Any idea where FedEx is getting those MD-11s from?

Losing 24 aircraft that have S/O's, at manning at 5 per aircraft equals 120 unneeded third seat positions. Seems like in the not too far distance future the DC-10 will only have over 60 year olds in the back seat.

FedEx is only doing what the PAX carriers started doing about 10 years ago...................Parking 3 seaters and replacing them with 2 seaters.
Be happy at least we are net gaining in actual hulls.

Just think if we were only getting 1 for 1 ( one 3 holer for 1 two holer) and the age 60 thing passes..................(Which it might)....that would stagnate
things

I've only heard it discussed, but never have seen anything definitive about manning formulas. I would imagine that a 727 that flies 6 hours a day and sits the rest will be manned differently than a DC-10 that flies 18 hours a day domestic. They both will likely be manned differently than an MD-11 that flies 22 hours per day international. I'm only using those as examples that it's likely not a one-for-one swap. In other words, losing 2 727s and gaining 3 MD-11s does not necessarliy mean an even swap in bodies. There are quite a few MD-11s in the air at any moment with 3 or 4 pilots earning money.






- The truth only hurts if it should -

Just looking at the May bidpacks and the current fleet plan stated in the bid fcif, there are 475 727 s/o's for 108 a/c and 191 DC10 s/o's for 33 a/c. Of course this doesn't account for all personnel but just looking at that, the -10 is manned higher per a/c than the 727.

But I was just using the number 5 per a/c as an easy example as to about how many crewmembers won't be replaced because of the fleet plan change.

And that brings up one of the variables that can be easily overlooked. Look at how many of the DC-10 S/Os are very senior and have lots of vacation versus how many of the 727 S/Os are very junior and have very little vacation.


:)


I wasn't trying to make any other point other than it's a bit more complicated than meets the eye.





- The truth only hurts if it should -