I was hired at FedEx in the 90s. Probably after the AA guy. Many of my peers and friends went back to and left for the passenger airlines. Life here has sucked, real bad!!!! I haven't experienced any of the things I thought REAL airline pilots experienced. I don't even know the definition of light chop or furlough. Medium chop is perfect for sleeping. No furloughs. No strikes. Top of the payscale in 9 years. Captain in 6 years. No hats! No flight attendants! No passengers! Diamond medallion. Flying first class with my wife all over the world on frequent flyer miles!! I'm in Paris now as a 16 year wide body captain. Life sucks, Right! I could be doing 5 legs a day as an FO at 1/3 pay, dodging clouds and rationalizing how the cargo guys job sucks so bad!!! I haven't regretted my decision once!

 

Good question, despite the responses from the peanut gallery.

The FAA, DOT and OMB (White House) don't think freight guys need to fly rested. It's too expensive for the very small benefit. Rest is critical for the safety of passenger flights but not required for freight.

So if adequate rest is a priority for you, I say extend your life and improve your QOL by respecting your body clock in a less dangerous job.

 

On almost every single flight over the last 6 years I've been here, the Captain has explicitly briefed "I fly according to the standards. If you see me NOT flying according to standards, let me know and I'll fix it. And I'll do the same for you."

I know that while we can joke about "We're FedEx...we've got a waiver for that," the bottom line is every FDX pilot I know tries our level best to fly safely...all day, all night, whatever it takes. In fact, when the company makes scheduling or operational decisions that compromise OUR level of safety (Hello Fatigue?), it chaps our hide. And maybe it's "our bad" for not calling fatigued more often when it truly applies, instead of pushing through "for the team."

Oh, and having been junior here for a long time, I testify that my own way of coping with night flying is taking a "combat nap" in the afternoon. That way I'm not dragging butt when it's time to show for a flight at 0200.

Anyway, just wanted to share one freight dawg's opinion--YMMV

 

You can't give up 20 years unless you think AA is done for.

 

He went back to AA. Always wondered how that worked out for him in comparison. I know he had a few years seniority there before his year here.

 

I have a friend that has almost the same story - plumbing on the 727 around 2000 and tired of the lousy night flying and seeing AA crews looking chipper in the hotel at 6am as they were just checking in. Quit FDX and got hired at AA. 4 years ago he still seemed happy at AA (although I was working less days with a better schedule and making far more as a 3 yr FDX FO than he was as a 7 yr AA FO). Haven't asked him about it since but he's been displaced a few times and I think he still has a job.

Funny - had a similar conversation with a buddy the other day about how AA was my first choice initially - wow how lucky I was to get FDX instead. I've had a totally different experience then what your "friend" had at FDX and wouldn't trade it for any other carrier. Of course it could all change.

 

Staying put to see what happens?!?!?! The passenger carrier model is so broken there's no way that any legacy carrier will ever see a respectable contract, better work rules, etc ever again. American? United? I'm dying to get on and fly with their age 55+ flight attendants. It really adds to the experience. Oh, and once a merger comes at American, it will be REALLY awesome for the pilot groups. Just like United, Continental, Delta, and Northwest. 30 years to upgrade to narrow body MD-80 captain is exactly how I envisioned my life's work.

I know a bunch of United Pilots waiting to "see what happens". They're the same ones that have been stuck slinging gear for 15+ years making under $100 an hour. They passed on the box haulers to "see what happens".

Anything but a cargo carrier these days doesn't make sense. I'd go get a desk job that actually pays a decent wage before it's time to retire and it's too late. My two cents.

 

Thanks! This makes me feel that FDX is perfect for me. Sounds like just what I'm used to flying the mighty KC135. Get the mission done, safely, or as safely as possible. I'm looking forward to someday getting my chance. And I hope I am what they are looking for. Any advice for bettering my chances? I have about 3800 TT, and 2300 PIC. I know a few people there and in line for one of them to sponsor...

 

Shack! Dad, execellent post!
fbh

 

Your buddy sounds like a guy I knew that would have had a seniority number here of about 1300 if he had stayed. He would be starting his 9th or 10th year of WB Capt pay and vacation if he had stayed, and have had another 16 years left of that if he chose to fly to 65 (which he will most likely have to at AA now). He went back to AA as one of the last recalls there in 97 or so. He could have held WB F/O but chose to stay in MEM as a 727 S/O and F/O and bid crappy night lines and then complained he didn't like nights. He also told me he liked walking around the terminal in his uniform and that made him feel special. I tried to talk him into staying and just hang out at the terminal in his uniform on one of the 6 extra days he would have had off (making about $80k more a year) he would have had here. In the end it was clear he thought Pax pilots were better and since he was senior to me I bid him farewell and stopped wasting my time. FWIW, no one who looked at the situation rationally then thought it was a better deal to leave a WB F/O seat at FedEx with real job security and great pay and bennies to go sit sideways on reserve again at AA at the bottom of the list. I am sure he tells horror stories to himself and others about FedEx to this day to try and make him feel better about making the worst decision of his career by going back..

As far as leaving 20 years at AA to go to the bottom of any list, I agree with the poster above who said that I would do that only of I thought AA was a goner. I think they will survive personally although who knows what happens to the pilot contracts now that they are in Bankruptcy..