AIRLINE PILOT CENTRAL

Boats and Hos

Purpletool, that just took the wind right out of my sales but I needed to hear it as I thought it was the greatest place ever. Delusions of two years on the 767 in Hong Kong then back on the A300 with easy flights to Florida. It sounds as bad as where I am now.

No, FedEx is not the only company that makes you sit airport reserve for eight hours in the worst hell hole on the planet-LGA. Reserve work rules too are pathetic. How about being called on R for a trip but still being on R at the same time??? How about getting a late night trip assigned but being told you must come in two and a half hours early to sit at the airport first. Yes, it can always be worse but always better.

Now I haven't been called by Purple but honestly after what you have said, and another agreed, I think it's not for me. I wish more people would write truths and more would listen. As I said, in two years time, FedEx might be begging. Yes, Delta, and SWA, is much better and happens to have decent work rules. Best of luck to you and thank you again.

123456789

I would be hesitant to let a few sour apples influence my choice. No matter where you go there will be things that people hate and things that people love. I would advise you to find someone you know that works at any of your career airlines and ask them pointed questions. FedEx isn’t the leader in many things but it is in others. I’ve worked at a 2 airlines and I would say it’s a mixed bag. FedEx would still be my personal choice and I don’t regret leaving my previous jobs to come here. Just my 2 cents.

Moosefire

I’ll echo the comments above, but with a relevant caveat. I’ve just been at FX over a year and in that time I have been able to drop every day on reserve that suited my needs (may not always be the case). Also, there are very few seats where junior guys are forced to reserve lines more than a few months right now.

We may lag in some areas, but it’s mid afternoon on Thursday and I’m sitting in a delta skyclub with a glass of cab (before a first class DH home). A year down and day flying, weekends off, and DHs... doesn’t suck.

NewOldGuy

I came to fedex from the company you work for. There is NO comparison. You also couldn’t pay me to leave here for delta or swa right now. Yes, I’m still junior and still get a reserve line. I’ve also been “bit” by some of the “sorry, that part of the contract hasn’t been implemented yet!” I’m not saying it’s unicorns and rainbows, and some may prefer flying pax and multi-leg, max duty days. But for me, I’m very fortunate to be in the place that’s best for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kc10/c130

I can't disagree with a lot of what he pointed out except for on the 777. Pretty much rocks to be able to get your high 5 while sitting reserve and only flying 100 hours a year. But what do I know. I couldn't afford the pay cut to go to the 757 Captain seat and they work way too much.

Flying Boxes

Executive Summary: Being junior sucks!

UnusualAttitude

But being junior at Purple sucks worse*.

UA

*as compared to the other legacy and career type airlines. Much mo better than any regional out there.

Hacker15e

So a single post on APC is enough to dissuade you from desiring to work at FedEx?

FlyBoyd

You might think it’s anonymous. It may be to most readers here but....If FedEx wanted to find you, what if they sorted the apps for the following?

-Direct Entry Captains hired at Endeavor in the fall of 2017 after mid-October
-NY based
-lives “in the south”
-typed in a FedEx jet but only FO time because why would you leave a Capt job for RJ Captain at Endevavor?
-exactly four recommendations

How long would that list be?

I could be wrong but that took me 10 minutes after reviewing your post history here. I’m sure there is more info there but I’m just trying to make a point. Just a friendly heads up. FedEx employs people that do this for a living. Nothing is anonymous.

Shaman

Like I said I've been here 3 years hired into the widebody FO position and I can only share my first hand experience ymmv.

My experience couldn't be more different than what Purpletoolbox has stated.

One can easily make north of 250k/yr at 2nd year pay in the right seat of a widebody, fly less than 300 hours in a year gain the top invite only elite status on several airlines with 100's of thousands of FF miles, rarely fly at night, stay in five star hotels, and rarely ever fly more than one leg.

I'm not on the 777 and don't really care to be on it. The 11 has the best bonus level flying in the System period full stop. Anybody who wants to have a debate about it take a look at the schedules of those who know guys who know and I'll be happy to engage. As a matter of fact I've not seen much else anywhere else that can touch it.

Its all about perspective. My perspective is from a guy who's been here a short time but has great seniority in my seat.

There are several bases where reserve goes senior and VTOs are the most junior.

I have colleagues that are 777 FOs based in MEM on reserve and they can go months without flying. They live in the base and it would take a stick of dynamite to get them out of there. Living in base makes all that complaining about reserve a moot issue.

Where purpletoolbox and I are completely aligned is the contract, work rules, and the union. We have one of the most broken self serving and divided pilot workforces I have ever seen anywhere and it is the root causality of the weaknesses in the contracts. I'm optimistic that this will change with the addition of a large dose of new blood who understand that all of our interests are aligned and we should seek positive outcomes for everyone.

He's also right that the union doesn't provide any support in navigating or understanding the system. It is something that should certainly change especially with the flood of newhires.

As well substitution is an just asinine. Rube Goldberg couldn't have designed a more ridiculous flow chart to decide if what to do if a trip cancels


All that said we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

If money is your motivation LIVE IN MEMPHIS.
If having the best scheduling options is important LIVE IN MEMPHIS. If upgrading early is important LIVE IN MEMPHIS.

Living in your base makes this an entirely different job. An arguably much much better job.

The pay rates are what they are, but there's lots of soft money opportunities to mine! If you are willing to educate yourself and exploit them.

Every company has things to complain about, but I have zero regrets about this being my 1st choice.