a little (f)phatter.

Sucks for us stuck on the panel of the 727, but really sucks for the DC-10 S/O types that will spend the next 4 months in training. It would have been nice to see the excess bid combined with a "movement" bid.

Put me in coach, I am ready!

Goose17

 

[t38dude]

33A,

I could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time), but looking at the most recent seat bid, the most junior dude to get right seat of the 72 was senority #3952. Doesn't that mean anybody in the back of the 10 with a more senior number can go the the right seat of the 72? If that's true, then it would go all the way to 225 out of 265. So only the bottom 40 would have no option but the back of the boeing. Oh well, I guess we will find out soon enough.

T38dude

 

[Spur]

My guess is that the next bid will come out within a week of this excess bid closing. This is to prevent what Goose17 was talking about-- which would be a huge waste of money and pilots. I would guess that no one who gets excessed to the 727 S/O seat will start training until after the next bid closes. Then they will train those who still are stuck with that seat. Then they will start with the new-hires. Just MHO.

 

[TonyC]

Re: Skin a Little Thin?

Dude, all I asked is what is the point of taking an internal FedEx Document and placing it on the internet? There is absolutely nothing to be gleaned from this posting except the fact we have too many S/Os in the -10 -- that's it. I don't think the company has a clue yet as to what they plan on doing with regard to hiring, as stated by Cheever at the end of the post. Have a nice night.

The skin thickness is just fine - - you might have misinterpreted my early morning sarcasm.

In the first place, I didn't post the entire document, only the parts that I thought were of interest to poolies and wannabes. In fact, there IS more to the FCIF than we have too many Panel Monkeys on the DC-10. I prefaced the post with a comment of what I thought might be usueful: DC-10 to MD-10 conversion plans (it's been discussed on this forum previously, now we have the VP of Ops weighing in on the issue) and hiring plans. I left out the more mundane parts of the FCIF like how they would go about getting 30 "volunteers" and move packages and all that.

Relax, "dude." This is a place to share information, and I am pretty sure there are folks that thrive on hearing bona fide plans that rise above the typical rumor mill stuff.

I'm guessing your seniority number is somewhere between 3976 and 4020??? And you're sore because you don't wanna Oil on the slave ship? I'm sorry. I really am. I wish it wasn't happening. But sniping at folks about it ain't gonna make it any better. Count your blessings, as I'm sure ANY poolie would give his left... left... ummm well, he'd love to be in your shoes and headed to 727 Flight Engineer school.

The offer for coffee and popcorn stands - - I'll buy.

Meanwhile - - get in touch with your Block Rep - - Unity is Strength!

Contract 2004 !