Originally Posted by
threeighteen
Not a legit comparison as typically at least one of the FOs on a United/DL/AA wide-body has a high level of experience as the non-bunkie seat on wide-body there is more senior than junior 777CA here at FedEx. Junior 777CA at FedEx has probably been at FedEx less time than the most Junior A350 FO at DL.
But they've had their issues too. I think it was a United wide-body that diverted in Cold Bay with a cracked windshield and the FOs didn't even bother to wake the captain up to ask him first...
I'll make this argument: it doesn't matter if it's wide body or not, an airplane is an airplane and all of them have their unique challenges depending on what theatre you fly in. There are 2 year upgrades at DL with zero pic time in narrow bodies. So now you'll have no PIC on top of no PIC without the super senior CA in the bunk. I also know plenty of junior folks who sit right seat in wide bodies at other airlines who fly with other junior FO/RFO's, your theory won't be the common in the near future. Also, it sounds like the crew got the airplane on the ground safely, that's what is important there. I can bet we've got plenty of "experienced" captains who have diverted for MEL'able items at fedex as well without bringing in all available resources. One story doesn't justify your theory.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
A big part of being well-rounded is having real world experience.
Yep, the guy at SWA has that and them some. Just not your precious PIC time.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
We'll see how the degree requirement relaxation goes. We're about to open up our app pool to a lot of well-rounded, highly experienced guys that couldn't come here because they didn't have a stupid piece of paper. Chances are the world will be in a recession before we burn through that pile of apps and the pool of guys with PIC time will start trending the other way again.
We've got a lot of well-rounded, highly qualified individuals who don't have the stupid PIC time too. Same difference. I'd rather have people skills than 500TPIC.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
Easy. Tell them: if FedEx is your number one, don't put your UA/DL/AA/WN/etc app in until you have the PIC to apply at FedEx. If FedEx isn't number one, apply to UA/DL/AA right away and grab that seniority there if they call first. If not, apply at FedEx when you have the PIC.
LOL, right, miss out on [i[thousands[/i] of numbers of seniority to hold off for this precious FedEx gig. Brilliant advice buddy.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
We're not the best thing since sliced bread, but right now we have plenty of people who want to be here and are willing to go get the PIC to do so. Why should we remove a layer of Swiss-cheese just to attract the people who kinda want to be here but aren't willing to hold out for 8 months to go get some PIC?
You are right, we are hitting our numbers now, but I am willing to bet this "layer of swiss cheese" will be removed here in the future. Regional airlines train folks from a 172 to fly a transport category airplane to be a PIC with
people in the back with 1,000 hours SIC, successfully, all the time. Why cant we take that same candidate and train them to fly our cargo aircraft? It's literally the same thing.