Could somebody working for CV please pm me. I worked there back in the 80's and have lost touch with most people for various reasons, age mainly, and I was just wondering if some of the old guys were still around. Thanks in anticipation.

Update for the holdpoolers:
 

First a/c got parked in the desert yesterday. Second one will follow next week! A friend inside CV told me about it yesterday and said it's a difficult time at the moment, but not hopeless.

Regarding that, I want to tell everyone who is in immediate need of a new job and who is getting more stressed out hearing about the latest news: Aerologic is now accepting new applications on their website and starts hiring new FO's for B777F (non-rated). I have a friend who started there last year and she absolutely loves it!

I will sit it out and wait for better times in LUX, however, I am having a safe and permanent contract. Lets keep fingers crossed for all of us!

-brgds

Parked in the desert !?!?!?!?!:confused:

That would be the first I heard of it !?!:eek:

The first aircraft went to UPS recently.:ok:

Here is a related article from Air Cargo News :: The World's Best Read Air Cargo Newspaper

Quote: "First B747-400F recalls a previous crisis

16/09/2009

IT recalls an earlier era when carriers enthusiastically ordered a brand new freighter type, only to have second thoughts in a sharp economic downturn.

B747-400 freighter LXFCV, now undergoing a C-check in the gleaming new maintenance hangar of Cargolux, was ordered by Air France in 1989, and was only the second of the type ever to be built. Then the French carrier changed its mind and parked it in the desert. The aircraft finally entered service with Cargolux in 1993, the first B747-400F ever to take flight with commercial cargo.

Air France was not the only carrier to have second thoughts about the -400F. In 1989-90 a range of other carriers – including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air and Asiana - ordered the freighters from Boeing, but faced with the Gulf War and the early 1990s recession decided to defer delivery. But ultimately, in the late 1990s, the -400F became the workhorse of global air cargo, with 166 delivered by Boeing before production ceased last year.

Is it a good omen for today’s freighter orders? With finance tight to non-existent and volumes plummeting, today’s B777 and B747-8 orders look equally as shaky as those early B747-400Fs. But air cargo may yet go on to shrug off today’s difficulties and enter a new period of golden growth.

In the meantime, LXFCV and one of its fellows is off to UPS in September. As it goes, Cargolux president and CEO Ulrich Ogiermann may shed a sentimental tear, but he will also breathe a big sigh of relief.

The sale of the two aircraft – agreed two years ago – allows Cargolux to trim 12.5 per cent off its capacity and gives it breathing space till its first B747-8Fs – for which it is also the launch customer – arrive in mid 2010.

Ogiermann is currently not over-optimistic about how the market will be by then, forecasting that airfreight will not return to 2007 levels until 2013. He also notes a loss of business to sea freight, as time to market suddenly no longer becomes such an important factor for shippers, and blasts the “irrational capacity that does not follow normal rules” that still remains in the market.

He has a particular target in mind: “Middle Eastern carriers who go for market share and get a lot of money out of the deep pockets of certain governments.” Cargolux is not competing on a level playing field with such operators, he says.

On the other hand, he notices a slight rise in yields out of Asia and the US in recent weeks, a possible glimmer of hope. “But how long these will stay at this level, no one know. We have been wrong twice with our predictions this year, so we have given up making predictions.”..end quote

FCV was never ordered by Air France but is the original first ordered A/C from Cargolux as can be easily seen by her Boeing customer code =R7, the only aircraft not ordered and built to CV specs in the fleet is ICV which is indeed the first -400F and as a 428F was ordered by Air France and spend some time in the desert before joining CV as the 3rd A/C.
CV didn't put FCV in the desert but it was delivered to UPS flown to Roswell as N581UP.

16down2togo is correct.

Yup, think they got their Foxtrots and Indias mixed up:} main thing is, that there was NO parking of any Cargolux aircraft in any deserts:ok:

Guys and girls,

A few people have written private messages to me recently, asking about tips and tricks for the CV selection process.

Whilst I am not against helping people, I find it very annoying that people dont seem to READ THIS THREAD...ALL and I do mean ALL the info you need is right here.

I cannot remember anything that is not already on here...just take the time to read through it.

I did NO SPECIAL preparation, I only read this thread before I went...HONESTLY!!!

Thanks

Pow-wow

@ Stierado,

sorry if I upset you by posting this thread. I was told about it by someone I trust who is F/O for CV for many years. But then of course I don't know where he got his information from.

But honestly, it doesn't make much of a difference to future newhires whether or not aircraft are parked in a desert or sold. Fact is, they are gone. That means, also regarding the capacity cut of 12%, no one will be needed in near future, at least not before new deliveries are due.

However I do understand that for reputation and management purposes it might make a difference if they are sold or grounded. Therefore I apologize.

Rgds

The sale of FCV and ICV was planned years ago to coincide with the introduction of the new -8's. As the production of the -8 has slipped (perhaps conveniently?) there should be a surplus of crews for a while though this doesn't seem to be the case with people still flying in off-days .....:rolleyes:

@offa, Unless we're doing the same amount of flights as we did some weeks/months ago...

Dear Helm 737,

Dont worry, you did not upset me.

I was just a bit puzzled to hear the rumour.

Thanks again.

Stierado:ok:

just a question for the cargolux pilots, what are the layovers like?
with how many crew would you share your layovers, do you regularly go out and do stuff together?

Normally one crewmember from VA, KL or BA would do, but if you're into groups that's possible as well, I guess. Anything goes, no witnesses.

Wow Ray,
you must be the one setting the benchmark!!!
Carry on,
Best regards,
16

I hope Ray wipes it off afterwards......:p

Any news?!!
Or should we just wait until 2010?

bye,
a

According to the latest news from the Recruitment department nothing will happen untill the middle of 2010, unless Bill Boeing steps up with the -8 !

Rumors say CLX will start hiring in Jan 2010. Anybody heard similar things?
Or anyone been invited for an interview yet? Seems like business is slowly picking up again and with two wetleases to support demand it might look brighter now for any fleetexpansion, although CV is known to be very conservative.

WOB

Why would they hire new pilots??
We just got rid of 2 aircraft, so unless they get hold of at least 3 aircraft we don't need extra pilots.

HR department just came back to me with bad news two days ago.

The email sais that due to an additional delay of -8 deliveries, flight crew personnel planning has to be adjusted and that all candidates on the waiting list will receive an email in December about how things look like.

The email also clearly sais there is no need for new crews for the next year. Mrs Wallenborn said, there might be a small chance for newhires at the end of 2010, but as of now, no one knows.

Sad news really....