Ex FedEx
07-22-2023 | 01:15 PM
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 167
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I don’t think pax flying is significantly safer than FX/UPS. Pax carriers haul cargo too and note that many LiBatt incidents were from shippers not following rules and/or intentionally disregarding them - pax carriers aren’t immune from this.
At UPS, we use fire resistant ULDs (cans) and fire blankets over pallets while pax carriers still have the aluminum foil cans. We also have EVAS on all aircraft. Last, having hundreds of people on board means hundreds of opportunities for haz, LiBatt items in check baggage, iPhones catching fires, and so on…
For FedEx/UPS, load shifts aren’t a major threat like they would be at an ACMI. I’m not aware of any significant events for either company in recent years - correct me if wrong here. At UPS we walk the main deck on the 74 before departure and on all fleets we usually have enough cans loaded that would prevent a significant CG change if things started moving around.
Circadian: intl/long haul, I don’t think there’s much difference and could even argue it’s slightly less fatiguing at Fx/UPS vs pax.
Domestic, night sort flying is taxing and a big percentage of FX/UPS flights but pax carriers aren’t exactly immune from back side of the clock work (eg. red-eyes, early am shows, etc.). There’s also a fair amount of day flying. Really, only a segment of pilots are flying nite domestic.
Another factor - FX/UPS pilots in general fly a lot less block hours per year that pax guys do which has the effect of reducing the risk for a lot of these factors. Less risk of hijacking. Less exposure to communicable diseases, etc.
Again, not arguing cargo is safer than pax, just suggesting that they are probably closer that your posts suggests.
At UPS, we use fire resistant ULDs (cans) and fire blankets over pallets while pax carriers still have the aluminum foil cans. We also have EVAS on all aircraft. Last, having hundreds of people on board means hundreds of opportunities for haz, LiBatt items in check baggage, iPhones catching fires, and so on…
For FedEx/UPS, load shifts aren’t a major threat like they would be at an ACMI. I’m not aware of any significant events for either company in recent years - correct me if wrong here. At UPS we walk the main deck on the 74 before departure and on all fleets we usually have enough cans loaded that would prevent a significant CG change if things started moving around.
Circadian: intl/long haul, I don’t think there’s much difference and could even argue it’s slightly less fatiguing at Fx/UPS vs pax.
Domestic, night sort flying is taxing and a big percentage of FX/UPS flights but pax carriers aren’t exactly immune from back side of the clock work (eg. red-eyes, early am shows, etc.). There’s also a fair amount of day flying. Really, only a segment of pilots are flying nite domestic.
Another factor - FX/UPS pilots in general fly a lot less block hours per year that pax guys do which has the effect of reducing the risk for a lot of these factors. Less risk of hijacking. Less exposure to communicable diseases, etc.
Again, not arguing cargo is safer than pax, just suggesting that they are probably closer that your posts suggests.
At fedex.. 70% of flying is night, 30% is day. week on week off hubturns.
Pax flying is quite the opposite, and the 30% of night flying includes one redeye, not multiple legs a night 4 nights in a row.
You might block less, but one circadian disruption per month versus 8-10 per month, there is no argument there.
International stuff, I don't think any of it is good for you long term.
07-22-2023 | 01:18 PM
#42
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2021
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People have left and they are happy with their change. The ones I know had flown passengers in their past life and preferred that lifestyle over cargo lifestyle.
07-23-2023 | 08:42 PM
#43
Line Holder
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 68
07-24-2023 | 09:29 AM
#44
Line Holder
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Interesting thread. I actually do a lot of layovers that are 30 up to 70 hours. I've actually come to realize I feel like my life is completely wasted on the road. End up spending money on rent cars, random attractions to keep myself entertained. Crazy to say I preferred 13-15 hour layovers where you could eat dinner, sleep... get up, work out... eat breakfast and get back to it. Definitely a different world. I see why some do side gigs on the road (YouTube, Stocks, etc..). Time at home is the most valuable asset to me. Sorry not sorry. Everyone is different and I respect that. But I feel I'm just gaining weight and fighting boredom at the end of the day. Contemplating going back to pax.
07-24-2023 | 11:22 AM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 101
07-24-2023 | 11:43 AM
#47
In a land of unicorns
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 102
From: Whale FO
07-25-2023 | 10:37 PM
#50
Line holder
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,179
Likes: 255
From: Aircraft & Seat: old & hard
I don’t work for his company, I’m at NK. 90%+ of my trips are paid based on rig not block. Most are 4 day trips, 70-ish TAFB, so pay 20 (3.5:1 pay). Normally around 15 block, so I would have to fly over 5 hours more to make more money. Long layovers do not mean less pay as long as you have good rigs. We get paid an extra duty for layovers over 24 hours, so every now and then I will get 15 hours of pay for a 2 leg trip with 35 hours TAFB and 8 hours block.
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