FedEx to get 757

[AlbieF15]

That's because a GPS is outrageously expensive. Just like the Garmin 430 I put in my Navion...it costs (are you ready for this!) almost $7000 after all the labor, etc. There is NO WAY with a billion dollar CRAF contract and a billion dollar plus (per year) MAIL contract we can swing that in these tough times. Blame the damn pilots--they are robbing the store blind with this new extravagant contract.

So...I can go IFR direct is the goo in my Navion, but I'm at controller's mercy in my 727. Oh well...pay doesn't change...

 

[JAM-BRO]

Does someone here knows where the 757's are coming from?

 

[PlaneDrvr]

Does someone here knows where the 757's are coming from?

Interesting question?

Since probably 1/3 to 1/2 of all of the 757 are flying for U.S. airlines, and as far as I know, no major airline is planning on getting rid of any of them anytime soon. No aircraft (narrow-body) out there right now that can do what it can do, payload/range wise, as far as fitting the market.

A total of 90 airframes would be tough to come by anytime soon.

However, just a thought, for the right deal, i.e. if they could sell some Big Purple 747-8 freighters (or B777F, coming out in 08), Boeing just might build some new ones for FedEx, (especially, if the 380 turns out to be just another "Fat French Pig"). But, guess the deal would have to be right, since Freddie normally likes to buy "used." Just a thought, but as I said, looks like it might be tough to come by 90 in the near future, now, but everyone knows how quick this industry changes.

just my $0.02.

DA

 

[av8trix]

I predict:

757 captain...more senior than 727...nice avionics and sexy jet.

757 F/O...junior to 727...more work at same pay. Exceptions will be guys senior enough to hold hometown lines.

Our Captains do the walk-around on the 75....

 

[cgflyer]

Source told me we were getting around 37 of them for a "Song"

 

[airplane wizard]

Too bad Fedex didn't want them a few years ago before Boeing decided to stop production.

 

[Spooky 2]

I personally find it incredibly embarrassing that we have to ask for vectors for a direct clearance to anything other than a VOR (that happens to be in range).

Its 2006, were supposed to be professional aviators flying for the premier freight airline in the world (no offense UPS), and Mr. Smith won't even pony up for a GPS?

784M in income last quarter and we can't afford a simple GPS?

That boggles my mind.

Of course I am appreciative of the fact that the paychecks show up, but it would be nice to have "one level of safety" in the entire fleet, not just the MD-11.

FJ

You might get lucky with the new Boeing. As long as they are going to be down for some heavy maint. anyway, it would be a great time to install the IS&S flat panel display that ABX is doing on their B767's. Cheap at less than 300K per ship, installed. Gets rid of the symbol generators which cost around 100K+ each when they go TU. Very nice system that brings the Boeing up to the B767-400 standard of flight displays. Combine this installation with the Honeywell Pegasus and you have all the nav/RNP capability that the B77 has. The Prgasus is not cheap! But it does the trick.

You do have to wnoder where all these airplanes would come from, even over a five to eight year period. A Boeing engineer once told me that the airframe on the 757 was not built with the longevity that was designed into the B727. Whether that's true or not will reman to be seen and if anyone can stretch some life into these airframes, I'm sure that FedEx is the one to do it. Maybe you will even get winglets since they do in fact save fuel even if range is not an issue.

All in all, sounds pretty cool

 

[JAM-BRO]

Still no answer to my ?... Where are the 757s coming from? I think the news article had a typo and they wrote 757 instead of 737... Yes, No? I agree with PlnDvr, the 757 has the highest profit margin per pax for a narrowbody so I don't see them coming from a US carrier. But then again, what do I know.

 

[erichartmann]

Our Captains do the walk-around on the 75....

Hush your mouth !!!

 

[zamabratt]

Fred knows where he is buying the airplanes just like he knew we would get the postal contract again. They are probably inking a deal as we write. Now the real question is how many stories are all the animal flights going to generate.