Job at FDX

[flyboyzz1]

Hope to not get flamed here but I was wondering if you FDX guys can chime in on the best way to position yourself to be hired down the road. I'm just a gear slinger at SKW but really want to fly at FedEx. Just wondering if there is anything I can do while I wait/build PIC time to make myself marketable when the time comes.

 

[flyboyzz1]

never mind did a search found a similar thread and looks like it's next to impossible to get on....

 

[inline]

Hope to not get flamed here but I was wondering if you FDX guys can chime in on the best way to position yourself to be hired down the road. I'm just a gear slinger at SKW but really want to fly at FedEx. Just wondering if there is anything I can do while I wait/build PIC time to make myself marketable when the time comes.

FedEx is a good 'ol boys club for military pilots. They hire very few civilians. Join the military and fly if you're young enough. But don't fly in the Army, that is the same as civilian time to the folks doing the hiring.

 

[Buckeye]

And that ladies and gentleman explains why FDX has such a high incident/accident rate.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

And that ladies and gentleman explains why FDX has such a high incident/accident rate.

Might grab some popcorn and a beer for this one.

Vehement denial and mudslinging from the Fedex guys in 3..2..1...

 

[Zulu]

never mind did a search found a similar thread and looks like it's next to impossible to get on....

It IS impossible right now, since we're not hiring (and I don't think will be for a while). Don't give up, however; by the time you have your 1000 TPIC and other competitive numbers, who know what the situation will be. We tend to be either full-bore hiring or not hiring at all -- very little middle ground.

Also, don't listen to those who claim pilots with a civilian only background won't be hired at FedEx. That may have been the case LONG ago (pre Tigers days, ancient history to me), but my class back in '02 was over 50% pure-civilian, and several of those with military backgrounds had also spent time at other airlines. From what I've seen, classes since I've been hired appear to be around 50/50 split between those with military flying in their backgrounds and those without.

The keys to getting on with FedEx in recent years (but not a guarantee for the future) have been: 1) Doing something to set yourself apart from other line pilots in your group (instructor, LCA, SCA, etc) and 2) Having contacts in the FedEx pilot group who are willing to vouch for you. While the second may seem difficult, we have a big pilot group from varied backgrounds, and you may be surprised who you know here.

Don't give up just because of what you may hear on these boards, and good luck in the hunt,

Z

 

[AV80R]

FedEx is a good 'ol boys club for military pilots. They hire very few civilians. Join the military and fly if you're young enough. But don't fly in the Army, that is the same as civilian time to the folks doing the hiring.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you on that. I'm a brown guy myself but I know numerous civilian pilots at FedEx. True, the percentage of military folks there is higher but I think it has to do with their past when Fred, a former Marine (am I correct here?) started his company. At the time no one wanted to work there and he took in as many as he could from the group of pilots he was mostly familiar with.

And that ladies and gentleman explains why FDX has such a high incident/accident rate.

Do you have any numbers that support your statement? I think we've heard more about FedEx incidents/accidents simply because they're such a large airline. We've been very lucky at UPS but I don't think any Brown pilot thinks that we are "safer" because we have fewer military pilots in our ranks than our purple brothers and sisters do - that would be a total nonsense.

For the Purple Wannabe – my advice would be to stay out of trouble, upgrade and build your pic time, become an IOE instructor, sim instructor or both, get to know some fedex pilots really well but most of all to apply everywhere, including Big Brown (both purple and big brown are great gigs!). Then I’d go to the company that calls you first. Good luck.