UPS/FedEx
 

To the guys/gals that work for these two companies,
-on average, how many days a month are you flying?
-are the schedules/lines firm, or is it fairly easy to drop/add different lines?
-can a guy take more time off from work (non-military) than he has vacation? (not paid of coarse)


scenario: a guy has worked at a company for 20 years, and doesn't feel like flying 80 hours a month anymore, can he cut back to 40 hours a month and not get in trouble from the company, or is every guy required to fly a set schedule every month?


thanks, i'm sure a tad rediculous, just curious...

Away from home 10-14 days out of 28.
Easy to drop/add depending on seat manning.
Yes, depending on seat manning and not Nov/Dec.

Yes, depending on seat manning and not Nov/Dec. Guy with 20 years at Fedex has to work to afford all his vacation time.

Lag

UPS is not user friendly in this area. You can't drop and not get paid (I wish). If your line is less than guarantee and you want to pick up extra flying, you don't get paid for that portion of the extra that brings you up to guarantee.

You can do some trip trading with open time but you can't trade if it reduces your credit or duty days.

average month
 

Along the same lines of this thread. I have heard so many different ideas on what the schedule of a cargo pilot at UPS/Fedex may be. Having jumpseated several times with both companies I queried the pilots but the response was weak at best, they were busy of course. I am a family guy and was wondering how friendly are the schedules to family time. I know seniority and bidding are going to play a role, but perhaps a view of a schedule from a newbie up to a senior individual. Thanks for your help.

Fedex
 

Not sure I agree that FedEx is easy to drop trips when outside of Nov and DEC. Staffing has been tight, deliberately so, as long as Ive been here and even when it appears they have slack to let you drop, it's often refused. I don't think anyone could, on a regular basis, drop below min guanentee (66hrs) without CP approval, and than I'd expect a lecture on why you're here if you don't wish to fly. I'd look elsewhere for part time employment.
Regarding schs, from a middle seniority WB capts point of view, FedEx has possibly the greatest diversity of flying of schedules of any major airline flying, certainly on the MD-11/MD-10. Domestic or international, take your pick, good and bad in each. The bad are the hours, domestic, mostly nights, unless your senior, intl, night and days, longer layovers (good, more rest) but the time zone changes can pay havoc with sleep cycles and often have a negative affect upon (trying) to readjust when returning home.
As far as family time, if you live in domicile, QOL can be very good, especially if you bid reserve and are lucky enough not to get used much. If you live out of town other issues come into play, ie; bidding layovers in the city you live. Can be a GREAT DEAL, but at the cost of scheduling flexibility, equipment/seat choice and seat progression (remaining senior to hold particular lines) and diversity of your flying experience (same old flying from your home to hub month after month). Some guys like that or accept it as the price they pay to be home more, others find it to constraining/boring and do other things. If you intend to fly INTL and not live in domicile, you will be away from home, 2days mins (MEM to STN or VCP and return) up to 2 weeks (around the world). Still the same time off (more or less).

Don,

Damn fine response. Really. No kidding.

Say Hi to your sister for me.:D

Yes, very good info. Thanks for the response.:)

You can do some trip trading with open time but you can't trade if it reduces your credit or duty days.[/QUOTE]

not quite true. check the contract on trip trading.

The guys responses above are pretty much on the mark, except for one thing: Yes, you can drop trips to minimize your month, providing manning allows it. I do it pretty often. A few months ago I dropped a large trip and ended up with 36 CH for the month, and nobody batted an eye. Nor should they. Some months I fly a little extra, but others I minimize the time I'm gone in the name of "family awareness". In the end, I chalk it up to the work hard/play hard theory. It averages out, and seems to work just fine.

Not sure I would want to argue with Don or his Avatar, but between vacation and other scheduling tools a guy with 20 years at Fedex could probably manage to only work 40 hours a month. Maybe not every month but an awful lot of them. I am also not saying his ACP (or CPA) would approve. Not that there are many out there but I have seen some pretty senior Boeing Capts do some amazing scheduling. It is all lifestyle choices.

Lag