LightAttack

PBS, not now, not ever. I'd like to see any of those turncoats fly a year of A reserve out of Memphis, or the bottom third hub turn lines, with two weeks vacation. I'm sick of their baloney. Hey, how about you get out in the field and scrounge up some freight to fill the planes? You aren't going to make this company a continuing success by screwing your employees - you do it by growing the business.

Ah, that's right, they aren't interested in growing the business, they ARE interested in screwing us, because there is a big fat bonus check for them at the end. Buddy...Buddy...what's that other word that goes with that?

When we're navigating in PRC airspace around super typhoon thunderstorms, with "efficient" FOD numbers to another airport which gives priority to the local airlines, it's great to know they have our back (insert sarcasm emoticon).

Rambler

Their next step has just been dropped; 9/18 Month training cycle. "Best Practice" is that Kellog Business School speak for lower costs/more profit= bigger bonus? I am waiting for the company to fcif the coolers being carried by the crews up/down the stairs. Of course a cost/benefit analysis on this will be done to ensure maximum bonus payout.

Albief15

I think its a great plan since we have such a great safety record we know training is a waste of resources....uh....er....wait a second...

Seaboard World

It's amazing how much this company has changed......absolutely embarrassing!!!!

FDX28

It's all about safety until it costs a dollar...

Overnitefr8

It's the industry standard because passenger guys get 60 landings/90 days and 800 - 900 or more hours of flying each year. I sure would like to know what our averages are. I know I have averaged flying domestically for 18 years only about 350 hours/year and usually in the 20 landings/90 days.

Even though it's a hassle to go to the sim I'm glad that I get to do it twice a year.

Knots2U

Very well said. And I agree, that while all of us don't like being under the gun during training, and checking, we all feel much better after it's done, and I think, we all feel that we needed it, by the time it comes around.

PSP is alive and well. Profit, Service, People.
But of course, they always say, safety is first.

av8npnut

I have a small suggestion. The next time a manager or director feels the need to post some derogatory message on the website aimed at the pilot group like the one I just read; don’t! My original recommendations to future posters were much more colorful, so I needed some time to compose myself and sanitize them. However, characterizing ALPA’s contract proposals as a “frankly ridiculous increase in cost” is the real ridiculous statement. It is almost as absurd as the A380 pay rate that was never implemented when the B777 became its substitute. I could write ad nauseam about the questionable utilization of loose language in the contract to denigrate the line pilots’ quality of life, but I think an examination of the financials would bear more utility in this discussion:

1) Record stock price of $182.03 was achieved on Dec 5, 2014. FedEx traded at $172.75 yesterday (Jan 14, 2015). The Cowen Group projects the stock at $210 for fiscal year 2014. Wow!
2) Fourth quarter profit ending May 31, 2014, soared to a record $730 million which was more than double the same quarter a year earlier ($303 million). Subsequently, first quarter 2014 (ending Aug 31, 2015) saw profits rise 24% to $606 million. Second quarter profit also rose (up $616 million as compared to $500 million a year earlier), but missed the analysts’ projections. Ironically, FedEx contributed the lower-than-expected quarterly earnings on its FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight units and not FedEx Express. I can only imagine what the third quarter will bring from this money making machine we call FedEx.
3) Record volume over peak, AGAIN. FedEx stated it hit peak deliveries on Dec. 15 and expected to move 290 million packages from Thanksgiving to Christmas, up 8.8% from last year.
4) To summarize; that is record stock price, record profit, and record volume. Business could hardly be better.

As usual we got the standard: fly safe, keep up the good work, and attaboy for peak performance from our SCP. Now that peak is over, we get this communication. Messages like this tell me what FedEx management really thinks of the line pilots, and it is insulting. They must think we don’t read news articles about the company of which we are proud to work. Well, from a leather jacket wearing line pilot writing from a layover hotel, you have strengthened my resolve to support my Negotiating Committee and Association. If you have any questions, do a little research on the current state of the US aviation industry. In case you missed it, the industry is doing quite well and the post 9/11 recovery is in its infancy. However, a better idea would be to review the positive financials of FedEx listed above. As we are often reminded, we are not like the passenger carriers. I agree. We are abundantly more profitable. It is truly disingenuous to disparage the pilots as the corporation continues to charge forward with record performance. Regardless, I am attempting to disregard this mindless rhetoric from management pilots that stand on the sidelines while the business of moving freight is being conducted each night by us, the line pilots. This type of communication surprises me, as FedEx isn’t the only option when it comes to pilot jobs anymore.

Don Raines

Rambler

Did the company even approach the ALPA uniform committee on the training changes?

skypig

I was wondering what made JP, or anyone else involved with this antagonistic message, think we in the pilot group wanted to hear his opinion in anyway? Or that what he thinks matters...should be interesting to see what witch hunt he takes on in HK.