max8222,
your estimate sounds...high.

Glad to see someone taking advantage of their saving opportunities though.

Vanguard has a tool to aid in planning, sure sounds like you've prepared nicely though.


https://personal.vanguard.com/us/ins...etirement-tool

 

That's good! Funny Stuff there, Lag!!

 

Kronan, Between my 401K,Bfund, IRA and Roth IRA. I contributed to an after tax IRA since I was hired. When market tanked,congress authorized converting IRA to Roth, only taxed on the gains, no matter what your income level.Since I was basically flat on gains I converted all of my IRA to a Roth. Turned into a great deal since the market then tripled. All of the gains tax free. I do not want to post my balance but should be able to withdraw 4% a year to reach those numbers.

 

Well, you just posted your balance.

I'd delete the post if you don't want it known

 

Old thread, same question. Stay at SWA or take the job at FDX...

Fedex was always my #1 goal, but since I got gired at SW I really enjoy my job! I have 18days off, great flexibility, afternoon reports and fly 2-3 (sometimes 4, occasionally 1) legs a day, the people are friendly and I’m gone from home 3 days at a time. I’m really torn because I finally realize that more money can’t make up for enjoying what I do. So, that is what I have to figure out... would I enjoy flying at Fedex as much as I do at SW. This is incredibly hard to know without doing both, but that’s obviously not an option. The money spikes up quicker at FDX, although it’s still really good at SW and evens out over time.

That leads me to a couple of questions... how many REAL days off a month (not counting reserve) is typical for a pilot in the first 5years at FEdex? To me, 30hours in a beach hotel is not a day off unless my family is there with me on a vacation. I’d like to know how many days I would typically have at home to do my own thing.

Also, is most of the flying really daytime flying like I keep hearing? I would imagine that late-night hub turns are unavoidable for a new guy. It also seems like night flying works better with a commuter schedule unless you want to commute in a whole day early.

Do you find yourself sleeping your first day off after a pairing just to get re-acclimated to your family’s schedule?

This is trivial really, but are your jumpseats always full? Everytime I have ever jumpseated on FDX (thank you, BTW), there have been multiple peeps in the jumpseats... at 3am. Not something that would sway my decision one way or the other, but I have just been curious about that.

I have some good people pulling for me at purple, but I have to do what is right for me and my family. I had the PE at FDX before SW called me. Would that burn my friend’s PE if I don’t take it? My situation has changed, but I still hate to do my bud like that.

I’m very thankful for my situation, but it’s a tough call between what I always thought was my first choice and what I’m enjoying doing now.

 

A lot of FedEx trips don’t require you to commute at all. We have a ton of DH trips where FedEx buys you a ticket to and from your trip start/end point and you are getting paid to and from those locations. And if you can get that to your honetown, it’s a paid day off at home.

 

Skyward, if you are really enjoying your job...and I know the pay is very good at SW, the company is secure, why would you honestly consider leaving? If you're only gone 12 days a month, you must live in base, which counts for a lot.

Your post is full of potential negatives about FedEx (except for the pay), and positives about SW, so I think you've answered your own question. There are enough people who want to get here who wouldn't look back, so unless you can come up with things you actually like over here, why bother?

And do you have a job offer at FedEx? An interview set up, even? If not, why worry? A PE means exactly jack at this company now, and may even hurt you.

 

Honestly, if you enjoy you’re current job, it’s probably a good idea to stay. Fedex has worked out great for me, but others might not have the same perspective.

This company flies a lot in the day, and a lot at night. If you fly international, you’ll see both.

You’re friends PE is gone regardless. If you want to stay where you are, just call him/her and let them know what you decided.

If you’re happy, you’re families happy, stay at SWA.

 

As I was the originator of this post, I might as well chime in. I decided to go with FDX over SWA, and just like you said Skyward, you don't know the other side unless you have been there. But I do have many friends at SWA and after talking to them a year or so later, I am confident I made the right choice for me and my family.

If you are content on where you are, that may be the right answer for you and your family.

Anyway, I will try to address each of your questions, but remember your mileage may vary.

Let me start off that I was hired directly into a WB seat. It seems as though today it is more than likely a new hire will go to the 75. But if you wanted to bid a WB, you would most likely be sitting in one in less than 2 or so years. Heck, the way things seem like they are moving you could be a 75 CA (at 100%) in a bit over that.

Let me also say, I fly my line and really don't pick up extra.

Time off: So far for 2018, in terms of TAFB I am averaging 12 days at work and 18 days at home in a 30 day month. Overall, TAFB wise I am averaging 10 days at work and 20 days off. (I had a couple months last year that the company bumped for for training for all but 2 days in each month, so that is why my average is higher overall than just this year.)

As for the other numbers:
Contract guarantees on avg 76 CH per month (68 in our 4 week months and 85 in our 5 week months)
So for 2018
My Average monthly BLG has been 80.6 hours, my Credit hours have been 84.0, and my block hours flown are 40.6
Overall
My Average monthly BLG has been 77.9, my CH is 79.8, and my block hours flown have been 33.3



I would say the short answer is, "No." I don't think MOST of the flying is day time flying. However, so far I have been pleasantly surprised on how much day flying I have done. Now it may be that I am not on a 75 which does seem to have a preponderance of night flying. But without running the numbers I would say I am about 40% day flying.

I haven't flown more than 3 legs ever here. I would say I average maybe around 2 a day, many have 1 a day. In fact earlier this week, the company deadheaded me to somewhere, had a 12+ layover, to just fly the one leg back and done. The next trip that started the say after that, I flew 2 legs (one long, a short hotel rest, one short), then a 12 hour layover, and one leg, then DHed home.

People are friendly here. There was maybe one captain I didn't gel with, but out of the nearly 100 I have flown with, I don't think that is too bad. I find this place mission oriented, just you and the captain gettin' er done. At the same time, comparing to what I hear from my peers, I think the night flying lines do tend to have you and the Captain split off at the hotel elevator for rest versus going out. Day lines, we tend to hit dinner and hang for a bit longer. All is fine by me, I like to go and get out and see or do something new.

As for money, in my quick analysis, I think you CAN make more money at SWA then FDX. But I think you'll work a bit more to do so. I just see my SWA buddies on their phones all the time with their kabal trying to do the things you guys do to get the premium pay. I'm on track to make about 180-ish gross and I am averaging 40 hours a month and 12-ish days on the road. From my quick analysis, I think you guys start to pull ahead if you can average a consistent 110 TFP a month (this includes your bigger B plan and current PS, but doesn't include our A plan). But like you said money ain't everything.

I think I got your TAFB question answered. So again, my above 12 days at work and 18 at home is TAFB. NOTE: This does not count the time you need to come in a day earlier for work if you are a commuter. Believe it or not, I have not sat reserve for more than a half a month in all the time I have been here. I bid secondary (VTO) lines. I think you guys call them blank lines. In my requests, I put the days I want off, minimum commutes, and maximum DHs. I have always gotten the days off I needed and I never commuted more than 3 times a month...more like twice a month. And even most of those commutes were front end DHs where I am on the company's time and not my own. As for the 60 hour layovers, not going to lie, other than being away from family, they are nice. Even nicer if you can get your wife/husband and/or girlfriend/boyfriend to join you. Ha!


Sometimes. If it's after a week of hub turning at night, then probably yes or at least you'll be good to go by dinner time.

Not trivial, as It's a valid concern of yours. But I'll give it the ol' aviation answer, it depends. Where I am, we probably have 60 to 70 pilots. I have never had a problem with getting a jumpseat. You may just be somewhere where there are a lot more dudes. Denver? The one thing that has also been surprising is the number of DHs I have had. (maybe that's why I am good to go jumpseating) There have been multiple months I have not seen my crashpad as I am DHing to start and finish trips.

Finally, a couple of observations. One, as I DH in business casual I see all of the passenger pilots lugging their stuff through the terminal and I am happy I don't. Most of the time, the distance from the driver dropping us off at the facility to the stairs at the jet is about 200 yards. (I do have to carry my bags up the stairs, but I count that as exercise. Ha!) As for the "flying" I enjoy the fact that I don't have to fight my way taxiing into the terminals, typically tower will tells us to exit and taxi to park and stay with them. No Taxi via Whiskey Tango, Foxtrot Oscar, change freqs at the bridge, hold short of Dixie, yada, yada, yada. And like I said above, I enjoy the fact it's you and one other guy and maybe some jumpseaters. You need to get up and stretch, you do it. No biggie. I enjoy the variety of places I have gone. Big cities and small towns. That's probably the same for you guys too. Lastly, I think I will enjoy the ability to move from aircraft to aircraft a couple times in my career. If I don't enjoy something, I would just move on when able. In all, I think this is a pretty good gig.

As for the PE, yes as of now it burns that person's PE. However, there has been talk that the PE is, in the end, not currently helping people as many would think. I think it has been discussed here in APC as well as on FB's The Pilot Network.

But in the end, do what is best for you and your family. Your bud, if a true bud, he will understand.

If you have any more questions, please ask!

SF

 

I left SWA for FEDEX about two years ago and couldnt be happier. Don't get me wrong, I had a really good time at SWA but the commute just didn't work for me. Commuting is so much easier at FEDEX because you can reserve the jumpseat 3 weeks out. I used to tell my wife there was nothing stressful about working at SWA except getting to and from work. At FEDEX, no stress at all. They told me I wouldn't upgrade for 10+ years or hold weekends off for 5+ at SWA. At FEDEX, I could have held 75C at 1.5 years and Ive had just about any weekend or holiday Ive needed or wanted off. Again, do whats best for your family, it was the right move for me.

PM me if you have any questions.