MD11Fr8Dog

18 months ago, had a Capt that didn't know how to posit reports, and the RFO didn't know how to do posit reports either. Both were former FedEx corp pilots, the Capt originally hired way back when as a GSE mech, and flew corp a few years for FREE on his days off until someone told him that they also pay the corp pilots! I could only hold his hand around the world so much, he was a nonmember, and still is, contrary to his telling me he wants to join and is going to join!

Busboy

You would think some of that might have been covered on IOE.

Are we now allowed to make crossings without any sort of line/route check?

RedeyeAV8r

Apparently the only over water Intl leg they give new first Officers in IOE(......even the PNG's going to ANC) is LAX-HNL.

The new Capt are getting 1 Real ocean crossing. Not what I would consider a thorough check out. Thats ok for an Pilot who has been an MD-11 FO for 5 years.
But for a Boeing or Bus pilot that has only flown in the lower 48, they need more and all the Intl Lofts in the world are not a good substitute for line experience.

Check 6

Remember,

The purple nuggets must be indoc'd into the purple culture ... P-S-P etc. How to deviate, expense reports, position reports, how to make coffee, Bfast, lunch and dinner....thats a full 90 days right there...

Us Bus guys just have to learn to say things like...."what's it doing"... "why's it doing it again" ... "how do you get a french visa?"

pilot141

The Purple Nuggets (and for a while anyone going to the right seat of the Boeing) were getting a "Nugget" ride on the Boeing with a backseat LCA. The company figured (correctly) that Boeing S/O LCAs were current on getting new guys up to speed on all the FedEx stuff, while MD-11 LCAs were not used to doing that.

It only added one day to their 90+ I think.

angry tanker

The best part of the LAX-HNL for the former RJ Capt is getting a FANS jet! 3 months of quality training - not teaching you the job. It is a hostage survival program.

Flap Limiter

We had the POI sit in on our type/checkride and the F/O asked what the restriction was about and who decided it was necessary. The POI said that it was his doing. He believed it necessary since it is possible, although not probable, that someone would be able to leave Fedex (one can only guess why that would happen- fired?) and then go fly an MD11 for some small fly-by-night (no pun intended) operator. He mentioned some other regs other than 121 where some of the smaller carriers operate under.

Huck

Man, that is a good one.

I did the MD-11 in 7 weeks (Gemini(Delta contract training)) and 12 weeks (FDX).

The first day at FDX, ol' Buck told us that it was the company's goal that two new pilots could fly from Beijing to Subic on their first flight with no problems. A lofty goal.... (no pun intended).

Gemini had a different philosophy - you were awarded a point value, based on the hours you had in your seat. Less than 100 hours was 1 point, 100-500 hours was 2 points, and over 500 hours was 3.

No flight could be scheduled without 5 points total in the cockpit. So a 3 captain could fly with two 1 f/o's, or a two man crew had to have at least a 3 and a 2.

Also, they sent LCA's with new captains their first time into some tricky airports. First time I did Quito I had an LCA on the jumpseat - not to give a line check, but to sit there and be a resource. It was great because they could also show you where to eat (more like drink, as I remember)......

SabreDriver

Doesn't sound like a valid restriction, or it's not a full type rating (only for cruise relief etc..) like a SIC type?

I wonder what the response would be if you took the temp&perm to the FSDO and asked for a clarification or a replacement cert w/o the restriction. Might be worth a few hours of your life to find out before the ink gets any dryer.

Some of our new hires get restrictions on their FE certs until they finish IOE, depending on who did their LOFT Sim. But a company specific type smells fishy, and would not be a good thing for the working class of this industry if the idea caught on

Just my .02

Jetjok

I thought that's how you tell the difference between a new guy and an old head on the Bus: the new guy asks "what's it doing?", while the old head asks "what's it doing, again?" Ah, you light twin drivers. Just remember, the airbus was designed so that the captain could drive up to the jet, tie his camel up to the hitching post, and go fly his trip.