12k pilots, we have 4k. Multiply x 3 as a wag.

What I find most interested is that 10 years ago, after a short spell a junior pilot here could perhaps do international on an MD11 out of Anchorage, or hold B reserve on the 727 right seat or DC-10 SO seat, fly A reserve on the 'bus or 727, or hold days and become a 727 SO LCA.

Right now, I see riding the 757 or CGN on A reserve…for a while. The streamlining of aircraft here has eliminated some of the pockets and niches where a guy could hide out and try to carve out a good Q of Life if he was not a hub turn machine. (Some like 'em, some don't. ) I know FedEx is an overnight delivery company and if you cannot stomach some back side of the clock ops you probably shouldn't be here. However, its also a fact many of us have been here a while and do not regularly do hub turns. Any new hires showing up better be ready for the old 727 slave ship type lines, because the other options we once had aren't as readily available.

I would not worry about percentages as much as "what does a bottom 5% guy's life at Delta look like? What does a bottom 5% guy's life look like at FedEx?" Pros and cons to both but in 2004 if you didn't like hub turns you could sneak your way out of them on the -10, -11 , or getting senior as a SO. These days you better be ready for that "traditional" FedEx flying, as I think you will be doing it for a few years….