waldo135

A little confused. UPS sends out an email that they filled their hiring needs, then promptly opens the window?

BrownClown

Typical UPS.
When I was a new hire in Indoc, the fleet acquisitions guy spoke with our class about airframes. He had a slide up that had everything from a 737-300 to an A380. He pointed to the A380 and said "you will NEVER see this aircraft at UPS". Fast forward a few weeks and UPS announces that they're getting 10? or so A380s. Granted, he was right about never seeing them on property, but the games UPS plays with literally everyone is ridiculous.

It's not a pleasant place to work by any stretch, but I like long blocks of work and days off; commute in once and get it done. Go to your home AWAY from the domicile and enjoy your life NOT thinking about UPS. It also affords me the chance to do other hobbies that keep me sane, so I don't stroke-out about stupid UPS decisions of which I have ZERO control.

The bottom line is; embrace Sideshow's "Expectation Zero", live away from domicile if you can or at least find friends that aren't pilots and you'll cope well enough.

CactusCrew

The best part about a UPS job ... is the time away from the job !

Archie Bunker

Great advice.

dragon33

Clueless all-military new-hire here. I've never heard this advice. How exactly is commuting better than living in domicile? Seems like commuting would be extra painful, especially when your trip doesn't start here…but again, I know nothing.

The Walrus

I think he means enjoy living where you want to live and stay away from the company bs. If you uproot to live in domicile and constantly get excessed to another domicile, you will end up moving often and be miserable. If you decide on the front end to live where you want, you will not have that disappointment.

Sideshow Bob

Not to speak for Brown Clown, but I think he's referring to not living in SDF in the case of working for UPS, in that elements of UPS have infiltrated the social fabric of Louisville not unlike ebola. I've heard tales of not being to go anywhere without seeing some evidence of the infection.

I think he's being somewhat tongue in cheek. Of course living in domicile eliminates the commute, but on many of the flights it doesn't seem to mitigate fatigue. For example, some of the most wiped out guys operating SDF-ANC at 03:30L are the ones that live in domicile.

Resistance is futile, even though our management says there's no weather at night, so we've got that going for us which is nice.

Anc74

Do not move to base unless your very senior in your seat at UPS. UPS will furlough again and you'll be stuck there.

dragon33

Thanks for all the words. I am moving to SDF, but I'm separating from AD and hated where I lived, so I do actually like it here. Commuting from where I lived was a no-go. I can only hope that the last furlough was more a product of economic downturn and the parking of those 3-man crew aircraft, which hopefully means that it won't be a thing. But again…I know nothing.

CactusCrew

Hey Dragon33,

I think Sideshow and Archie both commute to ANC from California. Their relative seniority probably holds longer trips with long blocks of days off. Unless you are going to ANC, your schedule will be vastly different than theirs.

Commuting to SDF for a domestic B757 or Airbus schedule would be painful. You will most likely hold base line trips that flip circadian rhythms around more than politicians lie. So the commute would probably be more painful than living in SDF for a few years.

The above is basically true. I've lived in base, and also been a commuter for years. I'd prefer to live elsewhere. For the time being, living in SDF is better because it makes the schedule livable.

At least until the next displacement bid ...