FedEx Interviews and Class Dates
 

Since the last thread lost it's purpose, why not start a new one?

Questions - have they started interviewing people off the street, ie people without "megasponsors"?

Any info on class dates coming up from people that got hired recently?

Thanks. easyflyer

I have heard (not necessarily fact):

-MD11 typed pilots, without any type of recommendation, sponsor or otherwise, received calls for interviews. Apparently they are being specifically recruited for ANC MD11 slots.

-2 classes in June. Either 10 each, or 20 each. Then, 1 or 2 classes per month for the foreseeable future. The reason there was no May class was to wait for a Foreign Domicile Award bid to close in early June, and have an idea of what seats the company will need to hire into.

Good luck.

Maybe it's my after-shave, but no call for me (MD-11) with sponsors.

Must be that Damn brown bullseye on my back again......

Section Eight,
Again, that's only what I have heard, not necessarily fact. Sorry to hear you haven't been called. Hopefully soon. Do you reside in Anchorage?

I've heard there anre no longer any "megasponsors." Only people someone considers qualified.

So is it it a requirement to have a "sponsor" or not? I'm not in the know in Memphis, so it's not easy to get a "sponsor".

No. There is no requirement to have a sponsor.

No formal requirement but it sounds like if you aren't an astronaut, Thunderbird/Blue Angel, or MD-11 guy it's a long shot at best without a sponsor.

You never know, if you don't at least try. It may be a long shot (I truly don't know), but one has no shot if they don't apply. Your choice.

That may be true at the beginning of a hiring cycle or during a brief cycle but is not always so. Pilots are often surprised by calls. Depends on factors we aren't privy to. Desired experience mix and exhaustion of the marine fighter pilot pipeline to name a couple. On the contrary, if you don't apply early then put your app in later they think you wanted to work for another company. They'll think you only put in the app after you failed to get on elsewhere and it will count against you in the interview

One of the reasons I asked the questions I did was to get a few data points about this topic. It's just my impression you need a sponsor, but allegedly it's possible to not have one. But I haven't heard of anyone outside MD-11 guys getting called without one (yet)...

As someone said recently...if your want to win the lotto you've got to buy a ticket!
Spending a few hours to fill out the Profile is certainly worth the chance to get called! I'm not sure why that is even debatable.

I'm MD 11 typed- I'd like to play.. When is this lotto window going to open again?

Until about a week ago the website said that new applications would be accepted early in May. That is no longer on the website and obviously that never happened. Any good poop on the why and when it might reopen? I was one of the few who couldn't get their previous app updated because of an Uncle Sam all expense paid vacation to Bagram(Deployed the whole application window time). I have had an application on file for the last 4-5 years. I'm assuming if we didn't get our previous application revalidated(if that's the right word) it was deleted and we have to start over? And before anyone mentions it, yes, i know I should always be ready and have a current FE ready to go. Unfortunately, I had such a short notice on the deployment, it was impossible. I have it now. Thanks for any info/help.

June is the start of FedEx fiscal year. Hiring throughout the company was put on freeze. I suspect everything will start back up after earnings are released.

I don't know about that. 60 newhires in the last 4 1/2 months, 2 classes scheduled for this month, and 240 vacancies for the next year or so. Sounds like you're a "glass half-empty" type of guy.

I know a couple of guys that have gotten calls recently, unfortunately I am not one of them, but calls are going out it seems. Still hanging on and sitting on phone!!

Two classes scheduled this month? You sure about that?

Mint shows BI classes starting on Jun 6th and 20th.

Moondog, would you mind sharing what kind of background these folks have? I keep hearing that only those with MD-11 time are getting called. Just wondering if they have started to call those without it.
Thanks.

"O" stated (in a recent classroom briefing) that while having a "sponsor" was NOT required, it would put the applicant at a great disadvantage compared to those who do have one.

The % of those called for interview without "sponsor" is VERY low, but not zero.

He also stated that the company was putting the "normal" hiring/interview process "on hold" for May and June in order to resurrect the Purple Nugget program and focus on filling the ANC slots.

His words (loosely quoted) - "we are selecting candidates for interviews who have MD11 experience and/or military heavy international experience" (I took that to mean KC-10 or equivalent experience/training)

FWIW - YMMV

I'm disappointed to hear that management didn't learn from the painful 4.a.2.b out of seniority displacement bids ... or maybe they just don't care? :eek:

Or ... maybe they're positioning for AGE 70 folks?

What is a purple nugget?

A co-worker got the call for interview. He and all 6 others had the MD-11 type and time in it. I asked him if he had a sponsor and he said "A what"? Apparently he had a guy recommend him but not a sponsor. he made the first part so hopefully he will get on and then I will know someone else there.

Are they going to be referred to as Refried Purple Nuggets this time?

One Guard 130 and one C-17, 757 guy. It seems they are starting to make calls to non 10/11 guys. Who knows?

Nothing to see here! Move away, Move away!

If you are hired directly into ANC as a "purple nugget" is there a minimum amount of time they make you stay based up there? Or, can you bid out ASAP?

The time in ANC depends on whether or not you take the move package. If you take the money, there is a required time..(I think it's either 2 or 3 years) if you don't take the money, you can bid out as soon as your seniority will allow.

Actually, this is not completely the case as some nuggets found out years ago. You cannot downbid (757, 727 etc) till you are done with your seatlock. No move package doesn't mean you can bid out right away. Sorry.

But you could lateral to MEM if you can hold it.

How can you have a seat lock if you haven't bid down or laterally?:confused:

I have a friend that is in 727 SO class. She said that she has already got a slot on the MD-11 in MEM but won't go to training for a while. So basically she is seat locked for so long, or whenever the company needs her worse on the MD than the 727 panel?

That's not a 'seat lock,' that's just 'waiting to go to training.'

"24.E.1.b Down/Lateral Bid Restriction
Unless waived by the Vice President, Flight Operations, or his designee, a pilot may not receive a permanent vacancy award based on a down/lateral bid unless he has been in his current crew status for at least 18 months."

Unless bidding up, your seat locked for 18 month upon completion of IOE.

isn't that wide body F/O MD to wide body Airbus. You should be able to transfer ANC to MEM. I could be wrong.

What you are hearing is mostly right. But FDX does bids differently than most are used to.

It may appear upgrades are occurring at a blistering pace as newhires in training are awarded widebody seats. But the training dates assigned are 12-18 months in the future. As you can imagine any training date over 3 months away is subject to change. Many go to training earlier or later than what is initially posted. Sometimes the the sum of the updates means training several months later than planned.

But they are, mostly, accomplished in seniority order. If training is done out of order a crewmember gets passover pay (POP) until it's made right. It gets complicated when there is training from two or three bids still in progress. POP only applies to the bid you obtained your award or later bids. Management sometimes complains about being overwhelmed by training order issues. Errors are not unusual. If they would only do short bids their passover queries/problems would disappear very quickly. But this is unlikely to happen as POP is used as a tool to maintain the instructor corps.

Hired to Date?
 

Anyone have current info on the number hired to date (I saw the 60 in the past 4 1\2 mths comment), is this accurate?

What is the general timeline between initial testing & 2nd interview? Also from Job offer to start of training?

I realize this timeline probably varies based on aircraft training pipeline!

Any info would be great though.

Thanks

I posted that 60 new-hire number. Simple math. Last seniority number in Dec10 was 4519. Currently, 4579. Two classes in June, one this week and one on the 20th.

FDX727, Thanks...

Any info on:
What is the general timeline between initial testing & 2nd interview? Also from Job offer to start of training?