Shoreguy

Was bashed a bit on my previous post ……I’ll try to explain.....once.

This is why the poster to lurker ratio is SO low on almost all forums of this type…..some folks seem to spend every minute of their spare time just waiting to pounce…

Anyway, regarding my previous post (look it up)…….my point was not that regional/corporate/non heavy types are in any way inferior. In fact, I used to do IOE and the best sticks IMHO were regional guys. But…….even though it is only a one or two day school for INTL, heavy and overwater are different birds, particularly at a very junior domicile. You can have a recently upgraded CPT with little or no heavy/INTL/overwater experience paired with someone similar in the F/O seat (meeting min FAA requirements). Legal, but safe? Ask someone from a certain MEM based carrier how it has worked out for them.

Virtually all UPS new hires are going into F/O seats in big airplanes flying some of the most trying equipment (MD’s) into some of the world’s lousiest airports. Yes, Clark in the Philippines night/IMC/no radar in a big airplane is different that Akron in an RJ. That is my point. Can the RJ/corporate/non-heavy types be trained and get experience to do it with the best of them?......Certainly. But the situation with junior/low experience in seat folks in the INTL environment is very non forgiving.

Fire away if you like……I’ve expressed my opinion. And it is just that, an opinion.

Sputnik

Well I'll be there 4 weeks from today (who's counting) I'll look around. I'm on active side, can't pretend to know full situation on guard side but will find out.

VSP pretty much wiped out the community, guess a lot of those guys are heading up maybe? AK seems only to appeal to certain types (me included) so I'm kind of surprised they've been able to fill the unit so fast. It's always a challenge to get the school slot though.

Incidentally, the more I think about it I have to say the transoceanic requirement seems kind of gay to me too. I've spent way too much of my life crossing one pond or another. I don't want to minimize my career, but what is so hard about it? HF sucks but it ain't rocket science. I remember my first overseas mission, I had no idea what the hell was going on...and that's why they put me with an experienced crew. And I learned. And it didn't take that long.

Seems like UPS is just cutting down their recruiting pool. Now since I still qualify...I'm all for it.

Sputnik

By the way, HH60 would rock, go for it. CSAR is just cool. When you eventually go commercial you'll still know you're going to have fun flying ahead on the weekends.

Guess it'll still be a net increase in speed over the Hawg but you'll get the hang of it (sorry, couldn't resist).

fr8rcaptain

Reference my previous post, heavy ocean crossing time/experience is NOT mandatory for getting an interview, or an MD to ANC....

One of the new hires going through right now came from Continental (EWR), and ONLY has 737 time, no military either.....I guess he did a great job at the interview. He's goin' to ANC on the MD of course.

Even with this "requirement," I'm sure the pool of applicants is sufficient for our paltry needs.

fr8rcaptain

ANC is junior because it's in Anchorage ALASKA! For both the MD11 and our new 747-400 FOs, it is extremely junior, with over 80 slots being filled by new hires as we speak! Except for the top five MD Captains, that list is junior too. The -400 Captains list went a bit more senior on the top end, but those lines will probably be a bit more commutable, and there's always the draw of the heavy metal and new aircraft type rating too.

ANC is junior because the lines are all almost all NON-COMMUTABLE!!! In the winter, the pax carriers really cut back on the commuting flights, and in the summer, all those extra flights are crammed with tourists!

Now, with that said, personally, I love Alaska, and have spent a lot of time in Anchorage and surrounding areas. I'd be a VERY senior Captain up there, but can't even consider a move due to kids in high school, etc. Once the new pilot base stabilizes schedule wise, and the commuting factor is clarified, I might bid it. A lot depends upon how small the SDF MD base gets too.

fr8rcaptain

With the ONLY MD11 sim in SDF decertified by the FAA late this week, do you think this might impact our hiring plans? I wonder how many line guys will go non-current if it's down for more than a week or two.

Just one more variable that a job applicant has no contol over....just get your apps in and hope for the best.

If you know how to fix our sim, I'd bet they'd offer you a job!

TipsyMcStagger

I think that's pretty much the point. With ANC potentially going very junior in the left seat, there will more than likely be new ANC CA's with no international experience of their own (FO's from the domestic fleets upgrading to ANC CA).

If you're a new-hire FO without any international experience of your own, there might not be an experienced crew with which to pair you.

Tipsy

MaxKts

"The super junior Philippine base of another package carrier" flies the Airbus, they tend to bang up Maddogs.



As it should be!

Do you know for a fact the experience level of the crews involved?

Sputnik

What makes MD's "some of the most trying equipment?" I thought they were nice jets....what am I missing? They look good anyway.

L'il J.Seinfeld

The MD-11 has had a dubious history. That's why so many pax operators around the world do not fly them anymore. Boeing even kept making them for a while after the merger, but ceased production in order to focus on the 777.

A JAL pilot killed someone in the back a few years ago by being to aggressive at the controls. FDX, and to a lesser extent UPS, have had some issues with landings as well. I know there are many other reasons some people fear the Maddog, but I won't list them now. FWIW.