Another vote for Tito's RST product... was hired last month, the website took ALL the mystery and anxiety out of all day 1 testing. Great product, great dedication to making keeping it current. The price is absolutely worth it.

 

After flying with, and getting to know multiple newhires here, I believe I will start offering an "extracurricular," off company property class sometime during Basic Indoc. A few of the guys in some of the recent newhire classes, during after-hours social events, encouraged me to provide my "This is what those powerpoint briefings mean to you as a FedEx pilot" knowledge. We all know that there is a difference between data and information, and knowledge. Because the company has limited time during BI, the amount of data often far outweighs the amount of actual knowledge you get. An example is the disparity between the very important 4-hours of FAA-mandated training on Hazardous Materials vs. the minute and a half, maximum, of time we actually spend inspecting the loading of, and signing its simple paperwork during preflight. If you and your significant other are able to have a heads-up as to most of the aspects of being a FedEx employee and pilot before BI and IOE, you might be able to more quickly sift through all the data and get some understanding and knowledge you can use to better your life. This course would be the flip side to my friends in the pre-hire interview prep business. It has the potential to save you a huge amount of heartache and $. Many of you have already spent thousands of dollars getting here. I hope to be able to help you and your families make up far more than what you've spent through facilitating a comprehensive understanding of multiple areas of life as a FedEx pilot - from how not to fail bidding to the importance of the Contract (for those military converts), from vacation bank concerns to insight into healthcare vacillations, from suggestions on navigating Memphis' streets and unique political and social disposition to how being on Reserve works for you, and much, much more.
I hope to be able to offer this for newhires and their spouses starting with the next classes in September. Keep watching, and post if you are coming to class and might be interested.

-Vee1Rotate

 

Having just gone through BI I believe this will be a huge benefit to future new hires. BI is a great course but there is just so much company/faa required info that they are required to go through they miss the "how is this info going to apply to me".

Two perfect examples: bidding and healthcare/retirement

Bidding: BI just begins to scratch the surface (this is a bidpack, and this is what a line looks like etc. but no tricks of the trade i.e. Don't bid secondary lines on months when you have vacation etc...) If I didn't get a chance to sit down with a more experienced FedEx guy over beers one night I'd still be lost. (And I can still guarantee I'm going to screw it up the first couple times even after getting some gouge from him...)

Healthcare: This more plays to the military Tricare folks (like myself) who have never known anything but Tricare. The benefits folks came and talked for two hours but after that time and numerous questions I still feel like there's a ton of info I don't know and lots of other questions I never even thought of asking. (i.e.: you don't know what you don't know so how do you know what questions to ask?)

Bottom line, I think this will be an invaluable asset to all new hires and especially ones that have no former 121 experience.

 

Sounds like a great idea, however, I wonder what the legal ramifications would be if your interpretation of what you're presenting is incorrect and causes some form of harm, either financial or otherwise. Just wondering. Actually, this type of class might better be presented by FedEx ALPA.

 

I don't think anyone is going to pay you to take a "gouge" class.

 

Interesting first post. Sending up a trial balloon under another username?

When I first read your post, I didn't think you were going to charge money. After reading Check6Viper's opinion (which I share), I re-read your post and now see the promises of potential QOL improvements and monetary benefit in exchange for your knowledge. So, maybe you are planning to charge. I really hope I'm wrong.

No, it's really not. Interview prep courses are generic to some extent and can be tailored to address various airline interview specifics when appropriate. They introduce and/or hone skill sets that are necessary for success in the interview process present at most airlines today. What is taught can be used at multiple companies and isn't airline specific. In fact, while most of their clients are probably prospective airline pilots, the methods they teach are applicable to anyone seeking to better present themselves to a potential employer. Not everyone is capable of assembling the knowledge, team and resources necessary to effectively teach those methods. On the other hand, any one of the 4000+ pilots at FedEx who weren’t hired in the last year can probably do a reasonably good job of explaining many of the subjects you mention. The more complex issues can be handled by the people and resources at ALPA for which our pilots already pay their dues.

Viewing our new hires as a potential income stream leaves a bad taste in my mouth. These pilots have made it and they are now our co-workers, crew members and potentially new friends. I and most pilots I work with here would give the information you’re talking about offering them in your “course” free of charge over a beer.

so…..you’re going to teach former military pilots that the contract is important? How many slides will that take?

…um, what?

I’d love to see the slides on this part of the course. No potential audience minefields there at all.


There always is….order in the next 20 minutes and receive an added bonus copy of “How to abuse the Out and Back lot like a management pro”.

Seriously, I agree that there are many areas of our work life and contract that require detailed explanations to navigate properly. Most of us either read the contract and figured it out on our own, posted here on APC or asked someone else who’d already cracked that nut. No one I asked for help with vacation, bidding or anything else charged me money for their advice.

I think your assessment of a need to educate our new pilots is valid. I would suggest you approach ALPA and see if the union has some guidance for you. Creating a one-stop source of “how-to” knowledge sounds like a great idea. I just don’t think our pilot’s need to be paying for it on top of the dues they already pay ALPA.

 

What???

Going to class to learn all the in & outs of the CBA and bidding secrets of your enlightened brethren??

I thought this was what A reserve and crashpads are for?

Multiple guys sitting around questionably dressed, watching TV, surrounded by unwashed dishes and looking for the lost remote --- but all the while, sharing sage advice on all aspects of FEDEX life

Please don't start a business and ruin it for all those guys

 

I can tell going as someone who finished indoc in August that nobody in my class wanted to attend extra curricular coursework on top of the 8 hours of class we already were being paid to attend. I'll figure out finer points of the CBA over beers on layovers or by calling ALPA.

 

If you layover with me, I'll not only answer all your questions for free, I'll provide the adult beverages of choice!

 

I'd like to layover with you.