PSA

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Highest paying Regional as of last week or two increases.
Flow to AA in your back pocket just in case.

I am in no way associated with PSA. The regional industry is very dynamic and they just seem to currently be the best option.

It changes frequently.

121 vs ISR
 

Hey Capt,
I did 130s and then T-44 King Air IP in AETC. Got my ATP/737 type to leave active duty and the economy crashed. Went Guard drones (1s, now 9s) for a few years till the economy improved and some medical waivers could go through.



Saw that everybody was starting hiring. Joined an Army contractor flying 300-350s. 1 month training, then 2 months deployed. Quick and easy for a mil guy with a current TS. Select your contract to be an AIR FORCE contract, not Army. I got QUICK currency and lotsa hours, but painfully so. The $ was good but being in the sandbox....again, sucked. But I hung with the Bulgarian Army and had the best of rip-its. Your ISR experience will be invaluable there as they are non kinetic assets. I'm sure you've seen all the callsigns in your keypads around you.



If you go the 121 route, it will be 2-3 months of training, then another 2-3 months till you get the magic 100 "current" hour mark depending on your IOE schedule etc... There are bonuses but read the fine print, you may not get them. The recruiters left a lot out like a car salesman.



I went regionals after my ISR company lost the contract and taking the advice to get 121 time, but at $1900 a month take-home, its a tough sell. I've depleted all my savings going this route for so long.



I DO like being near home though and in a hotel. None of the military guys I know who joined my regional with me have been picked up by a major once they got "current" though, kind of slow and not the quick "you'll be out of here once you get currency" expectation I had.



As for SWA, they note they want the last THREE years of flying, so that eliminates any 11X guys from just getting current and applying there. Still apply though, break the mold for us.



I have not heard of FedEx hiring King Air ISR guys directly but Atlas has hired a dozen in the last few months. I would be hopeful that if you went ISR, as soon as you get 100 hours you'd pop up on FedEx's hireable list given all your mil experience. As always, check that app and update it.



TLDR:
One way makes you quick money and hours while being gone 2mo at a time, the other is slower and poorer but stateside and needs less body armor and life insurance.

As for SWA, they note they want the last THREE years of flying, so that eliminates any 11X guys from just getting current and applying there. Still apply though, break the mold for us.



Even though this isn’t the swa forum, I’m curious as to where you saw that. I wasn’t aware that had changed. This is vfr direct from the swa pilot credentials qualifications page:

Currency: Experience should include actively flying two of the last five years.

I agree Yard, "should" shall will etc.... I was asked specifically about 3 years so I am going off of my experience.

To keep it back on topic, I would nudge any guy to get any currency, your mil. experience is the big multiplier and most majors only need currency in the last year.

ISR contractors don't though, and that may be a way in for centerline thrust guys to learn multi engine and get a type rating quickly since they already have a valuable TS clearance.

Hey guys, I’ve enjoyed reading the threads and curiosity has gotten the better of me so I have to ask:

I’m a Navy F-18 guy looking at my options in the next year or two and FedEx certainly seems like a dream job for me. I’m anticipating having roughly 2000TT at the time I’d apply - 1500 TPIC hours (about 1250 or so in the Hornet a lot of those hours coming in the Asia/Pacific AOR, the rest from T-45/T-6) and an additional 500 in various light pistons.

So the question is, how competitive would this make me? I read so many posts of guys fortunate to have at least 3x my flight hours and it leaves me feeling like I’d have little to no shot.

I realize there is probably no definitive answer, but I appreciate any insight anyone would like to give.

For mil fighters, I'd say you're right in the sweet spot. Keep updating regularly and get in touch with any FedEx people you may have flown with in the past.

FedEx Application Requirements
 

Quick question for FedEx application requirements. I am a former F-16 guy thinking about leaving the Air Force at my 10-year commitment. I have around 1350 total hours and have 2 years of my commitment left. 875 hours are F-16 PIC hours and 115 are T-38 PIC (currently an IFF instructor) which are all the hours I can count toward the >12,500 GTOW requirement. As a single-seat fighter guy I don’t benefit from SIC time per the FAA definition. Has FedEx ever used a fighter conversion since SIC doesn’t help? Bottom line, based on the requirements, I have to get 1500 PIC (signing for the jet) since I cant log SIC and FedEx doesn’t use total time.

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers!

Just as an aside (nothing to do with FX hiring), although there are some folks who parrot that line, in my experience just a few years ago this wasn't the case for the majority of guys in that situation.

Although there are a few folks who "get current" then get a major interview and leave, those guys were outliers. The majority of guys (myself included) were at the regionals 1-2 years before getting called up to the big leagues.

I think going through the regionals is a great route for a number of reasons, but people have to expect to be there 18-24 months on average....some longer, and some not as long. If you are emotionally and financially prepared to be there that long it'll be a much easier ride.

Want to say the true mins to apply are 1000.

And yes, general ROT is an extra .2 or .3 per sortie.

No clue how to “document” that with the new application process, nor whether it would be required to do so. I’d just be prepared to discuss your numbers should you be lucky enough to interview

(or message Albie15/contact an interview prep course since they’ll have the best information/recommendations)

Does anybody know how FedEx notifies you after the interview if you were successful or not? If you were not successful does anybody know what process that is? Email or letter? Thanks!


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You’ll get an email if successful. I don’t know about the process if you’re not. Way back in late 2018 it took a week or two to get the Email. As recently as a few months ago it was quicker. Good luck to you.

Email either way but have heard recently that some people hear back within a week but others have said 3-4 weeks to hear anything back.

3 of my buddies that interviewed within the past 4 months all heard back the next day. Seems like they are starting to notify them sooner rather than later.

So did they all 3 get it? I’m guessing they still send out a letter for the tbnt.


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No, FDX has No Beard policy, sorry..

One did not get the CJO, I guessing he received an email as well since he got the tbnt the next day. Good luck!

I’ve had friends wait over 2 weeks also, so you never know.

Thank you so much! You’ve been more than helpful!


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I know the 1000 TPIC has become a "preferred" hiring requirement, but is this actually the case? I have about 500 hours PIC on a 727 and currently flying a 747 with around 4000 hours total. I'm obviously looking to get in the left seat again ASAP but wondering if the PIC is what's driving a nail in my coffin for now.

Unless you are "special" the 1000 hours TPIC is a hard requirement.

Thanks for the reply. I assumed this to be the case.

Keep updating your App weekly. I'm told that a Requirement reduction to 500 TPIC might be coming down the line soon.

I certainly hope so and I will do. I update every month when I get back from a trip.

I also wish they were doing another open house event or job fair. I got selected last year but was in ground school for my current employer. Really bummed I missed the opportunity.

Does anyone at FedEx live in Hawaii? Is that a possible living situation?

Bunch of folks do, at least some MEM based. Can’t speak to what their commute is like but the MEM-HNL-MEM j/s are rarely full when I operate those flights. Have almost never had anyone j/s between HNL and the west coast.


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Are they hurting that bad? Weird. I would think my 1700 TPIC and PE would have gotten me a call....oh well head back down carrying on 😁

Thanks for the quick reply! Don't understand exactly how your schedules work, do all trips start out of MEM? Or do a lot of trips deadhead you on the first leg?

All trips start and finish at your base (MEM in this example). If it starts and/or finishes with a deadhead you can deviate from the scheduled deadhead to/from your home or wherever you wanna go. You have a travel bank of $$ based on the value of all your deadheads that month, with some ability to carry money over to subsequent months or add to the bank (no expiration) by cancelling scheduled hotels. E.g. you’re a commuter flying a hometown line and you go home every day instead of to the hotel - $35/day into that travel bank. Lots of trips start and/or finish with deadheads in every base and a/c. Don’t have to be very senior to hold them, but you’ll have a lot less say in the pairing quality and layovers obviously.


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Don't feel too bad. I had 5,000 TPIC and it still took me 7 years to get hired. :(

Great, I appreciate all your help.

Lol no I don't. I'm just wondering why the need to lower the tpic when they are so many qualified pills out there unless it's to allow for even more Mil pilots who don't have the time.

Current jet military guy here:

~1200 TPIC time
~1600 TT
Unrestricted ATP/CFII/MEII

I was starting the application process online, but the first questionnaire asks the following question:

"Do you have at least 1500 hours total fixed-wing time as PIC or SIC in multi-engine turbo-prop or jet A/C or combination thereof?"

Selecting no gives me the response that I don't meet their minimum requirements. I thought 1,000 TPIC was the minimum...? What I don't want to do is select yes (having more than 1500 hours total, but not TPIC time) and have it bite me in the ass for not being honest.

Does anyone have any insight?? I can't move forward with this application unless I answer yes.

Thanks.

Do you have 1500 hours of ME turbine time?

I believe the way it is written is you need 1500 multi engine turbine OR jet. So if you have 1500 in a F16 you are fine.

No, I have ~1200 turbine time, and another 450 piston time. On their min requirements section, it says 1,000 TPIC suggested, but the questionnaire indicates any less than 1,500 turbine time doesn't meet the requirements.

Read it again. It’s asking about PIC/SIC combined.

I can clarify. I have 1200 total turbine time, about 1100 of that is PIC. Wasn't sure if someone knew if the requirement is 1000 or 1500.

Thanks again.

At risk of my own sanity I present to you the following.

It appears there are two limits. The first being 1,500 multi engine turbine or Jet, that being either PIC or SIC.

You must ALSO have at least 1,000 hrs of PICT. (Although that may be preferred now)

You need more total time in either.

Any one know if the turbine total or PICT has to be weight greater than 12,500? Seen anybody get an interview with King air time?

From the website: "A minimum of 1000 hours total fixed-wing PIC time in a multi-engine turbo prop aircraft, jet aircraft or combination thereof in aircraft with GTOW 12,500 or greater is preferred."
The key phrase there being "or greater." If the time is in a KA-200 it should count, but a KA-90 wouldn't. At least, that's how I read it.

Thanks,

Thats pretty straight forward.