AerisArmis

You are one sick Mick.....oops I did it...damn!

CloudSailor

Hehehe, that helped me understand, Alot.

Aribusdude

I dearly hope and pray no one bids the FDA's. We need to support the guys over there in getting some improvements, clarification of the rules and truly make it an option for any Fedex pilot. Wouldn't it be amazing to see both seats go empty for this bid. Sure would get the company to the table in a hurry and show we Purple pilots have balls.

Born2AV8

Can you say Virtual Training Letter? Company's got plenty of dudes to fill the HKG Capt seats unless those individuals want to pay back POP.

DaRaiders

Yup. And new hires to the right seat.

Alaskan

Thereby creating exactly the same situation the company has been trying to prevent at the FDAs. Pilots get "forced" to HKG in order to retain POP, but their spouses and children can't or won't move, too, so the pilots aren't eligible for the HA. Result: lots of pilots spending minimum time in expensive HKG hotel rooms and crashpads, cutting trips close, and whose "center of gravity" is still back in USA.

If the company wasn't so intent on using every trick in the book, legal or otherwise, to try to dominate the FDA workforce, it would have realized that letting pilots take the HA when their family situations made it possible for the pilots to actually spend a substantial amount of time in a long-term leased home in HKG, even if this meant the pilot didn't spend as much time with the spouse, was in everyone's best interest. But only the pilot and his or her spouse know what works for them. This set-up is likely easier for childless couples and pilots whose spouses have professional careers back in the States. Likewise, parents of very young children may decide HKG living is for them -- they don't need to pay tuition and can make a home with only 1000 lbs of personal belongings.

This is going to be a tough decision for pilots who can't fit their whole family into a small apartment, with minimal personal belongings, and pricey tuition for school-age children, or who have other family issues (sick in-laws, special needs kids). For all of you who think FS is such a Great American, why doesn't he fix this? He could stop letting others lie about his military career while he's at it.

RedeyeAV8r

The Company won't have any trouble filling FDA Captain seats (virtual training letter or not)
History has already proven that all FDA Captain seats are 100% filled in both HKG & CGN in round One. Why do you think there aren't more MEM Captain Vacancies? (Rhetorical Question)

It is the FO seats that will be interesting to watch, with 80 FO vacancies on the 777. That will generate additional MD11/ A300 secondary vacancies, no doubt.

Dadof6

Wonder how many current 777 bodies (CA & FO) are going to bid back to other Wide Body seats. In the past six months, I've spoken with several that plan to exercise this option. In general, they all rave about the airplane, but don't care for ........(several things).

FLMD11CAPT

Several..........Tools?

Magenta Line

2 yr seat lock, right? Is that bid-to-bid or activation to activation?

Additionally, 2 yrs would require one to go back through the entire transition course right? Just axin'...