Not quite that senior, but almost started on this in FRA. :D


http://www.seaboardairlines.org/aircraft/c46.htm

decide whether you want QOL or Money.

If you stay on the panel, will have better control over your destiny than being at the bottom of the FO list.

FO wise, seems like MD is more Junior than the Bus if you want to go for the widebody pay.

Hi Fred, ANC is the place you want to be, IMHO.
fbh

Bid Anchorage.

At least get off the panel. That list is going to look like the lifeboat scene in Titanic as the -10 guys get excessed and can't bear the thought of spending time at home.

By the way boys, I jumpseated on FH's plane a few weeks ago.

He was a .....

really nice guy.

Not being a pessimist, BUT:

Guys at 2 1/2 years seniority are holding MD-11 and the Bus at 90% percentile (those that have already bid it).

I also doubt that this is the MOAB.

After the excess bid, there will be even less seats available.

Hey gramps, I bet I was tail end charlie for longer! :rolleyes:

First of all always bid what you want, you might get lucky...

You should be able to hold ANC but your low seniority will probably have you sitting a lot of reserve plus having to deal with the pain of commuting (ANC doesn't have many DH's in the bidpack). Your QOL will suffer for the extra $22/hr.

75 FO MEM wouldn't be bad (if you can hold it) as long as they get rid of the STV language in the LOA.

72 FO is probably your best bet. You'll gain seniority quicker, the commute isn't bad and the upgrade is easy.

Lastly, you have the FDA's...a very, very bad deal in almost everyone's opinion except our MEC's.

And remember, there will always be another bid. Good luck and welcome to Club Purple!

My .02
SG

Kronan: Have you looked at the training letter for the 72 lately? If you are junior on the panel you are going BACKWARDS every month. You have no control over anything. In the right seat you might languish at the bottom for a while, but at least any movement will be upward and at least you have a view out the window.

Before the crush of over 60 guys going to the back I would have agreed with your thoughts, but now those in the back are facing diminishing control of their destiny every month.

This from a 5 year and counting Boeing FE.

FJ

It's always better to jerk the gear on ANY airplane than to protect essential...........IMHO. And yes I have been one up from tail end charlie on several aircraft, several positions. GET OFF THE PANEL.....:cool:

haven't looked at the training letter in any way, shape, or form. just know that historically most new hires go through the school of pain.

my best guess....is that at some point in time FedEx is going to be short of people and hiring almost everyone off the street....whether or not all of those folks travel through the slaveship, who knows.

taking a cursory look at the 10 excess bid seems to indicate that the 10 will wind up with only age 60+ folks as SO's, what that will mean for the 27 FOs/SOs, is anybodys' guess.

for a relative new hire to bid widebody, and get it, most likely will be treading the status quo at the bottom of the list....the money's nice, but, is that what you want?

757 will likely go very junior until everything shakes out. LAX MD went junior initially until the learning curve was done, personally, I think the same will hold true for the 75, and most likely the eventual 777 bid.

in either case, tail end charlie will likely stay tail end for awhile.

so, take your best guess, bid accordingly, and don't look back. seemed like a good idea at the time

one last thought, if your'e on the panel and flying in the reserves, barring the need to get the bucks, upgrading not that critical. If your'e only flying a panel, upgrading sooner is better than later.