Albief15

Its a real nice airplane back to the observer seat. Then it reminds me of an economy car with no frills....no oven, coffee maker, or rest facility, and the most basic blue water toilet. The lack of SATCOM is also a big disappointment for CPDLC ops. Cold meals just add to the disappointment. A hot meal at 30 W was always a welcome pick me up. MEM-SLC its not a big deal. MEM-ANC-ICN or MEM-VCP the limitations are going to be tiresome to the crew.

Looking at some of the micro-campers out there on the market, a solution that is both compact and comfortable seems very doable. I made the move the 767 left seat because it was obvious it was the future here, and it was in the FDA I wanted to try. That said, a few months on the line reminded me how darn nice the -11 really is, with ergonomic seats, an oven and coffee pot, a bunk, and a world class automation system. Other than that pesky tendency to occasionally bounce, break a gear, and roll on its back, its damn near perfect for traveling the world. I may yet go back but am afraid by the time I could hold what I wanted as a line the jet will be basically done, so I am learning to embrace VNAV and coming in and out of speed brake on a routine descent. But--I did buy two new sleeping bags and air mattresses to have on the PVG turn in case I get nailed with one of the dreaded 5-7 hour ATC delays. My short term plan with an RFO would be to block off the entry way, throw down a pad and bag, and keep the cockpit dark for the guy on the floor. That sucks. It absolutely is substandard for a industry leading company, and IMHO embarrassing. I enjoy the airplane on a 6-7 hour flight, but have not yet faced an RFO type flight.

i won't speculate what the forward can generates in revenue. I have a pretty good idea what a climate controlled sleep facility and a hot meal do to mitigate fatigue, enhance comfort, safety, and yes even motivation to come to work. It will be interesting to see if the trips that went senior on the -11 will go quite as senior on the 767. I know some won't believe it, but its not always about the money. I loved going to Europe and Brazil on the -11. I would not bid those trips on the 76 right now if I had the choice of that or a domestic day trip somewhere. Banging out 6-7 hours block a day going to LAS or SMF would be more fun than sleeping on a cold floor eating cold sandwiches and 9 hour old coffee, even if you were landing in Paris.

Precontact

This is really surprising. All of our 767s have ovens and a hot water maker and SATCOM/CPDLC, albeit with the same lack of a true rest facility. I have heard that you guys are shopping around for a rest container, which is what we need to do at UPS after all these years.

MEMA300

The can crew rest facility is a pipe dream and from what i have been told is not going to happen (which is why fx was non-commital about it). Given it was just an SCA/LCA type that told me but his reasoning made sense. So we get 36 hours of before and after?

USMCFDX

I recently heard it has been approved.

FDXLAG

I hope we get this one with the big screen TV.

Aerocon Engineering Company - Engineering Services

Iwa Washi

It's ridiculous that we allowed permissive language such as "...will pursue FAA approval..." on this matter in the new TA. We never seem to learn our lesson.

As Yoda says: "Try not; do, or do not; there is no try."

PurpleToolBox

They're still building the 767s. Is there anything we can do to get FedEx and Boeing to redesign these for long haul?

And why was the association so ignorant that these birds would be domestic only? Why was FDX so myopic to only order them in domestic configuration?

I jumpseated on my first 767 LDS last night. That hallway to the only door out of the airplane is very tight.

Kolohe

Boeing actually desires some type of standardization between the KC-46 and the FDX 67 configuration...the USAF is certainly not placing the crapper in the cockpit (although their crew augmentation design is driven by other operational requirements and is not conducive to maximizing cargo capacity). That said, Boeing has approached FDX to reconsider the current FDX configuration in an effort to have efficiencies between the two designs.

From an experience with a previous airline (one with a more proactive Union), ALPA would have been involved in the configuration planning from the start and would have never allowed such a design to be implemented for the reasons folks mentioned previously. I do find it baffling, however, that some of the same complainants are not leveraging their opportunity to effect change with their vote on this TA, so I surmise the issue is not as pressing as the grumbling indicates.

Do go easy on the Kim Chee "extras" with your Bulgogi cold snack.

NoHaz

But still 18 months away

Days Off

If we do put an oven and coffee maker in it (which there is room to do), it will be next to where the catering chiller is. So, if I do elect to sleep on the floor next to the door and chiller/oven and coffee maker, the other crew members would have to step on me to get their food!

Call me crazy, but I prefer not to have coffee and food spilled on my bald head while "trying" to sleep