UPSers

Can someone give a sample of what the new hire schedules for UPS ANC based pilots look like? Previously I saw some speculation but I was wondering if there was anyone (NH) on this board actually flying up there or familiar with the schedules.

I heard that reserve goes senior up there. Is that correct?
Also if you get a line fairly soon what does it look like? I previously heard one long trip (10-12 days) and then a second shorter trip (5-6 days). Does that sound right to anyone? Anyone commuting up there and if so how is working out??

Thanks

In short the lines suck if you try to commute. Long block (15 day) reserve goes senior as commuters can minimize the number of commutes. There are some long block trips of 12-14 days, but the majority of the lines are week on week off and or short block 2-3 day followed by another 5-7 day trip.

A newhire would either hold 15 day blocks of "A" reserve, which runs from 0600-1800 or regular lines with as many as four (4) separate reports per month, some of which would have you just staying in ANC in between trips if you're commuting. In theory according to the contract, beginning in 2008 the company is supposed to build 60% of the lines in "long block" fashion. Before you ask what this is, I'll say I don't know

The largely un-commutable lines are being built largely out of spite, with the thinking that they will force everyone to move to ANC, and because subordinates are demonstrating how "productive" the ANC domicile is to reduce soft time and hotel costs to their "superiors". While a long sad story, it is yet another example of how UPS is composed of little fiefdoms concerned only with their little goals, regardless of the impact to the entire operation. Case in point the ANC lines, which have minimized "soft" time and hotel costs, while the SDF MD11 trips have more soft time than Nancy Pelosi's husband , and more than make up for the ANC gains. Add to that, the MD11 simulator debacle which is bottlenecking training is reaching critical mass while the management buffoon "in charge" of training continues his Kevin Bacon imitation in "Animal House" ("all is well, all is well") and will likely be promoted to president of the airline next month.

Other than that, ANC is so far a laid back domicile with less of the Mickey Mouse crap than is found in SDF, and hopefully if the training bottleneck opens up we will get some better flying.

Can someone give a sample of what the new hire schedules for UPS ANC based pilots look like? Previously I saw some speculation but I was wondering if there was anyone (NH) on this board actually flying up there or familiar with the schedules.

I heard that reserve goes senior up there. Is that correct?
Also if you get a line fairly soon what does it look like? I previously heard one long trip (10-12 days) and then a second shorter trip (5-6 days). Does that sound right to anyone? Anyone commuting up there and if so how is working out??

Thanks[/QUOTE]

I understand that there is LOTS of money to be made in the ANC domicile
LOTS, like 250% of your regular pay. I heard that at least one ANC captain has made OVER $260,000 through the first SIX MONTHS of the year!

Possible if he cut personal, non-contractual side deals with the skeds, which is fine for this person, but its at the cost of screwing your fellow pilot that might have been contractually entitled to the flying at the 150% JA rate. When one cuts personal deals like this, it just screws everyone else. Unfortunately we do have folks like that within our ranks.

I'm not defending the practice of cutting you own deal. I agree with what you said. It just goes to show you how much UPS is willing to pay to move boxes, $557/hr and how understaffed we are.

I talked to one really senior guy that bid reserve and flew on his off days JA and JA2. I think his figure was $43,000 for the month. I don't know how many months he did that for, but it was all within the contract and with no special deals. Amazing!

A captain senior to that one did even better one month. He sat D and never got called, then took a JA where he got held in Asia, arriving 3 days late...250% land on top of JA. Something like $840/hour for everything after when he was supposed to get home.

I think that is the same guy!

Its not. PM me if you need more info.
TH1