Got a PM from a guy wondering how our QOL compares to a top of the food chain corp gig. I know quite a few folks who have migrated from FedEx corporate over to the line, and other former corporate folks who are now here. I am interested in in what some of you might offer up to that have done both that can compare the pros/cons.

The obvious pros I see to a union job at a major or legacy airline is that you don't come to work on Monday (generally) to find your jet has been sold, your flight department has been merged or contracted out, etc etc. Generally speaking, when things are good at those places they are darn good....until they aren't.

My data points are all second hand anymore. I am almost a 15 year captain in an FDA. My new hire experience was plumbing a 727. Several of my friends recently hired are new hire 777s I see when they pass through NRT or HKG. I think there are probably some more junior perspectives and folks with more experience from the corporate world to offer up what they see as the "goods and others..."

I am contemplating throwing in a resume to purple this year. I am looking for some current intel, and whether you think moving forward w/ purple would be a step in the right direction. I'm currently a senior captain on the Global Express out of Kxxx. QOL and pay are 90th percentile (total comp around 225k). 37 years old, with wife and 2 young kids. Week on/week off schedule. Great MX. In the process of finishing my MBA in Finance. I am not familiar with anyone @ FedEx as I have always been on the 91 side of things.
I really appreciate any time or direction in this matter.

What does his health care plan and pension look like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not FDX, but...

I personally know four pilots that have left Fortune 250 corporations, flying large cabin equipment, to come to UPS in the last couple years.

Each of them liked their respective Pt91 jobs which offered very good QOL, but all had reasons to want to change (namely long-term stability, career earning potential, and retirement).

With more than 12,000 General Aviation, Military, Legacy Pax Carrier and Major Cargo Airline hours now, I know absolutely nothing about Part 91 flying ...

Do they have a "Flight Department"? Who does their flight plans (I wouldn't want to be filing an International Flight Plan over the Internet at midnight the night before a 10 hour flight).

It would be nice to be flying a G550 around the world. Who takes care of catering and baggage handling. Who's responsible for aircraft maintenance and logbooks?

Do FBO's do all the ground handling around the world when not at home base?

Personally, I think it's kind of nice to show up an hour prior to my departure, review the provided paperwork, preflight and depart. Is it a similar gig for the major Corporate jobs?

The obvious pros I see to a union job at a major or legacy airline is that you don't come to work on Monday (generally) to find your jet has been sold, your flight department has been merged or contracted out, etc etc. Generally speaking, when things are good at those places they are darn good....until they aren't.

This statement is the real issue! I came up thru the corporate side of flying and it can be a very good job. I also have a friend who was ahead of me time wise who scored a great corporate job flying a jet for a major banking chain in the mid-south area. He did not want to leave to come to FedEx when we were hiring back in the late 90's because life was too good going mostly to Destin on weekends and the crew had their own Gulf front condo to use. Well a merger happened the aircraft were sold and he was flying a baron again. He has since found another good corporate job but traditionally when times are bad the aircraft and crew go.

Chiming in as a guy who has a great 91 gig, but also recently put an app in with FedEx:

I think the thing that kind of got to me was maximizing my career earning potential with the skill set I have available. I love my current job - very large (100B+) company that has been in corporate aviation for over 60 years, great benefits (generous 401k match, good health plan, pension, etc) and all the niceties that come with a large established department. We have great pilots, dispatchers, mx staff, line guys who fuel and clean and stock, handlers when we need them, a flight planning provider - everything that makes a job easy. We fly about 120 days a year with about 35 RONs. It's all great, except we fly Jet III, with no bigger airframes in sight - so the pay band is somewhat limited as far as max earning potential. They seem to be starting to move to a more lucrative pay package (thank you Walmart!) in response to the hiring boom at the legacies, but it's a slow change.

So, life is good and pretty easy. But, being in my early 30's, it's hard to deny the fact that if I were able to get on with FedEx, it would be difficult for a few years - probably commuting, getting adjusted to 121, Union stuff, etc - but, if the pay tables are anywhere close to accurate, year 2 I'd be making more than I do now and then up and away from there. I flew 135 cargo for 4 years earlier in my career and loved it. You're still allowed to wear jeans and hooded sweatshirts at FedEx, right?!

So for my age and situation, I'm testing the waters. If FedEx calls, I'll answer and try my hardest to get in the door, hunker down and work a little harder than I'm used to to provide more opportunities for my wife and kids. If they don't call, I'll still be happy where I am. Money is certainly not everything, but sometimes the numbers are hard to deny.

One guy's thoughts...

Yes--black/blue jeans, white running shoes & hoodies on layovers. You'll fit right in.

We wear uniforms to fly, but NO HATS!!!

And now we wear a bright neon yellow vest to preflight.

All of these great questions will have different answers depending on the flight department, that being the case... In general,



Jeppensen and Global are probably the two biggest players here. They provide world class dispatch releases including weather/customs/filing information. For a typical NY-Europe crossing, you can expect 50-70 pages of dispatch material.


It has its pros and cons for sure. FBO line service personal will hand the bags up through the baggage door and the pilots take turns loading and securing the bags. If the crew has a Flight Attendant on board (varies wildly across the board), they handle all the catering and service. Pilots coordinate maintenance with the OEM in most cases, unless the department has a mechanic they bring with them, or back at the base where they then coordinate MX with the OEM.

That is correct.

Typically we show 2-3 hours prior to takeoff. Inventory, crew briefings, reviewing the paperwork, loading the catering and bags and whatnot typically take a little longer. Most departments require the crew to be in position and ready for departure 1 hour before the scheduled departure time.

Wait, you wear a uniform to fly? I thought that the yellow vest was all we were supposed to wear now. Gets a little cold, though.

Ha! - we were just joking the other night at the bar at what was pretty obviously a pax airline crew hotel...if you ever see what looks like the squarest, least fashion-forward gay couple at the hotel restaurant - it's definitely a flight crew.

Edited to clarify not going for offensiveness, just an immature observation.