GO UPS!!! I know of a few and had side step it twice in my life and that is corp job here today running big & strong.........Stock market problems.......SELL THE PLANE!!!

 

You're right. Nothing is ABSOLUTE. However I do feel pretty comfortable knowing that a) the company that I work for has annual sales in excess of $35billion internationally, b) we fly to many locations where the fractionals won't.

Either way that has nothing to do with the topic. I've let my point of view be known. Apparently I'm the minority voice. But then again, that could also contribute to why I'm perfectly (and when I say that I mean 100%) content with the job that I have. Can you say the same?

 

Everybody,

I really appreciate all the honest feedback from you guys. I have learned some valuable things from both the UPS guys and the corporate guys. I still don't know what I am going to do, but at least I have until monday morning to tell the bank one way or the other.

Here is another piece to the puzzle. I have a sponsor at FedEx and 6 letters of rec (which I'm sure makes me one of 5,000 in the same boat ). For my reserve job, FedEx would be a much easier commute. I have not had a meet and greet yet, so I figure by the time those start again and if the stars all align perfectly, I am looking at at least another year before I would start working there if I got hired. So I could take the Beechjet job and wait for FedEx. But in the mean time I would have to move my family to the Bank's base (which is a 1.5 hour drive to MEM). Obviously, I hate moving and would like to minimize my moves. Is a 1.5 hour drive close enough to sit reserve if I was working at FedEx or do you have to live closer?

For the UPS guys, I would really want to be based in SDF. If I was lucky enough to be hired at UPS, what are the chances that I would NOT be based in SDF? When you are sitting reserve, would you say you spend most of those days flying or most of them sitting at home (or your crashpad)? I place a very high value on being at home with my family, which is what makes the Bank job so appealing. But if I live in SDF and bid reserve, will I probably be at home most nights too?

For the guys who were asking, I'm 30 yrs old. I've got 2 letters of rec at UPS (MD-11 FOs). I have a part time AF reserve job that I don't plan on giving up.

Again, thanks a lot for everyone's input. It has been extremely valuable and I appreciate the help. I am blessed to have this decision to make.

GR

 

Keep something in mind. Nothing guarantees that you will get the UPS job. You have to get it first before you worry about what to do (ie. bank vs. UPS). Also, nothing guarantees that you will get an interview at FedEx. If you do, nothing guarantees that you will get the job (have you looked into their interview process...yikes!). In any case, good luck in whatever decision you make.

 

How is an air force reserve job and a full time pilot job in any way compatible with being near your family a lot? Everyone that I know in the airline biz that tries to do both seems to make some real sacrafices on the family side of things.

If you want SDF, you'll probably get SDF. Worst case scenario would be a year to get back but there is going to be so much hiring into SDF as our flight engineers retire, I wouldn't worry about it.

Wether you get to sit reserve in your house or not is a coin toss. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. The people that bid reserve for the resaon that you cite, generally seem pretty happy with that choice though.

What are the odds these days of getting hired at UPS if you get the interview? Last I heard they were pretty good. Some folks get pooled though, which could give you plenty of time to fly for your bank before a call up.

Good luck.

 

And just to elaborate a little more, we just signed a new contract that has some relatively substantial new rules with regard to reserve. Some people think this might result in a shift toward reserve going more senior than it has in recent past.

You also have to bear in mind that UPS has about 35 different fleet types (okay...not that many, but it would appear to be a goal for the company). Each fleet, to a certain extent, offers a very different life style. You might get called to fly on reserve every day while your pal from new-hire class on a different fleet hasn't been called for 2 weeks.

It's tough to answer those type of question because there are so many variables and it's a dynamic situation. The biggest factor affecting future uncertainty in answering your questions is; how will this new contractual scheduling language ultimately affect line construction and, more specifically, how will it affect life on reserve?

Tipsy

 

I haven't heard anyone saying that reserve might go more senior now. What advantages are there in the new system that makes you think it will go down that way?

 

Really? I have but I think it has to do with open time. From what I saw reserves were being used a lot due to the amount of open time. Since the contract is done, people seem to think that all the open time will be gone now with reserves picking it up, therefore reserves flying less.

 

That makes sense. I was thinking one thing about open time, and how much everyone is saying that they will pick up. I'll have to look closer, but I think that our new cap and the way that it is constructed (pay period vs. bid period) will probably dampen some people's expectations.

I had hear that with the cross domicile reserve stuff, there would be more opportunities to have to fly on the 757 and that would make it way less attractive. On the Z at least, I don't think we have many (any?) senior folks that bid reserve in the left seat.

 

In a word...preferencing. Just like Freightpuppy mentions above, most commuters on reserve will probably preference the trips that are in open-time so they're not rotting in the crash pad (I know I would). If enough of the reserve commuters preference what's in open-time, there probably won't be too much left for the guys that live in SDF and don't want to get called out anyway.

Seems plausible in theory. Only time will tell

Tipsy