chazbird

[email protected] (whom it seems is associated with FedEx in someway) got back to me pretty rapidly with an answer. They said no, I did not qualify. I resided outside for more than 6 months in the last 5 years. Even if I came back every three months (as I did) the total time of the contract had me out of the country more than 6 months (it did). Nothing to do with taxes, address, home address, bank accounts in US, etc. Again, I am not necessarily peeved at FedEx, but the morons who thought this up and put it in a contract. What about FedEx pilots who "reside" in, for example, CGN? Maybe they don't fly USPS material? One thinks they probably receive it from the USA and then distribute it. Ah, but they already have a job at FedEx, even though they reside outside the USA. Maybe if you bid CGN and then bid back to the USA, then what happens, 5 years off with pay?

Its a moron-paranoid "rule". Fed Ex is generally a very smart company, so its no wonder they never bothered to object to this - how can you counter imbecilic anti-terrorist laws such as this?

chazbird

Oh, I forgot, FedEx is a US based company.

The Dominican

Thank you for the clarification, good luck with your search elsewhere!

My apologies to those whom I might have come across a little abrasive during this exchange!

Flydaplane

Any of you foreign based guys know if they'll touch an ex DC9 and MD80 FO (currently flying BE1900's)? I've got about 5000 TT 1100 pic turbine but no jet PIC. I've had LASIK so I guess all the Japan stuff is out of the question still?

EXPAT1

Yes this is the key point a US based Company and not a foreign based airline and the point of having resided for more than 6 months in a 5 year period.

Candidates for jobs involving handling or access to U.S. mail cannot be considered for employment if they have resided outside the U.S., Guam or Puerto Rico for more than (6) six months during the last (5) years prior to today's date, other than the following verifiable exceptions: active duty in the U.S. Uniformed Service; trailing spouse or dependent of someone working for the U.S. government (military or civilian); missionary; student attending school in a foreign country; Peace Corps participant; employee of a U.S. based employer/company or other extraordinary circumstances.

The Dominican

There is a waiver for LASIK with the JCAB, but it will take sponsorship from the company to get it done, I don't know of anybody who has done it to be honest with you. I would suggest to contact the contract agencies and ask them what is involved in the process.

Probe

The Fedex residency rule is a pain, but it is the rule. It is a security clearance issue.

The US mail carries classified documents. "Secret" goes regular mail. One level up goes registered mail. Fedex does a level above this. Somebody has to do a fairly high level background check. Some government nazi decided to set a limit on foreign residence. Above this the security background check costs a lot more money. A LOT.

If you are flying for Polar, and spend 20 days overseas, no worries. You are flying for a US company, on a US flagged aircraft. Essentially your aircraft is a little slice of America flying at 8 miles a minute and the Captain is the US authority on that aircraft.

If you are flying for Sichuan Airlines but kept a US address - well, not so much.

They are doing a very high level security clearance on you. If you lie, they will find out. 20 years ago they might have spent weeks vetting you for the clearance. In the days of the internet, it will take them 12 seconds to find out that you were a Captain for a foreign airline.

I can't apply to Fedex either.

As far as the rest of it, try to get your contract agency to help, if they are willing. Other than that, you flying mates.

I just came back to my old job in the US. I was shocked at the government forms I had to fill out.

I also had another nasty-gram waiting for me. It seems the tax nazi arm of our government claims that flight time over international waters (and airspace) counts as US income. I looked it up and it does. Luckily only a couple percent of one job was over water, and the next job was domestic only. That was a new one on me.

oicur12

"try to get your contract agency to help"

It turns out the agency is just as un helpful as the airline. They wont issue a letter of no incident/no accident either. Crazy stuff because its the first thing they ask for if you want a contract job.

Probe - were you with Sichuan?

Thanks for all of the info folks.

Probe

BCA.

The company was registered in PEK, but I was based in Sanya. I tried about 6 months prior to the end of contract to get a no criminal record letter from the local PSB. They said I had to do it in PEK as that is where I got my work visa. I tried in PEK, and they started asking me questions about how i could have a PEK work visa and not be working and living in PEK. I politely excused myself.

They I asked the company to ask the CAAC for an official no accident letter. The CAAC's answer was "we don't do that".

Luckily I have a legacy job to go back to for a while. Without that China might be a dead end for a contract pilot career, even when you finish you contract on good terms.

fiveninerzero

Confidential goes Registered Mail. Secret goes Certified Mail. TS cannot be mailed, it is hand transported by courier only.