From Cathay to FedEx

[Saturn]

From ALPA e-mail today:

"FedEx Express began a class of 16 pilot new hires on August 8. Seven of these new hires are going to the ANC domicile as MD-11 First Officers. Six are headed to CGN as B757 First Officers. One is going to HKG as an Airbus First Officer and the two remaining new hires are being trained as MEM B727 First Officers. This class of pilots came from a variety of backgrounds. We have pilots joining us from the USAF, USN, ANG, Atlas Air, Miami Air, Cathay Pacific, Pinnacle, Omni, US Air, Gulf and Caribbean Cargo, Mesa, Peak Aero and NASA.

The junior seniority number, or the infamous "Caboose" is now 4552 on the updated Master Seniority List."


As for Holiday sims, I have had a sim on the 23rd of December. You can probably count on the 24-26th off, along with Thanksgiving day. Beyond that, you could have a training event.

Rumor is, it's more than one leaving Cathay.

[positionalpor]

Cx is the only legacy carrier where pilots quit to go elsewhere.Can you blame them? What a disgrace.

[gipilot]

Guys,

Who do you think management would prefer to see leaving,a cheap ass C-class pilot or a 10 yr old B-scale F/O on housing with 3 kids?? Think about the long term savings they will make not having that guy here and replacing him with a c-scaler soon.

So next time you hear people leaving it's management laughing. Especially now that recruitment is picking up slowly but surely. Oooh and those training costs are peanuts in a big company like this.

At the end, WITH people leaving or with unhappy pilots they make $2.8Billion, you do the math.

Gippster

[I'mbatman]

The Gent that left was an LAX B-777 COS 08 FO in Yr 3. Pretty much that entire demographic has apps out back home.

[dkul]

Interesting to see someone from NASA on the list....but I guess with the Space Shuttle program now terminated the astronauts need to find new jobs. :ok:

[airdualbleedfault]

I think that is supposed to read Cathay/NASA, after all is'nt every CX flight a moon shot ;)

[crwjerk]

The Gent that left was an LAX B-777 COS 08 FO in Yr 3.

A DEFO then.... Can't say I'll miss him.......:D

[cxorcist]

Crwjerk,

I'm betting he won't miss you either.

Airdualbleedfault,

Don't you mean money shot. ;);)

CXorcist

[elgringo]

I'll be next...

10 year F/O...

[cxorcist]

From a credible source, I hear there are a dozen or more leaving for FedEx.

CXorcist

[Michael Hunt]

Jesus, a bunch of direct entry F/Os leaving for Fedex? That's a shame.
I'll miss the 15 hours of continuous bitching about their commute from Buttf@ck Idaho to get to LAX and the crappy hotel they had to stay in and the audacity of Cathay to expect them to actually be somewhere near their base when on reserve.
I'll especially miss the "sector thief" that then goes on to fly the sector like they are in training for the aviation Special Olympics.

[cxorcist]

Watching some HKG based pilots try to do a 4700 mile straight in visual to 07R in ANC or follow preceding traffic to LAX visual 24R...

Knife cuts both ways, Michael Hunt.

Cheers,

CXorcist

[Michael Hunt]

No knives required big fella. Just pointing out some observations and anecdotal evidence from on the line.
Unacceptable for any pilot to show up unprepared to operate an aircraft in a safe and competent manner into any port whether it be familiar or unfamiliar.

Mind you if I saw Cathay as a stop gap for a few years until the "Feast or Famine" U.S. airline industry moved to feast again I would probably be inclined to put in the least amount of effort to scrape by too.

[s11max]

OK, how many CX pilots are REALLY going to FEDEX, and what is their demographic?

I have heard guys who "supposedly" have a start date and others who are "supposedly" waiting for a start date.

Who the hell would leave CX to fly from MEM/ANC/HKG in a clapped out B727 or MD11?

Remember there are some, ahhh, perks....at CX (See Note 1).

Note 1
Said perks only available on passenger aircraft.

[bm330]

Supposed to be at least 30 in the UPS hiring pool as well.

[joejet]

.Better pay than CoS08 after 1st year
.defined retirement plan
.tax deferred retirement program 401K
.132 new aircraft coming (777F & 757F)
.CN pay based on years of service (8yr FO becomes 8yr CN)
.strong union
.bridged medical coverage after retirement
.preferential bidding
.ability to change bases and equipment on seniority
.training not checking
.jumpseating worldwide on US carriers
.flexible PT travel with no penalties
.NO HATS

Bonus..don't have to listen to HKG pilots complain about their reserve or the taxes they pay on their housing allowance;)

[Sir KDM Lowe]

.NO HATS

.......sign me up. ;)

[Air Profit]

JetJoe. The most important point mentioned in your post is 'bridged retirement medical'. A colleague just told me recently that he was quoted $2700/mo usd for he and his wife for post age65 medical coverage. And that was with NO pre-existing conditions being covered (who at age 65 has no conditions?). A Fedex pilot may pay $200/mo after retirement... Start doing the math boys :ooh:

[Bob Hawke]

But won't the "team" look after us?

[Sqwak7700]

They really do not know what they are doing those "astronauts". I never heard a cleared below MSA call-out. And I don't think they cycled the seatbelts sign going through 20K.

Oh well, I guess not everyone can invent aviation... :rolleyes:

[Fly747]

Not only that but they were talking about pictures at the beginning.
Also didn't get the gear down until 300ft.
Completely unsuitable for CX.

[Five Green]

All is not lost at cx though as I heard in the new SOPs we are going to change some of our "check" responses to "same here" just like NASA !

FG

[crewsunite]

HERE IS ANOTHER REASON YOU SHOULD WORK FOR FEDEX RATHER THAN CX!

Those of you freighter pilots, CX only cares about $. "Bring me some more of those batteries"! Loaded in India & China there is bound to be another hull loss soon. Given that some airlines have a temp band on transporting them you'll see a lot more CX freighter flights.

CX have no strategy in place. I really don't think CX cares esp with NR! Its worth the risk. The question is, how much integrity do you as a pilot have to take a stand?

Industry First Onboard Automatic Fire Suppression System | FedEx Global Newsroom (http://news.van.fedex.com/firesuppressionvideo)


FedEx Express unveiled the industry's first onboard automatic fire-suppression system (FSS), elevating the level of safety during international, over-water flights. The comprehensive fire-safety system is the result of seven years of design and development efforts at FedEx Express, and expands upon the company's existing commitment to advancing aviation safety.

[BusyB]

I watched it but it doesn't say it works on lithium battery fires (doesn't say it doesn't either) which would make it a winner:confused:

[jonathon68]

I am not a North American , but I have numerous friends in Fedex.

Personally, I consider an Airline move now to be quite late in the game. UPS and FEDEX etc are the only NAM operators with viable wide-body employment going through the next few years of QE etc. Hopefully the guys moving this late, will survive.

Obama is talking things up. But he only needs to keep the votes through November 2012. After that, some sensible economic policies will surely start to bring things down to reality. Ultimately, we are looking at systemic downturn here in Asia soon. Then it is last in-first out... or locals in-expat out.

[Cpt. Underpants]

If we want a reaction from the company regarding these little silver explosives, it's really simple guys:

Take it to the press.

Are you listening, Apple Daily? (forget SCMP, they preach the highest bidders' sermon).

Can you imagine the PR nightmare if (when) we do have a fire caused by these Li batteries? After the pilots warned the company about the potential dangers...

Personally, I really believe we're heading for a catastrophe if we continue carrying them. I couldn't imagine a worse way to die.

[brisdude]

All US nationals though right? Plenty of low time RH guys from EU, Asia, Aus willing to take their places thinking that the sun is rising...

[Koan]

Interviewed only at CX and but can say they were more concerned about my "commitment" and "sincerity" than even the tech questions.

I was told "We hired a bunch of US guys before and they left when UA, DL, etc. called, who do you have applications on file with"? Just being totally frank I told them about FDX and the interviewer moaned on an on about it (like I ever had a chance there with no sponsors?). Seems they are indeed concerned about costs associated with RJ climbers who dare to come to HK and their widebody ticket punched only to bail back home as soon as possible.:=

[Air Profit]

yes, well...after the recent court decision in the US favouring the ex-TWA pilots, it will be interesting to see how many now leave CX and head back to American Airlines. At least they can have commands in the US....!!

[Mooseflyer]

Seems they are indeed concerned about costs associated with RJ climbers who dare to come to HK and their widebody ticket punched only to bail back home as soon as possible.:=


As well they should be! While the pay and possibly QOL at CX over the first year or three is marginally better than one may expect at a US major, one only has to look at the CX swiss-cheese contract to figure out why guys would bail. And upgrade? Forgettaboudit.....