FedEx First Year Info for New Hires...
07-30-2017, 06:33 PM
#251
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
Bidpack is the best look... Its a mix of single departure trips (usually with a 50-70 layover somewhere) and week on/off trips.
I'm on Asia 101. I've done a few touristy spots, and taken my wife on some of my trips to KL, Singapore, Narita, Manilla... Most of the FOs and Capts that have been here a while are way more advanced on knowing their way to the more exotic places. They are on Asia 404. Hoi An Vietnam was a fun trip, as was Bali. We have a lot more on our list... Some of my FOs have motorcyled across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and a bunch have hiked to the Everest Base Camp. They make me look like a 60 year old guy who wears socks and sandals to the beach...I am not worthy to call myself anything but a lightweight tourist at this point.
I don't trade trips much with others, but I've proffered with success several times to squeeze a bit more time off when dropping won't work. I've also grabbed a few proffered trips to return the favor. What makes HKG different than MEM is the spread between a senior and junior trip isn't that pronounced. There are a bunch of okay trips, and few that suck a tad more...but they ain't that different. Almost any line is going to have a hub turn or two and a day night flop or a good-forsaken wakeup once or twice. I look at the bidpack most months and go "meh". Guys who were here years ago are at times bitter about the degradation of the trips. Seems like a host of folks bid reserve, but never every month, so sometimes its senior, sometimes its junior. At 80% I never know if I can hold a line, or even a reserve line. It seems to vary each month. VTOs have been about 95% of what I've requested the few times I"ve gotten them, again because most of the time the trips are about the same and its just days off I am requesting.
Part of my issue is I have a daughter in school, so we tend to hang a bit closer to HK than the single folks or empty nesters. I also turn my wife into a ski widow Jan-Apr and blow my vacation early for ski season in the Rockies. I want to expand our radius, but I probably won't ever be the Asia guru some of my contemporaries are. However, we ARE getting deeper into Hong Kong all the time, and my wife is going Hong Kong University for a Cantonese Language program for the next two years. I hope to be a lot more connected to HK and Guangzhou with her developing language skills. (She will probably still add a southern "y'all" to most of her Cantonese, however....
) I also plan to ski NZ and Australia a bit, and still hit the Rockies 30-40 days. So--YES...you can cover a lot of Asia from Hong Kong. I'm not the expert. I see enough of it on my trips. If you want to help finding some powder stashes in Utah, maybe I can offer some assistance...
I'm on Asia 101. I've done a few touristy spots, and taken my wife on some of my trips to KL, Singapore, Narita, Manilla... Most of the FOs and Capts that have been here a while are way more advanced on knowing their way to the more exotic places. They are on Asia 404. Hoi An Vietnam was a fun trip, as was Bali. We have a lot more on our list... Some of my FOs have motorcyled across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and a bunch have hiked to the Everest Base Camp. They make me look like a 60 year old guy who wears socks and sandals to the beach...I am not worthy to call myself anything but a lightweight tourist at this point.
I don't trade trips much with others, but I've proffered with success several times to squeeze a bit more time off when dropping won't work. I've also grabbed a few proffered trips to return the favor. What makes HKG different than MEM is the spread between a senior and junior trip isn't that pronounced. There are a bunch of okay trips, and few that suck a tad more...but they ain't that different. Almost any line is going to have a hub turn or two and a day night flop or a good-forsaken wakeup once or twice. I look at the bidpack most months and go "meh". Guys who were here years ago are at times bitter about the degradation of the trips. Seems like a host of folks bid reserve, but never every month, so sometimes its senior, sometimes its junior. At 80% I never know if I can hold a line, or even a reserve line. It seems to vary each month. VTOs have been about 95% of what I've requested the few times I"ve gotten them, again because most of the time the trips are about the same and its just days off I am requesting.
Part of my issue is I have a daughter in school, so we tend to hang a bit closer to HK than the single folks or empty nesters. I also turn my wife into a ski widow Jan-Apr and blow my vacation early for ski season in the Rockies. I want to expand our radius, but I probably won't ever be the Asia guru some of my contemporaries are. However, we ARE getting deeper into Hong Kong all the time, and my wife is going Hong Kong University for a Cantonese Language program for the next two years. I hope to be a lot more connected to HK and Guangzhou with her developing language skills. (She will probably still add a southern "y'all" to most of her Cantonese, however....
) I also plan to ski NZ and Australia a bit, and still hit the Rockies 30-40 days. So--YES...you can cover a lot of Asia from Hong Kong. I'm not the expert. I see enough of it on my trips. If you want to help finding some powder stashes in Utah, maybe I can offer some assistance...
07-30-2017, 06:54 PM
#252
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: B757F CA
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by Albief15
You can join the Hong Kong Google groups and get a lot better intel from folks already there.
Kids will drive you towards Discovery Bay or Sai Kung to put kids in Discovery or Renaissance College. DBIS or any of the ESF schools are also solid choices, but living on HK Island will cost you 20-40% more than the other options.
Go buy BidX and download the bidpacks. You'll get more intel there than any other source for the trips. Until you on property you can request someone else send you a bidpack and/or email you a bidpack to Unzip with the program.
HK has its challenges but its a lot of fun too. Try not to get too wound up during the 5-6 weeks it takes to get all the paperwork, Visas, IDs, housing, etc set up.
Most of the pilots that are there are there by choice and enjoy the trips, so you shouldn't find too many disgruntled or grumpy guys on the line. Good food and fun on most trips, but some of the turns are getting short and tight and day/night swaps are problematic. I'd say its better than most domestic hub turn flying but it is still a grind some nights. As long as you understand that you'll be fine.
School is 20k/kid. FedEx pays 15k per family, so more than 1 kid probably washes any savings you might gain by coming over.
Housing is about 5k. That buys 900 sq ft and 3 BR/2 Bath in DB or New Territories. Forget anything bigger than 2 BR/650 sq feet on HK at that price.
A few folks here have cars. 95% just use public trans. If you go way out in NT or South Lantau you may need one, and its another layer of Chinese paperwork and "cannots" you have to endure for a while. I'd say go 1-2 years without one and live in an area with good public trans. Once you know the area if you decide you want to live in Hickville HK and get a car you can do it...
Dinner out for you and wife is usually 80-120 bucks US. Get used to it learn to eat local or eat in. I hit some small places in the Kwai Fong for dinner now and then, but it ain't that much cheaper than downtown Central.
Hiking and biking is good. Water is by most standards filthy, which can be discouraging if you like water sports. Clearwater Bay/Big Wave Bay/Sai Kung have cleaner water than Lantau, which is closer to Pearl River Delta. My technique now is to leave when I get the urge to swim or surf. Its a bit depressing to see the beautiful beaches from a hiking trail a few miles away, and get all lathered up to go play in the water....then get down there and find trash, syringes (my personal least favorite), and debris on beach and floating in water.
Overall...its a good experience...but you will be reminded every day you live in China. The 20th anniversary of the handover was in July, and China took every opportunity to remind Hong Kong they are daddy now. Every pretty hillside you see is earmarked for future development, and every pasture for future paving. If you can come over understanding you can enjoy this place for a while, but that is is a fading star you'll be fine. If you get too attached to it, however, expect to get your heart broken.
Kids will drive you towards Discovery Bay or Sai Kung to put kids in Discovery or Renaissance College. DBIS or any of the ESF schools are also solid choices, but living on HK Island will cost you 20-40% more than the other options.
Go buy BidX and download the bidpacks. You'll get more intel there than any other source for the trips. Until you on property you can request someone else send you a bidpack and/or email you a bidpack to Unzip with the program.
HK has its challenges but its a lot of fun too. Try not to get too wound up during the 5-6 weeks it takes to get all the paperwork, Visas, IDs, housing, etc set up.
Most of the pilots that are there are there by choice and enjoy the trips, so you shouldn't find too many disgruntled or grumpy guys on the line. Good food and fun on most trips, but some of the turns are getting short and tight and day/night swaps are problematic. I'd say its better than most domestic hub turn flying but it is still a grind some nights. As long as you understand that you'll be fine.
School is 20k/kid. FedEx pays 15k per family, so more than 1 kid probably washes any savings you might gain by coming over.
Housing is about 5k. That buys 900 sq ft and 3 BR/2 Bath in DB or New Territories. Forget anything bigger than 2 BR/650 sq feet on HK at that price.
A few folks here have cars. 95% just use public trans. If you go way out in NT or South Lantau you may need one, and its another layer of Chinese paperwork and "cannots" you have to endure for a while. I'd say go 1-2 years without one and live in an area with good public trans. Once you know the area if you decide you want to live in Hickville HK and get a car you can do it...
Dinner out for you and wife is usually 80-120 bucks US. Get used to it learn to eat local or eat in. I hit some small places in the Kwai Fong for dinner now and then, but it ain't that much cheaper than downtown Central.
Hiking and biking is good. Water is by most standards filthy, which can be discouraging if you like water sports. Clearwater Bay/Big Wave Bay/Sai Kung have cleaner water than Lantau, which is closer to Pearl River Delta. My technique now is to leave when I get the urge to swim or surf. Its a bit depressing to see the beautiful beaches from a hiking trail a few miles away, and get all lathered up to go play in the water....then get down there and find trash, syringes (my personal least favorite), and debris on beach and floating in water.
Overall...its a good experience...but you will be reminded every day you live in China. The 20th anniversary of the handover was in July, and China took every opportunity to remind Hong Kong they are daddy now. Every pretty hillside you see is earmarked for future development, and every pasture for future paving. If you can come over understanding you can enjoy this place for a while, but that is is a fading star you'll be fine. If you get too attached to it, however, expect to get your heart broken.
07-31-2017, 05:54 PM
#254
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
Bunch of MD-11, A-300, and 757 slots. Didn't see any more 777 or 767 slots. FDAs will be volunteer only. So--plan on the first three domestic or advise pilot recruitment you are a CDG or HKG volunteer. I think we have our most junior 76 and 777 pilots for a while...
As always--I may be wrong....
As always--I may be wrong....
08-01-2017, 07:09 AM
#255
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jun 2017
Posts: 20
Originally Posted by Albief15
Bunch of MD-11, A-300, and 757 slots. Didn't see any more 777 or 767 slots. FDAs will be volunteer only. So--plan on the first three domestic or advise pilot recruitment you are a CDG or HKG volunteer. I think we have our most junior 76 and 777 pilots for a while...
As always--I may be wrong....
As always--I may be wrong....
08-01-2017, 01:26 PM
#258
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2016
Position: furloughed
Posts: 430
Originally Posted by Albief15
Bunch of MD-11, A-300, and 757 slots. Didn't see any more 777 or 767 slots. FDAs will be volunteer only. So--plan on the first three domestic or advise pilot recruitment you are a CDG or HKG volunteer. I think we have our most junior 76 and 777 pilots for a while...
As always--I may be wrong....
As always--I may be wrong....
08-01-2017, 05:13 PM
#259
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,076
Albie,
If you haven't skied Hokkaido (in northern Japan) it's worth a long weekend. It doesn't have the monster vertical that the Rockies possess.
But my wife and I def enjoyed the superior Japanese customer service. And she was spoiled by the chair lift that literally is connected to the hotel/onsen.
AND you don't have to fly around the world.
Mongo
If you haven't skied Hokkaido (in northern Japan) it's worth a long weekend. It doesn't have the monster vertical that the Rockies possess.
But my wife and I def enjoyed the superior Japanese customer service. And she was spoiled by the chair lift that literally is connected to the hotel/onsen.
AND you don't have to fly around the world.
Mongo
08-02-2017, 11:47 AM
#260
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 51
Originally Posted by jungle driver
Would indicating a desire for a FDA possibly help ones chances at getting hired? FEDEX is my current number one choice because of the CGN base!
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