A300_Driver

Even less gloomy (or extremely gloomy depending on your perspective) is the fact that the FedEx retirement folks say they only pay out retirement benefits for on average 3 years--if guys are going to work past 60 they probably aren't going to make it very long...

sandman2122

I doubt any over 60 guys will want to retrain on the 757 or 777 if offered. At that elderly age I'll bet those senior citizens would prefer to stay in their current seat vs. going through another ground school, FAA oral, FTD's, sims etc...............

MaydayMark

I would bet Jetjok and Foxhunter bid the 777 (if they can) just so they'll have something to talk about in the nursing home (in between bingo games and ceramics class).

Mark

fdx727pilot

Possibly slow hiring, yes. But what's the primary driving factor, 300 new seats, or 120 retirements. FDX, like every other aviation organization (airlines, Air Force) I've ever been associated with, manages staffing levels through crisis management. Cut back till we're short, overhire till we have excesses. Currently, we are in a bean-counter driven cutback. Everyone in Ft Mgt knows we need around 30 newhires per month, come hell or high water. Some geek in upper management has said cut back hiring. Sometime soon, probably this summer after the start of the fiscal year, we will start hiring as many people as the training dept. can handle to catch up. And all the over 60 FEs don't cut hiring, they just drive the entry position to 72, MD11, and soon 757 FO. A couple years down the road, when the new rule takes affect, it will affect hiring, but at least at FDX, not enough to stop hiring, just slow it down some.

There has been a lot of nasty words and uninformed opinion thrown around the age 65 issue by both sides. Until the rule is in writing, and our CBA has been changed to reflect or accomodate it, no one can say for sure what affect it will have on you, me and the hiring situation IMHO

SKYKN6

IMHO, there will be few geezers working past age 61.. There is a large reward to finish the year one turns 60 (birthday in June - work 'til Dec) for another "good year" for retirement and just a few months extra all nighters. As previousely mentioned in this thread, sick leave and vacation use is high at the end. Hiring will continue with minimal effect. If the NPRM goes thru, the big hurdle will be the next contract. THIS nearly old geezer will either retire early or be on strike if any whiff of raising the contractual retirement age arises. Hiring will be brisk right after the next MOAB (Soon!).

EPIRB

3 years? I hope you makin that up.

FoxHunter

Hmm? They seem all too willing to train as a S/O. Nah, they would never go for the 777!

FoxHunter

No, I expect they would talk while playing Squash about some of the younger guys that never made it to age 55 because the always had too much of a craving for cookies!

FoxHunter

Hmm! Don't recall any age 60+ guys dropping?? They all seem to go on in tickn.

ClutchCargo

Haven't seen you on here for awhile. Busy studying your panel flows, eng?