Nightflyer

I took a 5 year Captain's pay hit from the age 65 change.

I listened to guys who had been wide body Captains for 20 years complain about how they "lost seniority" because they didn't get to pick the really great trips every month. Cry me a river.

When I explained to them that I would gladly trade their schedules for the $500,000 pay hit I took, they said I would get my 5 years back by working to 65. I pointed out that they had a choice to retire at 60, and because I lost half a million bucks, I would have to work to 65.

So, put me down as working until 65, and any FO who complains to me about that can go screw themselves.

Oh, and for all the junior guys on the board, if you had voted "no" on the contract, and demanded an increased A plan and a COLA, a heck of a lot more guys like me wouldn't have stayed until 65. Since you didn't support the increased A plan, don't complain when we stay until the bitter end. You voted for it, you own it.

pinseeker

There were only two blocks where a majority voted against the contract. None of them were senior blocks.

MacGuy2

Yep, we are way off topic...but one more comment and I'll let the thread creep back to the the subject of getting hired as opposed to bailing out the other end.

I have NO regrets about having left with 2 years left on the table. NOT being perpetually tired has been a wonderful thing. NOT setting an alarm clock, ditto. NOT stressing about recurrent training, the latest procedure (we can do it in the sim but not the jet), same-o. Do I miss flying, sure. If Fred gave me the jet for a couple of hours and a credit card to pay for the gas, I'd love to go for a spin. But as I read this forum and I see the games the Company plays with the new contract are the same as the old contract, I'm happy to be out the door. I've got my health and more than enough money to live a comfortable lifestyle. For me, the decision to go at 63 was the right decision.

MG2

busdriver12

You certainly have a point about not being perpetually tired, MacGuy. That's got to feel good. Seems as you get older, even flying good trips, it gets harder and harder to recover. But I don't think its's specific to flying freight (except for night flying), I doubt those flying pax day in/day out are feeling any better. Living out of a suitcase, hotel life, long days, irregular hours....I won't miss that. Coming home, I just empty out the dirty clothes and don't even bother to unpack.

Adlerdriver

Pretty much every 777 line is international, since that's all we fly. Guys hired now into the 777 will probably be in the junior lineholder/secondary lineholder territory in the 3-year ballpark. Progression will be slow and steady compared to faster movement on the domestic fleets - but seniority will improve.

Upgrade? As in 777 Captain? That's probably still in the 10 year ballpark for a new hire now unless we start buying a lot more of those (which is a rumor floating around). Upgrades on other airplanes are widely scattered. 757s are going to guys with just a few years on the property. Other WB captain slots are probably 5-10 years as a guess.

busdriver12

Three years till a 777 secondary? Nope, I looked at September bid awards and saw probationary 777 FO's with secondary lines, and long international trips on them.

Adlerdriver

Long international trips aren't that difficult to get, especially FO trips. That's kind of the bread and butter. The trips in demand are RFO trips (long or short) that average 8-9 CH per day.

I was trying to be a little conservative, but that's an encouraging data point for new hires. However, getting a junior secondary with a long trip because there happens to be a body shortage can be a fleeting event. Being able to count on getting flying trips every month vs. secondary line reserve is probably not happening to first years folks quite yet.

olly

I've been here 10+ years and am 82% 777 fo. Got the 33rd of 57 vto's. classmates hired on 2006 got awarded WB (MD/Bus)cap, but won't be trained or paid for it until sometime in 2017, so 11+ years. 77 much longer. ymmv

Adlerdriver

Absolutely ymmv. However long it took you, me or your classmates to get where we are is completely irrelevant to someone hired today. You do understand that FedEx is going to retire about 40-45% of our seniority list in the next ~10 years, right?

It took you 10 years to get to about 80% as 777 F/O (which probably means you're about the same overall at the company, give or take). A pilot hired tomorrow is going to have company seniority close to 50% at his 10 year point (probably better if you consider medical/early retirements). Junior 777 Captain is in the low 40% ballpark right now. Considering we will probably have quite a few more 777s in 10 years than we so now, my guess is 777C will be easily obtain by the 10 year point. But, maybe he will have other plans since he probably will already have been a WB captain on a 767 for a few years by that point.

100LL

If you meet and exceed their hiring minimums how important is it that you have multi crew time? Do they even consider extensive turbo prop/jet single pilot experience? Also how easy is it to commute to a domicile from a city they already fly to, can one just hop on a jump seat to MEM to begin their duty day for example?