[QUOTE=PostalAV8B;2082037] 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.

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Look, you probably know this, but all you need is a line. Trip trade your butt off, swap for the sick time, and you can make your line a whole lot better. I've seen extremely junior bus pilots end up with beautiful months, just because they were willing to do the work. Not worth it for some, but definitely for others.

 

And don't forget ... they're getting rid of all of the A300's three years ago!*?

 

I would agree with Postal. I wouldn't want to play "you bet your job" any more often than I had to in my first year.

MG2

 

A little dramatic, IMO.

When was the last time a competent professional hired by FedEx didn't make it through initial new hire training because they simply couldn't hack it? I'm not talking about the problem child from UPS with a bad attitude or some other person with undetected baggage or training issues. I'm talking a well qualified pilot with a solid work history coming out of the military, ACMI, corporate, an RJ or some other route here.

If someone struggles for some reason as a new hire and lacks the confidence to make it through another course, fine. Stay in the shallow end until you have the full protections of the CBA (and maybe do something to strengthen your skills). Don't they still have to pass recurrent a couple of time, though? Doesn't that carry as much jeopardy as the ride at the end of a transition course? I was going to mention line checks, but they're probably the ones who sick out of those. Thanks for the nice trip!! I guess it's good they know their own limitations (although weeding out a weak pilot before we HAVE to protect them might not be a bad idea.....but I digress).

To present avoidance of multiple training cycles in year one as a universal axiom that all should follow is misrepresenting reality. A good pilot who had no issues the first time around should not feel like they're "betting their job" if they train twice in their first year. Apply the same skill and effort to the next course and most likely similar results will follow. Have a bad day - bring it next time and move on. It's not a one mistake company and more than just one bad ride would have to occur before the extreme steps of showing them the door.

 

You mean you had a newhire come from UPS? He must have been one of their furloughs. Did he have a bad attitude? Did he make it through probation for did he get fired?

 

I think he was furloughed, but I'm not certain. From what I've heard, he had big attitude problems and shot himself in the foot multiple times before they showed him the door. No, he did not make it through probation. I don't think he even made it through new hire training.

 

Wow. What a bonehead. To get thrown a huge lifeline at FDX and screwing it up.

 

You sure about that? There's no STC to remove winglets - 757 or 767. The Silk Air 767 we bought that has winglets were added via STC but we're trying to figure out how to remove them as they have been cracking.

 

Yes, it's worth less.

Who really cares. We don't get paid more for winglets and the pilots aren't paying for the fuel. Others have posted the negatives with respect to footprint, cost and ROI.

Why are you seemingly obsessed with winglets of all things?

 

It's been my experience so far that, flying skills aside, if you put forth a little effort, the training department will make sure you make it through.