Cololgne Quality of Life
04-13-2017, 04:21 AM
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: MD-11
Posts: 395
If a pilot chooses the two year commitment option in CGN, does he have to wait for a bid in order to leave? Will the pilot be awarded a new seat on a bid during his commitment period, and be placed way down the training letter in order to complete his min service in CGN? Or is he restricted from even bidding during his commitment period?
Thnx
Thnx
04-13-2017, 12:27 PM
#43
Line Holder
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Originally Posted by CompetentFool
Yes most of the flying is hub turning thru CDG, but not all of it.
All the trips (except two or three that operate a live leg out of the CGN airport) start with a deadhead out of either Cologne or Dusseldorf. Getting in between the two cities is a piece of cake on the train. FedEx pays for the train ticket.
Getting to the FedEx ramp in Cologne is also very easy. Just take the train. Then walk a couple hundred yards to the pickup point for the FedEx driver who takes you to the ramp office. You can also get to the airport by taking a taxi or renting a car and FedEx pays for all of it. The car rental is done using an app like "Drive Now".
I think it's really easy to commute to the base especially if you live on the east coast. Just jumpseat on FedEx a day prior or use your deadhead ticket money to buy a positive space ticket to work.
All the trips (except two or three that operate a live leg out of the CGN airport) start with a deadhead out of either Cologne or Dusseldorf. Getting in between the two cities is a piece of cake on the train. FedEx pays for the train ticket.
Getting to the FedEx ramp in Cologne is also very easy. Just take the train. Then walk a couple hundred yards to the pickup point for the FedEx driver who takes you to the ramp office. You can also get to the airport by taking a taxi or renting a car and FedEx pays for all of it. The car rental is done using an app like "Drive Now".
I think it's really easy to commute to the base especially if you live on the east coast. Just jumpseat on FedEx a day prior or use your deadhead ticket money to buy a positive space ticket to work.
If posible could someone give an example of CGN trip pairings.
And what kind of schedule can a junior CGN pilot expect vs the one who decides to stay for more than 2 years?
04-13-2017, 05:44 PM
#44
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: FedEx A-300 Captain
Posts: 125
"If a pilot chooses the two year commitment option in CGN, does he have to wait for a bid in order to leave? Will the pilot be awarded a new seat on a bid during his commitment period, and be placed way down the training letter in order to complete his min service in CGN? Or is he restricted from even bidding during his commitment period?"
You can bid out the day after you are activated into CGN. The training letter will delay your training until the end of your committee period (2 years later to the day most likely). So this way your time in CGN would be exactly two years.
You will find that new hires can make bank in CGN if they are flexible. The $3,500 housing allowance is tax free money and you can easily live well below that figure. Thus the allowance can cover your entire cost of living (housing, food, utilities) and then your $100,000 per year salary is all extra on top of your covered living expenses. Making extra money is easy if you're willing to work. Put your kids into public school and use the $15,000 tax free tuition assistance for private tutors and private German lessons. And use it to buy your kids the best Apple laptop made. And a new German bike to ride to school. Backpacks, required clothing etc.
Spouses can work. Some do but most
Don't. Second year pay you get a nice raise and then you'll have the cash to travel throughout Europe and experience all the other cultures.
It's a great experience. You won't be in the poor house if you make wise choices with your housing options.
You can bid out the day after you are activated into CGN. The training letter will delay your training until the end of your committee period (2 years later to the day most likely). So this way your time in CGN would be exactly two years.
You will find that new hires can make bank in CGN if they are flexible. The $3,500 housing allowance is tax free money and you can easily live well below that figure. Thus the allowance can cover your entire cost of living (housing, food, utilities) and then your $100,000 per year salary is all extra on top of your covered living expenses. Making extra money is easy if you're willing to work. Put your kids into public school and use the $15,000 tax free tuition assistance for private tutors and private German lessons. And use it to buy your kids the best Apple laptop made. And a new German bike to ride to school. Backpacks, required clothing etc.
Spouses can work. Some do but most
Don't. Second year pay you get a nice raise and then you'll have the cash to travel throughout Europe and experience all the other cultures.
It's a great experience. You won't be in the poor house if you make wise choices with your housing options.
04-13-2017, 09:21 PM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: FedEx A-300 Captain
Posts: 125
"So the $3500 can be used outside of housing alone? I was hesitant to do so because of the HKG pilots that went outside of the allowance parameters and got released."
You can rent an apartment for $500 (just a random number here) per month and pocket the remaining $3,000 for beer and brats and plane tickets etc. but you have to actually live there and not lie to the company and say you live there for the money but actually live in the US. This is basically (not exactly) what happened to the pilots in HKG who were fired. Your entire family HAS to live with you in Germany (wife and kids - unless kids have moved out or are in college). You have to actually move to Germany and not just do a pretend move. Fedex is paying an ass-ton of money to have you ready and available to fly the European freight.
So yes, the $3,500 tax free money is yours to spend however you wish but a portion of it has to cover your rent (have a signed lease agreement that you present to FedEx). Hope this helps.
You can rent an apartment for $500 (just a random number here) per month and pocket the remaining $3,000 for beer and brats and plane tickets etc. but you have to actually live there and not lie to the company and say you live there for the money but actually live in the US. This is basically (not exactly) what happened to the pilots in HKG who were fired. Your entire family HAS to live with you in Germany (wife and kids - unless kids have moved out or are in college). You have to actually move to Germany and not just do a pretend move. Fedex is paying an ass-ton of money to have you ready and available to fly the European freight.
So yes, the $3,500 tax free money is yours to spend however you wish but a portion of it has to cover your rent (have a signed lease agreement that you present to FedEx). Hope this helps.
04-14-2017, 10:29 AM
#48
On Reserve
Joined APC: Mar 2013
Position: 757 F/O
Posts: 16
Just to clarify the new rules for school money. No more laptops/bikes/school trips/school lunches/and name just about anything else except for actual school expenses. Some folks were getting pretty creative and we all got whacked. Check the new LOA for details. They will approve very little beyond LOA defined expenses. Still a pretty decent deal however.
04-14-2017, 11:06 AM
#49
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 4,304
Originally Posted by CompetentFool
"So the $3500 can be used outside of housing alone? I was hesitant to do so because of the HKG pilots that went outside of the allowance parameters and got released."
You can rent an apartment for $500 (just a random number here) per month and pocket the remaining $3,000 for beer and brats and plane tickets etc. but you have to actually live there and not lie to the company and say you live there for the money but actually live in the US. This is basically (not exactly) what happened to the pilots in HKG who were fired. Your entire family HAS to live with you in Germany (wife and kids - unless kids have moved out or are in college). You have to actually move to Germany and not just do a pretend move. Fedex is paying an ass-ton of money to have you ready and available to fly the European freight.
You can rent an apartment for $500 (just a random number here) per month and pocket the remaining $3,000 for beer and brats and plane tickets etc. but you have to actually live there and not lie to the company and say you live there for the money but actually live in the US. This is basically (not exactly) what happened to the pilots in HKG who were fired. Your entire family HAS to live with you in Germany (wife and kids - unless kids have moved out or are in college). You have to actually move to Germany and not just do a pretend move. Fedex is paying an ass-ton of money to have you ready and available to fly the European freight.
I "thought" that the issue with the HKG pilots was that Management was able to document that wives didn't actually live in Hong Kong (by showing that their Facebook pages showed otherwise). I'm surprised to hear that Facebook would hold up as legal evidence?
My understanding is that there are still outstanding lawsuits on the matter but, for at least the time being, those guys are still unemployed.
So ... if you think Management is spying on you ... they might actually be spying on you!*?
09-03-2022, 08:59 PM
#50
New Hire
Joined APC: Sep 2022
Posts: 1
Hey CloudSailor,
My husband is applying to FedEx, and we are considering Cologne if he gets picked up. He’s retiring from the AF next year. We have four young kiddos and love to travel. We also homeschool. Do you have any more information to offer about living in Cologne? Is there a certain amount of time you have to live there? How difficult is to get transferred back?
Thanks!
Trish
My husband is applying to FedEx, and we are considering Cologne if he gets picked up. He’s retiring from the AF next year. We have four young kiddos and love to travel. We also homeschool. Do you have any more information to offer about living in Cologne? Is there a certain amount of time you have to live there? How difficult is to get transferred back?
Thanks!
Trish
Originally Posted by CloudSailor
Av8r,
We absolutely loved our 2 years there, as many other families have. Not solely because of Germany, but because of our ability to travel around Europe on weeks off. We were under our housing allowance, and lived there with no cars, and we were traveling constantly. Also, my wife (we) made some good German/French friends in Köln, and with other FedEx families too. That made being on the road easy for me.
The flying is similar to the 757 flying found in the MEM bidpack, but there's no Tel Aviv, nor Barcelona-like destinations out of Memphis
. Also, the feeling of a small domicile, where you know most everyone on a personal level, is hard to beat.
I would highly recommend the experience there.
We absolutely loved our 2 years there, as many other families have. Not solely because of Germany, but because of our ability to travel around Europe on weeks off. We were under our housing allowance, and lived there with no cars, and we were traveling constantly. Also, my wife (we) made some good German/French friends in Köln, and with other FedEx families too. That made being on the road easy for me.
The flying is similar to the 757 flying found in the MEM bidpack, but there's no Tel Aviv, nor Barcelona-like destinations out of Memphis
. Also, the feeling of a small domicile, where you know most everyone on a personal level, is hard to beat. I would highly recommend the experience there.
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