New class at Fedex?

[Los1]

Anybody know if there was a class of newhires in MEM today, or when the next one is?
Los1

 

[FedExFlyer]

A little birdie told me that 16 newbies started this morning at 0800. I think there was a mix of Boeing FO & SO, and -10 SO seats available. They'd be fools not to take the right seat of the Boeing if it was offered.

 

[USMCFDX]

Humbly disagree with you FedExFlyer, I think you would be a fool not to take the DC-10 S/O slot. Easy job ( not much to do after 18K in the climb), pay almost the same as a 727 F/O, better trips being junior (even with the -10 going away), good place to learn how FedEx works, and if you do happen to be excessed out in a year or two ther will be someone junior to you in the 727 F/O seat so you could go there then, and probably could go to the the MadDog the way things are going. My .02

 

[sandman2122]

From the FedEx homepage:

• Sixteen new hires began class on Feb. 28; last seniority number assigned was 4372

Keep them coming!

 

[FedExFlyer]

Humbly disagree with you FedExFlyer, I think you would be a fool not to take the DC-10 S/O slot. Easy job ( not much to do after 18K in the climb), pay almost the same as a 727 F/O, better trips being junior (even with the -10 going away), good place to learn how FedEx works, and if you do happen to be excessed out in a year or two ther will be someone junior to you in the 727 F/O seat so you could go there then, and probably could go to the the madDog the way things are going. My .02

We'll just have to agree to disagree then.

 

[walden]

USMCFDX: What exactly does "excessed out" mean? Also, your reasoning seems sound about the S/O position. What would the possible drawbacks be? How long could one expect to fly sideways until upgrading, both in the narrow and wide-body? I know a lot depends on hiring and other variables, but I'll also admit I don't know a whole heck of a lot when it comes to this business. Thanks!

 

[FedExFlyer]

Walden-

Basically we are losing -10's and to be excessed out is to be removed from your current seat and moved to another seat that your seniority holds. If there is not enough airplanes for that seat, then they don't need as many crewmembers.

I see it as an advantage to take the right seat of the Boeing due to the fact that when you upgrade......for those on the panel......you're already there because you are likely to hold the right seat of the Boeing before any other seat. If you go to the panel, training starts all over again to upgrade.

Newhires are getting right seat of the Boeing in about 6-8 months as it stands now.

Maybe I answered a few of your questions??

 

[walden]

FedExFlyer: Thanks, you did. I believe I'd prefer the right seat (man, if I were only that lucky) over the panel too. You both make some good points.
Once you begin a narrow-body track, are you pretty much limited to that, or is there ever an opportunity to switch to wide-body?

 

[Huck]

You would not be a "fool" to go to the -10 panel, if you plan on progressing to the MD11 right seat.

Just about all the systems are the same, so it is a great foundation for the Mighty Dog. I did it that way at Gemini, and I'm doing it here starting April 26.

Takes all kinds, guys. That's the beauty of our business.

 

[AlbieF15]

The fact the -11 is going almost as junior as the 727 (and the top 100 on the 727 ain't movin' anywhere) does make a strong case for going to the -10 and then the -11 when given the chance.

I did not practice what I preach, however. I passed a -10 class 3 months after I got on the property to get more senior on the 27 panel (commuter type decision). Then after trying and trying to get to ANC on the -11 with no luck all of a sudden I could hold the 27 right seat at about 78%...so I decided to "stick with what I knew" and upgraded on the boeing. However, I don't think its unrealistic for a new hire to stay in a widebody about as easily as I stuck it out in the 727.

 

[psysicx]

How long does it take to upgrade from the 727 panel to the right seat of the 727 then to the right seat of the MD?

 

[General Lee]

Humbly disagree with you FedExFlyer, I think you would be a fool not to take the DC-10 S/O slot. Easy job ( not much to do after 18K in the climb), pay almost the same as a 727 F/O, better trips being junior (even with the -10 going away), good place to learn how FedEx works, and if you do happen to be excessed out in a year or two ther will be someone junior to you in the 727 F/O seat so you could go there then, and probably could go to the the MadDog the way things are going. My .02

I don't know much about the DC-10 SO seat, but the 727FE seat $ucked. Take the 727FO seat if you have the chance....


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[psysicx]

Why did the 727FE seat suck?Is LAX really senior still ?

 

[General Lee]

Why did the 727FE seat suck?Is LAX really senior still ?

LAX is not really that senior, except for the 765 (or 764 INTL---Hawaii flights).

I didn't like the FE seat because you were treated poorly by the FO, who usually was the laziest pilot on the planet. I have always respected Captain authority, and I treat him like the boss. But, DL 727FOs liked to boss the FE around, and that wasn't a part of the deal. The 727FE school was a fire hose, the FE orals were typically 4 hours long with some old ex Pan Am 727PFE who knew everything, and the technology was very old. I fealt like Radar O'Reily calling Sparky on the old phone when I was watching the generator breaker lights flashing, waiting for them to be in sequence. The DC-10 is probably a lot more advanced. But hey, it was worth it to get where I am today....


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[USMCFDX]

General, I would say that the 727 also sucks, but for some reason the mentality in training for the -10 is completly different, much more gentlemanly. Also on the line never had any problem with any F/O's at FedEx.

Transition to the MD-11 from the DC-10 as Albie says is almost the same systems wise, now just auto controllers do it instead of the S/O.

As Albie mentioned, depends on the lifstyle you want, being junior and a commuter is no fun. Being junior in ANC is a lot of fun, but you have to like winter sports. For me sitting sideways for a 18 months was not bad at all, and I really do not see having to spend more than 2 years there in todays hiring pace, but things can and do change quickly.

Right now upgrades are quick, less than a year to a right seat of the MD-11. I think you may actuall be at a disadvantage going to he right seat of the Boeing and haveing never been a S/O doing the paperwork. You will be expected to know and do the paperwork as a F/O on all other equiptment, some actually stumble here as S/O's as this is crunch time before the launce for the S/O.

 

[dojetdriver]

LAX is not really that senior, except for the 765 (or 764 INTL---Hawaii flights).

I didn't like the FE seat because you were treated poorly by the FO, who usually was the laziest pilot on the planet.
Bye Bye--General Lee

727 FO Mantra;

Window heat, Pitot heat, when do we eat?

 

[1stCivDiv]

Albie,

Have you checked your pm's lately?

 

[Los1]

Walden--

check your PM's
Los1

 

[walden]

Los,
Nothing there....?

 

[Mr Zog]

How long does it take to upgrade from the 727 panel to the right seat of the 727 then to the right seat of the MD?

How quick you upgrade is dependent on timing. I was hired in 2000 and was awarded an MD-11 right out of initial training (FedEx had a huge hiring wave in 2001 and early 2002). However, if you were hired at the end of the wave in 2002 you probably sat on the panel for a few years before you could upgrade to even the right seat of the 727 (FedEx did not hire much if any in 2003 and the beginning of 2004). Now, we are again in the beginning of a hiring wave. There are people in initial training in the 727 S/O who were awarded the MD-11. It all depends. FedEx, like most of the airlines, seems to hire in waves. If you are hired at the beginning of a wave = quick upgrade. Hired at the end or when we aren't hiring much = sit the panel for awhile (at least until we retire the -10 or the -727).


As far as LAX domicile at FedEx. It went pretty junior during this last bid. LAX is not a very commuter friendly domicile at FedEx right now. A lot of out-and-backs and short domestic trips make your schedule 2 or 3 ON and 2 or 3 OFF; unless you are senior enough to hold the international or Hawaii trips.