The thing about this route is that so many things have to go right. You might not be able to work with the schedules and keep flying your King Air. Not to mention Fedex has to be hiring pilots. You have to relocate to MEM for a job because they're always hiring for the Express side. Meaning you can't fly for someone else unless you happen to be based in Mem and are home every night. The whole point is to keep flying while you're employed with Fedex. I'm not sure if currency is required to get an interview but it probably helps. Otherwise you can wait for you local Fedex Express station but they hire once every 12 to 16 months, good luck waiting on them while you miss a pilot hiring window. It's a huge sacrifice.

 

Very true--many things have to go right. I kinda see myself threading the needle though. I went to my local FedEx Express station to speak with a manager and get some info about future Handler hiring last week. I couldn't even get a manager's name out of the front desk clerk, so I camped out in the parking lot and harassed employees as they left until I actually bumped into the manager that hires the Handlers =). She was very receptive and talked like they might be hiring soon. She even got my contact information and said she would let me know when they do. I am still 18 months away from meeting mins, so I am not in danger of missing a hiring window.

 

Great thread!

Not to change the subject too much, but is military service a big plus if you're applying as an outsider?

 

While I can't speak to FedEx hiring specifically, I kinda see you p1ssing away the next few years in the hopes of finding one specific job with one specific company, when you could be using that time to gain experience that would qualify you to work anywhere.

At this time, FedEx Express is a great company to work for, no question about it. But there are SO many things that could go wrong with your plan, the very least of which is that the strain of trying to work 2 full-time jobs causes you to lose the ability to do either one to the best of your abilities. Scratch that internal rec...

Take a step-or-three back, and evaluate ALL your options as a professional aviator, including the possibility that (Sacré bleu!) FedEx will NOT be your first-choice of employers in 5-10 years. Don't become a victim of "target fixation!"

 

While I agree it is not wise for me to put all my eggs in one basket, I don't see the danger in having a goal and going for it if it does not compromise my ability to switch gears if need be. The qualifications I attain while preparing for FedEx will serve me well with any major airline.

The only part of my plan that would be a waist of time is working at Fedex as a Ramper. I have worked 2-3 jobs all through school and flight training, so this will be nothing new to me (the major challenge in this will be balancing my flying schedule with my FedEx schedule, and I have this issue resolved). I am willing to take the risk of "wasting" my time as a handler.

I understand the volatility of the industry. It is very possible FedEx will not be as good of a job (relatively) in 5-10 years; however, this could be said about any airline. Personally, the profitability advantage the major cargo airlines have over pax is reason enough for me to prefer cargo.

Am I looking at this wrong?

 

I would never tell anybody that their plan for attaining their career goals is "wrong." I look at it through a slightly longer lens, that's all. Do understand, that for the 2-3 years you'll be waiting for an interview with Flt Ops, you'll be working at what is basically unskilled labor, gaining "experience" that will be of little value to you outside FedEx.

Here are some of the possible pitfalls, as I see them;

• The company could decide at any time to change the experience requirements from "Turbine" to "Turbo JET" and your years of humping boxes will be for naught.

• You may run into a personality clash with a supervisor, resulting in a somewhat "tepid" recommendation. Again, years wasted.

• FedEx could decide to outsource the flying. (The good news about that is that it probably wouldn't affect your warehouse job)

• You could find that balancing schedules, along with the strain of working 80 hrs per week at 2 different jobs, degrades your performance at one or both of them to the point that your ability to remain at either is unlikely. (I won't even address your family situation and QOL under such circumstances. It's TOAST)

• Lastly, none of these things could happen. You could bust your butt in a warehouse for several years, kiss whatever you have to kiss to get the internal rec, go to the interview, and be told...."Sorry, but the answer is NO"

You have to do what you think is right. Personally, if I were 28 years old and flying a King Air, I'd be trying to get some 121/jet time, preferably in something with a glass cockpit and a career track that led to the left seat as soon as possible. A carrier with a flow-through agreement would be a real plus. Hiring at the Majors will resume in numbers. People still need to go places by air, and somebody much younger than I will be flying those planes.

Consider your options carefully, and choose wisely. The quality of that decision will determine whether, in a few years, you're sitting in the cockpit of a major carrier throwing switches, or the corner of a dimly-lit warehouse throwing boxes.

 

My cheerios taste funny??? What do Handlers top out at, 13-14/hr? I guess one good thing about being a career Handler is I won't need as much life insurance =)

 

How have you resolved the issue? This is your problem. Are you currently flying a King Air and working at Fedex? No.

In fact that's what I wanted to ask other Fedex pilots, how do you keep flying and work at Fedex at the same time? It's not possible flying airlines so that's out. It's not possible flying on demand because you're on call 24 hours. Maybe some cargo outfits but, they usually have you working at night and wait during the day. Sounds to me like the other guys, at least one example on here, weren't flying at all when they were throwing boxes. That's what's called putting all your eggs in one basked.

 

Did you happen to ask her what the schedules were? I'm telling you man, it's going to be tough for flying. Not to mention you're going to be physically drained after each shift. You can work at Fedex throwing boxes and then work at Macys during the day but pro flying is another deal. Assuming everything works out what are you going to do when things change on you? The saying at Fedex is the only constant is change. Plus usually the schedules are from 2200 to 0800, and this is the schedule where people turn in their stuff after a few months. Or late afternoons for a 4 or 8 hour block. Local stations are the same time frames but less hours of work.

 

I agree. And there is nothing wrong what the OP is trying to do. It's just that it's a calculated risk of trying to affect the future. And in aviation that is almost impossible. I hope it works out for him but if it doesn't he would have wasted time he could have had to prepare to be employed by any other place instead of just one.