FedEx repercussions

[kevdog]

Re: Love my job at FedEx...

The company builds the schedule around what is legal by the reg's and not by what effects the trips have on our body. It's one thing to have a 3 day trip with strange hours but it takes a toll on your brain by day 5.

Wow, I fly 121 non-sched cargo outfit and only 5 days on would be a vacation. imagine 30 days straight, a couple days back home to relax and clean the pipes, and then another week or two out.

Is FedEx hiring?

 

[Spur]

But hub-turning eight or nine nights in a row to earn extra money is ludicrus. I am not saying that is the norm at FedEx, but I think it is being done. Something will have to be done to protect ourselves from ourselves in that regard.

Like maybe a 1 in 7 rule... or maybe no hub turns on the weekends...

 

[chperplt]

maybe no hub turns

When you guys say hub turns , what exactly are you talking about? Is it simply flying from outstation to hub repeatedly?

 

[Kav]

LOSA?

I was wonderring if any of you fine folk out there might take a minute to explain what "LOSA" stands for? That's a new acronym for me...and... being from a military background... I thought I had about heard all of them.

Obviously I'm mistaken!

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays from the Middle East.

Kav

 

[Murdawg5]

Does anyone know what the winds were like...??? I sincerely hope that these are not causal factors with the incident, and that external (ie non-pilot) factors are to blame...
And yeah, I noticed the baggage throwing as well... Must of had some expensive lap tops...
Take Care,
Murdawg5

 

[TOGA]

LOSA = Line Operations Safety Audit. Observers ride jumpseats & take notes on just about everything that occurs. All notes are reviewed & compiled into a thorough analysis of what really happens on the line. Typically, this will point out common crew variances from SOP or weaknesses in SOP. Korean Airlines performed a LOSA shortly after their Guam accident. It was truly amazing to read . . . and educational.

 

[TonyC]

I'm not sure about FedEx, but UPS is a domestic and flag carrier, just like a "real" airline.

FedEx is 121 Supplemental.

Boggles the mind, don't it?!?!


[Edited to fix formatting]

 

[TonyC]

Does anyone know what the winds were like...???

Posted on another thread: Fedex DC-10 Caught fire in Memphis

Windy:
----------------------- OBSERVATIONS -----------------------
KMEM 182053Z COR 29019G26KT 10SM FEW050 SCT250 11/M02 A3011
RMK AO2 PK WND 29026/2045 SLP197 T01101017 53006
KMEM 182053Z 29019G26KT 10SM FEW050 SCT250 16/M02 A3011
RMK AO2 PK WND 29026/2045 SLP197 T01611017 53006


__________________

 

[Pecan]

Future?

I don't want to minimize what just happened yesterday, but how might such an event affect future growth within the Express division? (Long and short term) ie...future classes, hiring, new airplanes etc....

Thanks

 

[AlbieF15]

With a whopping 2 years on the property I can't answer all the questions, but here are some attempts at a few...

Hub turning if flying into Mem from an outlaying city, waiting for the sort, then flying back out to the originating city. The "typical" night hub turn has you leaving from the originating city at 2000-2100 local, arriving in Memphis just before midnight, then leaving MEM again around 0300-0400. There are also some "day" hubturns leaving the originating cities around 0600-0800, arriving Mem 0700-1000, and going out 1500-1700 that day.

Nice thing about schedules like that are many have a commercial DH to the originating city on front and back end. This makes for a very commuter friendly company. We also don't (usually) hub turn on weekends, although there are some out Saturday return Sunday day flights. International and SIBA trips may be completely different--I'm speaking mainly of the bulk of the 727/Domestic A300 flying.

Mixed into this are "out and backs"...leaving Mem 0200-0400 and returning 0500-1100 that day. Memphis based folks love these as they spend 4-8 hours away from home but then are back by mid day. We also have day O&Bs which leave around 1500 and RTB 2300-0100....you show up late but you go home at night (if you are MEM based)

Not all flights meet these parameters, but I'd say 65-85% are probably close.

So...week on/week off schedules are possible and as Spur pointed out--we rarely fly weekends and the 1 in 7 rule would keep you from consecutive days hub turning anyway.

Ramifications of latest accident on crew force and hiring? Who knows? I have found almost everyone I've flown with at FDX to be the utmost professional, and the training department folks are dedicated and work hard to keep us sharp. I have no idea why/how these accidents occured, but I'm sure flight safety, mgt, ALPA, our own MEC, and the NTSB will have some findings and recommendations. Until then, I won't speculate and I'll try to stay out of everyone's way.

I have had 3 line checks/observations checks in year, as well as a PC (sim check) and a PT (practice sim). I don't know what if anything the FAA will do but at least as an FE I feel well trained and prepped for my job. I would expect, however, more scrutiny on future flights from FEDS and other outside agencies, but that is 100% pure speculation.

As an MD10/11 wannabe I could insert a crude joke/comment here with the punchline being they need more guys like me in that system, but whenever I've jumpseated the widebody guys have impressed me with their dedication and professionalism. I would love to be in MD10/11 training tomorrow, but this is not the prefered way to move up in seniority. I have no idea what happened, but like every other pilot on the property I'll be waiting for the NTSB final report with great interest.