Originally Posted by fr8doggiestyle

The OP's post is so far off base and offensive to anyone hired in the last few years, I'm not sure I should even waste time replying to this thread.

Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp

Deltoid here just swinging by to see what you “aviators” had to say.

Data point- an RJ LCA I recommended for us just got an MD-11 spot with you guys. FedEx was what I was pimping the hardest 12 years ago. I jumped through the sponsor hoops and all that. Delta called first in December 2006... got the call from FDX 6 weeks later, but I couldn’t justify leaving what I considered buying low on something with serious upward potential. I was ragging on him for landing my 2006 dream job.

Both are great carriers, and I’ll tell my buddy to not go to a DL interview should he get offered it only because he’s hit the big time at one of the top places I wanted to go. If he had gotten DL first, I’d have recommended him to stay with us.

Originally Posted by fr8doggiestyle

The OP's post is so far off base and offensive to anyone hired in the last few years, I'm not sure I should even waste time replying to this thread.

1. The only thing pilots are not involved in is selecting the apps. All candidates are interviewed by retired FedEx Pilots in the panel and current pilots in the SBI.

2. The quality of pilots at FedEx is just as high as it has ever been. B-2, B-52, F/A-18, C-17, 737, 747, KC-135, MD-11F and even the lowly ERJ/CRJ. We have LCAs, IP's, Lt Col, and civilians with master's degrees and 1,000's of hours of flight time in transport category aircraft.

3. To insinuate hiring standards have decreased is beyond offensive. We all worked hard to get here and I will stack my resume or any of my classmate's against the OP's, or his son's, any day.

4. NWA/Delta used an industry standard test that we use here today at FDX. If you study, you pass. Play the game, get the job. The rate of failure is low on the written so the wash out happens in day 2 when being evaluated by current and former FedEx pilots.

5. The OP's gripe must be about selecting apps to interview, not the hiring process as pilots are involved in every step. Yes, our recommendation system is broken and likely to get fixed soon. However, think about the fact there are no HR people in a FedEx interview, unlike DL, UAL, and SWA.

6. The days of cronyism and walking in an app are over. If you're not selected, you're not competitive. Your squadron mates aren't getting a call you naval aviator hotshot? Take your callsign off the app and get a master's degree and 121 experience to boost your chances of selection rather than relying on your buddy's coat tails.

Originally Posted by JollyF15

Just because a CRJ or Military pilot does well in F/O training, does not mean they are ready to be Captains here in 3-4 years. That's the current time line to 757 Captain. How someone does in our training programs is so short sited. Military pilots do have some hurdles to jump in the transition to the culture, flying, and crew concept (CRM) at any airline.

Let's hire the best pilots who will make good Captains here -- Period, DOT, End of Statement. The only way that will really happen is if we as pilots and instructors have the hammer of who we draft to our team.

Originally Posted by BlueMoon

Why wouldn’t they be? They have already been an airline captain.

Originally Posted by fr8doggiestyle

The OP's post is so far off base and offensive to anyone hired in the last few years, I'm not sure I should even waste time replying to this thread.

1. The only thing pilots are not involved in is selecting the apps. All candidates are interviewed by retired FedEx Pilots in the panel and current pilots in the SBI.


I think that's the entire point of the letter. We as pilot's have given up control of our "Pilot Draft and Recruiting." It's like an NFL team allowing lawyers to pick players in the draft. Are they really the best judge of who will make the best Captains here? I thought we were hiring Captains. Sad to say, but I don't think that's the case right now. That's not a military or civilian thing. We are currently interviewing and hiring pilots just slightly above the bar with zero recommendations and passing on rock stars with PEs (known quantities). That's the point, don't get caught up in the military verses civilian drama.

Just because a CRJ pilot does well in F/O training, does not mean they are ready to be Captains here in 3-4 years. That's the current time line to 757 Captain. How someone does in our training programs is so short sited. Military pilots do have some hurdles to jump in the transition to the culture, flying, and crew concept (CRM) at any airline.

Let's hire the best pilots who will make good Captains here -- Period, DOT, End of Statement. The only way that will really happen is if we as pilots and instructors have the hammer of who we draft to our team.

Originally Posted by fr8doggiestyle

What he said. Any pilot here was already a captain somewhere. I'd argue that a Part 121 guy would have a leg up on being captain because they were already doing this job just in a similar aircraft. So, FedEx is hiring captains. You're conflating being a military officer with being more of a "known quantity" or more prepared to captain an aircraft.

If the OP had his way, we'd have all his recs here with more whining and 12 paragraph manifestos.

Originally Posted by JollyF15

You say “don’t get caught up with military vs civilian” but the point of your post is single seat mil guys will make better captains than everyone else. And, terrible SA on your part...a lot of guys on this forum are newish to the company. Saying that we are “slightly above the bar” is going to discredit anything you have to say and label you as “a captain I’d probably not want to fly a trip with” or (looks around) “a tool”

Originally Posted by JollyF15

Wow, you dudes are really not willing to let go of your Civilian vs Military BS.

It's about our hiring process. Do you really want FedEx Legal choosing who we interview and who we don't? It's really that simple.