We do not have PBS, we have 2.5 pay rates, a currently inflexible scheduling system, and the majority of our flying is "red eye". Consequently, IMHO, our senior lines are better than anyone else's and our junior lines are significantly worse than anyone else's. Particularly from a commuters point of view. If you aren't going to live in Memphis and you want to be a FDX pilot for decent money and a decent quality of life go for seat seniority.

 

How come your 767s don't have winglets? Are you going to get them?

 

A few of them do, non of the new builds do yet. I was told by the SCP that we will likely retrofit them at some point. There is an STC for the winglets and most of them are installed by Delta. We will likely wait until we can get them for pennies on the dollar and have them installed then, there is also a ramp space issue for us in Memphis, the winglets make the footprint quit a bit larger than the non winglet jet.

Main factor though is that we fly at night primarily so looking cool doesn't matter.

 

Thanks. I think that UPS has them on all their 767s. Any plans to put them on your 757s?

 

Congrats on the CJO. I was in the same position as you just a few months ago. If given the choice I was going to bid for the 757, but with a SSN last 4 starting with a 3 also, I was assigned the 300. Since I was assigned and not given a choice, was told that during the next bid I could bid what I want without any seat lock if I wanted to lateral or move down. (At least this is what I think I heard). I plan to just stay put for a few reasons. First I have no desire to go through the schoolhouse twice during my first year. Also looking at the 300 bid pack and the reserve lines this month...With the new class that just started I almost have enough below that I may be able to hold a line by summer. A crappy line, but a line. Movement looks like it will be fast. Of course with the upcoming bid, it all could change.

Bottom line, it is good to think about seat assignment but you may not even have a choice.

 

Per our SVP, winglets are not in the cards. Our airframes don't fly near the amount of hours a passengers carrier flys. The break even point for cost is way too high to make the retrofit worth it. He gave a specific number of hours the plane had to fly to make it worth it, but I don't remember exactly what that figure was. (Much higher than you would think, something like 15 hours of block a day). On top of that they are already looking to replace the older 757 airframes, and it wouldn't make sense to put winglets on a plane that will be going to the desert soon anyway.

 

Many (most?) of the used 757's we purchased had winglets and we took them off. At many of our out-stations the 757s were going to have to park in the same 727 parking spots and there was concern about wing tip clearance ...

 

You guys just bought them not too long ago. Why get rid of them? Which ones are you going to get rid of, the Pratt or RR?

 

Probably get rid of the really really really old ones and keep the really really old ones.

 

Heck man, now is the time to do it if you're going to do it. $4K a month training pay vs first year pay isn't that much of a loss. Plus, you're already in the schoolhouse frame of mind. At least that's my thoughts anyway.