FedEx Rumors/Info

[Sluggo_63]

This is probably going to be nothing new that people haven't figured out already, but I'll throw it out there anyhow.

Today was Day 1 of LCA ground school for me and MP and ST came to talk to us (Director of Training, Director of Standards, respectively) and we had a little question and answer session with them.

Big Bid:
There was no advantage to having the big bid versus 3 or 4 smaller bids, except for "training efficiency." Right now they said FedEx has a 19% training efficiency, which I took to mean that only 19% of the people they train are in the new seat long enough for them to recoup their training costs before they go to training for another aircraft.

New Hires:
MP was asked about new hires being called on property, and he said "soon." Didn't seem like he would commit to an exact date, but "soon." New hires to right seat of the widebody. 727 S/O's frozen in the back for about 90-120 days until training starts for those guys. Passover pay will be paid when someone junior to you activates in the seat that you have bid.

PDDs:
Pilots to get Pilot Data Displays (PDDs) in the "near future."

727's:
727-100's gone next July. They don't foresee the -200's staying around too much longer (don't believe that one). Noise is not driving that, but emissions are. As an aside, hear a rumor the other day about re-engining the -200's.

A-380:
Operational Feb 09.

Some other things that I'm too tired to remember. JL comes to speak with us Wednesday. If you have some questions you want asked, within reason, let me know.

Sluggo 63

 

[Tomct]

How about are they going to BUY some 747-800's. That airplane is going to be the "Cat's Meow" and wipe out the A380! I feel the 380 is going to be the next "Concorde!" Only a few sold! Flight testing is disproving all of their "Great Deals" about the flying Porpoise!

 

[Malter1]

......JL comes to speak with us Wednesday. If you have some questions you want asked, within reason, let me know.

Sluggo 63

Are they going to drain the pool in the order an individual went in? (I'd like to hear an answer to that one from the source)

 

[LaidOffAgain]

Start dates, will JL commit to any dates? plz

 

[Don Q]

Sluggo,

Ask JL when he's going to call me for an interview (at least a M&G)? I could e-mail you an e-copy of my resume.

 

[Slice121]

DQ, when are you coming back to DC?

 

[Ninerfan]

A Few Questions for JL

1. Are they going to increase the Airbus and MD training production? How much per month?

2. When is the training letter going to be finished?

3. Will the MD training flow be ANC folks first then MEM or a blend like they have done in the past?

4. Have the sims deals in Frankfurt and Zurich been finalized for MD training?

5. Is the SBI gone forever? Why was it dropped from the interview process?

Thanks.

 

[PurpleChimp]

...more fore JL

Rumors of a 72 replacement has been floating for years. I heard they are closer than ever to obtaining a big block of 737's. Any truth to this?

 

[1stCivDiv]

Not sure why they would be looking at the 737...It is a lot shorter in overall length which to me = less cargo per aircraft. I know they is a lot of them but seems they would have to buy like 1.3 737's to replace the cargo capacity of 1 727...But what do I know...

 

[Huck]

I talked to a sim tech last week who said we are buying a -200 sim to replace the -100 sim.

That -100 sim, by the way, was bought new from Singer about 1975. Imagine the blood sweat and tears accumulated in that thing.... It is going to Pan Am in Miami.

 

[Sluggo_63]

Rumors of a 72 replacement has been floating for years. I heard they are closer than ever to obtaining a big block of 737's. Any truth to this?

They addressed this one with the standard FedEx "I don't know." They said that they were looking at some "crappy" (their word) 737's to plug the gap, then try to get some 737's from some of the European start-up airlines as they go into their "D" check, which is too expensive for the start-ups to do. We would do the "D" as they went through the Pax to Cargo transition. They also said that would necessitate 2 senority lists for the 73. One for glass and one for steam. A mess.

They also mentioned the 757, but there is not a big enough block of these available right now.

The A319/320 series is too expensive to consider.

Sluggo

 

[PurpleChimp]

Thanks Sluggo....one question though. Why would it perpetuate two seniority lists when the 737 is one type rating for both steam and glass airplanes. (i.e. SWA)

 

[RAC396]

I talked to a sim tech last week who said we are buying a -200 sim to replace the -100 sim.

That -100 sim, by the way, was bought new from Singer about 1975. Imagine the blood sweat and tears accumulated in that thing.... It is going to Pan Am in Miami.

The 100 sim is going to the PAN AM facility at Hacks in Mem, another 200 sim will go in the hole that now houses the taco bell. By next year we will have 4 727 sims in MEM. I guess that proves that the 72 is going away soon.

 

[Ty Webb]

. . . . Passover pay will be paid when someone junior to you activates in the seat that you have bid.

Two questions Sluggo (and congratulations, btw):

1) Is the "Passover Pay" available for Gentiles, too, and, more seriously-

2) What was the make-up of your class, civ/mil, furloughed, etc?

TW

 

[coogebeachhotel]

The 737-800 would work el fino.

 

[WorldOnTime]

Suggestion

Sluggo-

I think you should start slamming your fist on the table and hollering "where's our contract?" over and over. Try to work the class into a frenzy. I think it is a good idea to make a lasting impression on the department and this will quickly be accomplished for you. Just don't mention my name.

 

[Ready2Fly]

The 737-800 would work el fino.

Too mucho el bucko!

 

[RockyTopFlyer]

Any word on the status of the Training Letter?

 

[MemTrash]

Any word on the status of the Training Letter?

It has to be out by Friday the 12th. They have to have it out in 10 days from the close of the bid.

 

[RockyTopFlyer]

It has to be out by Friday the 12th. They have to have it out in 10 days from the close of the bid.

Thanks for the update.

 

[Miyagi]

New Hires:
...New hires to right seat of the widebody...

...JL comes to speak with us Wednesday. If you have some questions you want asked, within reason, let me know.

Sluggo 63

Sluggo,

A couple of questions for JL:

1. Are newhires going to both the MD and Bus?

2. Any chance of changing the meet and greet scheduling process? You frequent this board so you are well aware of the issues and problems folks are having with trying to get their sponsorees an appointment on the annointed M&G open time release day. They should post a message stating "VIPS server busy" and maybe it would be easier to understand the bottleneck.

Miyagi

NKAWTG

 

[gcsass]

Hi Mr Sluggo,

Call me if you need anyone to carry your books around campus.

How is it going? Are they calling you the hammer yet?

Give me a call.....

 

[Sluggo_63]

Hi Mr Sluggo,

Call me if you need anyone to carry your books around campus.

How is it going? Are they calling you the hammer yet?

Give me a call.....

I saw KD and AM in the buffeteria today. I asked about you. They said they tried calling you for a class date, but the number was disconnected. What gives? Do they have the right number? I hope you didn't blow it...

Papa

 

[T Dub]

I typed "training letter" into VIPS and it said that the training letter was not done yet. Is there some place else to find it?

 

[PastV1]

VIPS>Standing Bid> Training Letter

But it's not there. They are still working on it..

Past...

 

[Deuce130]

Well? Did JL tell you anything when he talked on Wed?

 

[Sluggo_63]

Well? Did JL tell you anything when he talked on Wed?

He rescheduled for Thrusday. Now the cat's out of the bag about hiring. People are getting called for May 22nd slots for the widebodies. No S/O school until the fall. Septemberish. European domicile by the end of the year. Someone then asked if that was the same as "the bid will be out this week" and "the contract will be done soon." He laughed...

That's it.

 

[VaB]

Someone then asked if that was the same as "the bid will be out this week" and "the contract will be done soon." He laughed...

That's it.

Bottom line is he's a mushroom like the rest of us. He's just a bigger mushroom.

 

[Deuce130]

True. Obviously, I can't say I know the guy (Captain Jack, of course) only having met him once, but he doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who would be a management tool. I think he's just being put in a difficult position. Sure, there are perks to the job and I can see how it would be a cool position to own when times are good. Add in mega hiring, training issues, euro domicile talk, the "purple nugget" program, meet and greet problems, and huge contract issues then I can see how the job would get tough and the lines of loyalty can get blurred. I do think, however, management knows where his first loyalty lies (with us) and only lets him on what "they" want him to know about.