Does anyone here have the real story behind the 757 flex mess? I have a feeling that this meeting probably has much more to do with this topic than any other.

Heard a rumor that FS has told all of his buds that the 1st 757 into DC will be on April 8, 2008 and that he hasn't been briefed that there isn't a snowball's chance in Baghdad that this time line will be met given the current fiasco with training in the 757.

I spoke with the IAD ramp agent recently, he said they've been told to expect 2 of the first 757's to go to DCA (they can land during the curfew, the 727's can't) and that the IAD rampers may be working the flights!

From the new hire thread a few days back.

I believe that we have been approved some slots into DCA for the 757, starting in April. Its not so much Fred impressing his buds, its that they are use or lose. If the 75s are delayed we risk losing those slots. Similar to the reason British Airways was flying empty jets across the pond to maintain their slot rights somewhere, as highlighted by the national news media a couple of weeks ago.

I wouldn't be surprised if we end up leasing a 75 or two to fly up there empty to keep the slots.

That may be a bit far fetched, but who knows.

The mess that I am referring to is the lack of instructors in the 757. All of the flexes quit, and no one wants to do the job. The company can't offer good deals to the instructors that are not addressed in the CBA. They could definitely come up with an aircraft, but who will fly it?

Something about, in order for a crew to fly revenue freight at FDX they must be checked out in the acft......

Maybe the same kind of guys that fly those Gemini DC10's?

The title of this thread has the word 'nad' in it. That's great.

Thanks for noticing. I did that with respect to the other thread about the meeting on the 6th. It has the word wiht

The correct spelling is "wid"

Only after several Bloody Marys combined with Eggs Benedict and something else?