I'm not aware that anyone has been saying this here or any other recent thread. But you clearly came here with an agenda and felt it was important to point out that while you respect mil pilot's service, our "system" and that pesky cross-wind really should be handled by the likes of Captain RJ. ... Just sayin'....

Oh please. Our job is get stuff safely from A to B. Most of the skills required to do that job are immediately transferable from any military pilot regardless of what he used to do in his old life. The other small fraction is what training and indoc are for.

So.... your point is what? Everyone once in a while we hire a ham fist who probably should have found another line of work? Again - probably members of the 5% club.

You do recall, not too long ago, new hire classes were split up to specifically target previous heavy, glass or AOA experienced pilots to start in the MD?

Yes, in the past but not now.

Like say..... non-RJ mil fighter, heavy and ACMI drivers? But what if there’s a cross-wind?

I believe the “system” he previously referred to was more in reference to the general civilian aviation environment and possibly the FedEx system rather than something aircraft specific like pairing potentially compatible pilots with the MD.

Sorry hit a nerve. You are right i’ll just going back to lurking. BTW I did link the post that referenced my comment. I did not say mil is worse or better just different than Flag ops.

No need to go back to lurking. You know APC, you say something that strikes someone wrong and you get attacked from all corners. And then you change the subject and it ends......

So anyone have any other ideas about why FedEx appears reluctant to hire military pilots now? They used to hire mostly prior military.

Hired last year and my class was still 80% Military backgrounds?

I really don’t think that much has changed in that regard. Just might not be as easy to get your buddies hired, since “Legal”took over our Hiring Department.

I've been here at FedEx just over a year and a half. I don't have the breadth of FedEx experience that the original poster has, so can only give my perspective on this as a new guy. I was hired in 2016 with a Guard background flying fighters with zero 121 experience. Yes the lawyers have taken over. Happened before I got hired, little worse now with elimination of recommendations. Over 60% of my class were mil guys. After you're selected for an interview though it's all pilots. I never had an HR person interview me. HR simply welcomed me to the building then took me to a room to wait for a pilot to come get me (maybe that has changed). 3 pilots ran the SBI, and 2 old school pilots ran the interview. Only a serial killer would fail the personality test---"Are you superior to others", "sometimes I hit things when angry (t/f)" The job knowledge test on the other hand was a ***** for a fighter guy!! Definitely designed for heavy pilots--not just civ dudes. Some mil guys aren't getting the call and that's true. I know two good dudes that Delta called first, and one that didn't pass the interview. I also know plenty of others that got the call first (or at the same time), and passed the interview. The civ new hires that I've met are awesome dudes in general and seem like true pilots that love aviation...not just FMS babies (though as an FO I've never actually flown with them, but that's my ground perception). Maybe he means fighter pilots in place of mil dudes? There were a good percentage of fighter guys still active in the guard/reserve in my class as well. Overall, he is right that we're not hiring as many mil dudes, but I don't think it's a conspiracy (and I love a conspiracy, and still wear my tin foil hat quite often). I just think there are a lot of great 121 folks available out there. As a company why wouldn't you hire them alongside your mil guys? You get a good mix of 121 experience and leadership, combined with the military mission focus and leadership. There are only so many slots available, can't hire all at once.

I’m not sure what exactly is being argued? Is it “who” or is it “when”? I’m assuming all this discussion began the other day when the gentleman posted about FedEx was his number one airline, but Delta offered the job first. After being at Delta for about a year, he’s past V1 and not looking back. WallyF4 then posted his take on FDX hiring practices over the last 14 months.

I was hired in 2017. In my class, we had 70% with a military background. They still like Zoomies; we had four in our class. The majority were heavy guys by about a two to one heavy to fighter ratio.

These numbers are fairly typical for FDX. From what I understand, the other carriers are more of a fifty/fifty split. So I don’t really follow WF4’s intent. Is it just that those separating/retiring are not holding immediate class dates?

If that’s the case, there’s an easy explanation. It’s incredibly competitive right now. Every single legacy/major/cargo airline is hiring full throttle right now. That’s 3500 pilots just for the Big 4 in 2018. With FedEx only having five hundred and 50-70% of that being Mil, we’re talking 250 to 350 spots. Some guys just aren’t going to get in right away.

If it comes to appreciating “aviators”, I think FDX absolutely does. Now, from the way WF4 was saying it, I think he equates aviator with military. But if it also means experience, then FedEx values it more than UAL and DAL to be sure. People that get into class at those carriers don’t even qualify for a FDX interview on a regular basis. Everyone in my class had a leadership background, highly degreed, highly qualified, with incredible levels of experience. At UAL and DAL, those requisites can be replaced with a Legacy parent or volunteering at job fairs/recruiting. I was very appreciative that FDX gave a nod to experience over the old school back doors.

I hope that everyone that deserves a chance, gets a chance. But with competition at an all time high, it may take some time to get there.

I've heard they have flipped the preferences for MD-11 picks from mil tac jet types to civ because many mil guys are dropping much of their first year for reserve duty and management now feels the civ background types will fly more FedEx the first year.