Shegavemeclap

Hello everyone. I was just wondering what the best lines (say top 5-10%) look like each month at FedEx/UPS. I have a couple of buddies pulling for me so I'm hoping to get a call at some point down the road. If I was able to interview and fool them enough to give me a job, I could have a pretty long and productive career at either carrier. It's all a pipe dream at this point, but I'm still hoping.

At any rate, the reserve schedules are always talked about on these boards, but I haven't seen any mention of the best schedules for the senior guys in their seats. Just wondering about total days off, consecutive days on, credit hours, etc. How hard do these guys work for the money they make? Granted, they deserve it after all the work they've given to their respective companies.

I have heard of the commitment required early with the job, just wondering what the long term rewards are. I'm trying to compare it to the corporate gig I have now that could potentially be a $120-130k per year job, sleeping in my own bed 24 or more nights per month.

Thanks.

BoilerUP

I'm not sure where you live, but that sounds like excellent compensation and QOL compared to the average corporate job, especially driving an Ultra/Encore.

Shegavemeclap

Boiler, it's a midwest job. I'm not talking $120k next year, or even the year after that. I'm talking down the road....... a long way!!! We are looking at bigger airplanes, so I'm assuming 25 years down the road flying a mid and making that kind of money. I'm looking at the long term, by no means will this happen soon!! Just trying to compare the end of my career with my current job versus a job with Brown or FedEx.

With regards to pay there's no question, but QOL, retirement, time with the family, etc. is what I'm wondering about. Mostly QOL, that's why I ask about the schedules. Retirement won't compare either. I'm home alot now and to go to an airline would be tough on kids, so I'm just wondering how it will compare in the long-term. For the first few years, it would be a big sacrifice.

BoilerUP

Didn't mean to sidetrack your thread...

fdx727pilot

unfortunately, the top 5-10% in each seat at Fedex have 2 or 3 digit seniority numbers, so you have little hope of ever seeing them.

Shegavemeclap

How many years does it take to get there? If I get a chance to interview in the next two years and age 65 goes through, I would have 35 years in if all went well.

FDXLAG

It depends, but you could easily match your $120K 24 nights at home at fedex in five years. If you don't mind living in Mem. We have a lot of lines at Mem that are out and back 3 days a week.

Jetjok

Not to rain on your parade, but don't you think you're putting the cart before the horse? First you have to get hired at either UPS or FedEx, then you have to survive until you're real senior. By then, who knows what the most senior lines will look like, or even if you would want to fly them, at that time. You might have met someone really nice in Brazil or Thailand, or anywhere else in the world, which would probably mean that you'd forsake the senior lines to fly to those places.

Shegavemeclap

Wow, is this the wrong board to ask an honest question? From some of your previous posts, I wouldn't expect a good answer from you anyway.

As I said above, IF it all worked out, I'd have 35 years in. Just trying to compare QOL for senior guys at the freight companies to what I could anticipate with my current position.

But then again, I'd probably retire at 60 anyway (if I made it that far) because I couldn't stand the thought of having to work until I was 65 (or older), like some of us!!!

FDX28

I've been at the company for a pretty short time about 2 years, and I am home everynight and I make about $100K without selling back any vacation but usually pick up one extra trip a month.
Yes I do the 72 AM out and backs.

Another thing to think about, one man's trash is another man treasure. Some guys like to do the Hotel Standby in IND, OAK AFW, EWR. Especially if they live there, the wife/girlfriend can come to the hotel. They don't get launched that much. Many guys will bid to the city they live in so they're home, instead of the hotel. The MD11 STN goes pretty senior, mainly cause you get bumped a lot. Airbus some of the senior guys pick day turns. But that all depends on the guys and my info comes from the guys I know, it is/may be different for another pilot. Suggestion, get your buddies to let you see their pilot page and look at the skeds of the top 5-10% guys and see for yourself.

Remember this is corporate world; boss dies, new CEO/CFO, down turn in the economy, etc, etc... your mid size or small jet program gets replaced by a fractional, and you're looking for work. Or worse, they decide to try to "make" money by chartering out the planes, selling fractions to their golfing buddies, etc.. and now you're working 24 days a month and dealing with *********s. True the legacies are having issues, and it could happen to cargo as well but probably not.

Just my .02