Originally Posted by
Shaman
Pin you're assumptions are a out of phase with my reality.
One of the best things about Fedex is we have the opportunity to fly very low block hours for lots of Pay. Example 6.5 hrs block 65 hrs Crd. Those are high value trips that might look like 7 or 8 days, but if you plan it properly it might work out to 4-5. So your assumption about extra days is not accurate at all. In fact the total days away from home can be significantly lower than a standard line.
The numbers I'm quoting are from the paycheck stub.
XTRA pairings and CHTR beat anything in the bid pack everyday and twice on Sundays.
I've flown for other airlines and I'm saying my experience Here is not what I'd be doing at Delta or any other Major. I know it may seem unbelievable, but its there. Hell sometimes I'm like daayuum!!!
I mean all the scheduling tools: the AVA drop it down the hole conflict carry in Triple double over unders etc. It just depends on how deep you want to go with it all.
A lot of guys aren't interested in doing what it takes to either learn or leverage these advantages. That's not easy but the payout is more $$$ for less work.
And I like money!!!
Shaman,
My assumptions are that your assertions that it is easy for a 2nd year MD FO to make over $250K and be home more than a regular line holder are unrealistic.
If you protect min days off for the whole year, you have no more than 196 days on your calendar. Take out 15 days for vacation, and you should have no more than 181 days on your calendar. (8*15 and 4*19).
Now a second year FO in 2017 made just under $168/hr for 10 of the 12 months. The last two months, they made just under $173/hr. So, let's just say $170/hr for the year. If you made $170K for BLG, that is 1000 hours. VLT would pay $255/hr. If you made $55K at that rate, that would be 215 credit hours. 1000+215 is 1215 credit hours for the year, not counting days of training and OTR.
Trip rig pays 6.4 credit hours for every 24 hour away from base. 1215/6.4 comes to 190 days away from base. Add in 5 days for training, and you are scheduled for a minimum of 195 days.
That doesn't even account for trips that start or end on a half day, which if you are deadheading a lot, would come into play. My guess is that you have several months where you have less than min days off on your calendar. Now, I know you can be home for more days than the scheduled, I was on the MD for 10 years, but it is not as easy or as prevalent as you make it out to be.
Again, great for you that you have been able to make a schedule that you are happy with, but there is no way that the average 2nd year MD FO can be at home more than a line holder and make over $250K. Not saying some can't, but definitely not the norm. In my ten years on the MD, I never came close to $250K, and had a higher hourly rate than yours. But if I got home early, I didn't pick up extra, I took the time off.
I like spending time with the family over money!!