Originally Posted by kwri10s (Post 79100)

A lot of it seems to stem from a proprietary thought process. It's my company I'll hire whom ever I want as long as they are qualified.

Also, there is quite a bit to be said for being the first major carrier that someone flies for. Being the first will aid in indoctrinating that individual into the way "we" fly. Right or wrong, the things you learn your first time through get carried over throughout your career. For some reason, the first training you receive on your primary airplane is the one that will stick with you the longest. Lots and lots of guys in the military have wasted valuable seconds trying to grab ejection handles from the first front line fighter they were checked out on, not the one they are currently flying. It usually seems unrelated to the length of time they flew one or the other, unless transition is very recent. But in the AF no one ever has tried to grab handles and squeeze (T-37) if they have been checked out on a follow on Fighter. But F-4 guys now in front line fighters grab for the F-4 handles first. Some how the mind equates primary imprinting with the first training. Ask your self how much of the 727 you still remember vs the second aircraft you flew here if you are now on your third or more aircraft.

Bringing other airlines imprinted training into the FDX program could be viewed as less than optimum. Strictly from a human factors point of view. Now experience can overwrite most imprinting the more experience the better. But perhaps if the HR community here has input into the hiring, they might be using logic similar. Bringing a 10000 hr captain into the CRM mix CAN make the crew dynamic unstable unless the high-time low seniority individual has just the right personality. Similar problems can be seen trying to integrate high ranking retired military personnel. Guys O-6 and above lots of times don't play well with others when forced into an "Indian" role vs the "chief" role.

It can't all be about the best qualified. How do you determine the best qualified?? The most hours? The greatest number of aircraft tickets? The most combat? The most kills? The greatest number of landings? The most number of countries flown into? The most instrument hours? Night hours? If anyone knows what would determine the best qualified, I'm sure the CP office would love to know. At best you can determine if someone "should" be qualified based upon their previous experience. Then "meet and greet" with them along with someone who states that they know and vouch for them. Then see if they can jump through a series of hoops. If all that passes then welcome. Not perfect but understandable.

Originally Posted by RedeyeAV8r (Post 78829)

Tony do really have to ask that? Remember when the FPA was trying to fight the Common Type rating thing?

FedEx almost got the program 100% their way. If that had happend, a student would not even have got the 3 and 3.

FPA wasn't so much against the Common Type as it was with the FedEx training program and the scheduling. There were many at that time who thought the MD-10 should have been a separate Bid Pack(at least for the initial few years).....i.e. MD10 Domestic and MD-11 Intl.

You and I both know the Cockpits and A/C are pretty much the same........except start switches, ...

.......I know I left out about another 80 things but other than that the aircraft are pretty much the same.......:)

Originally Posted by TonyC (Post 79126)

The point of my question about 3 & 3 is the same as the point you're making. The airplanes are NOT the same, despite the claims.

Since you mentioned FPA... the protests presented by the FPA regarding the common type rating for the MD-10 approached the issue from two fronts: Safety and Scheduling. The loudest protests were concerning scheduling, and they made us look like a bunch of whiners. It's not surprising then that the legitimate safety concerns we raised were ignored. We had lost our credibility.
Now we have a track record of accidents to support the claims. Tragic.
.

Originally Posted by Albief15 (Post 79350)

Never a bad thread to praise the Marines...or any of our servicemen.

First oath of office was Marine PLC...circa 1984. A small temporary screw in my right ankle courtesy of a slightly wild Arabian gelding kept me out of summer camp that year, and the next year went to AFROTC camp instead. No regrets--but always had a lot of respect for the Corps.

Originally Posted by fedupbusdriver (Post 79385)

Yeah, those Arabian women are wild in the hay.

Originally Posted by remlap (Post 78884)

For what it's worth,

I have all the bells and whistles.
I have a college degree.
I am a former military aviator.
I have types, hours and international experience the 727, 737-800, 757/767, and the MD-11.
I am a young captain at a major passenger carrier with over 11,000 hours and 3,000 hours PIC in large airplanes.
I even have sponsors at Fed/Ex. (One of them was my F/E when I was an F/O, so I can't be a complete jerk.)

What frosts me is that the Fed/Ex HR website took my hard earned money in order to place my application in the pool. However, I can't find any notation on the application that I won't be interviewed because I have a current seniority number at a part 121 carrier. It sure does seem like a bait and switch. I have to wonder if there isn't a law suit for this, but that would probably ruin my chances for employment. :)

While I'm on my soapbox, the whole issue back in the mid 90's about people bailing and returning to their original carriers is just a smoke screen. The simple solution to the issue is to require a letter of resignation from the respective applicant to his previous employer to be produced on the first day of employment by Fed/Ex. That would put an end to that concern.

Carry on.

Remlap