FDX CGN Domicile
11-25-2011, 08:13 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,092
FDX CGN Domicile
Any CGN pilots on here who care to share how it's going so far with the new base?
The good, bad..... the ugly?
If you prefer to PM, I'd appreciate any insight.
Thank you.
The good, bad..... the ugly?
If you prefer to PM, I'd appreciate any insight.
Thank you.
Last edited by CloudSailor; 11-26-2011 at 02:24 PM.
11-26-2011, 05:27 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: Retired, again...
Posts: 608
Hey Cloud,
I hope your time in the pool has been worth the wait.......I know it has for my #1.
Regards,
BG
11-26-2011, 02:23 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,092
FedElta,
Yep, absolutely worth the wait. Loving this job!
I had a chance to meet your #1 in the Falcon building while in training earlier in the year. Very nice guy. Well done, sir.
I imagine he's enjoying his far-away adventures.
11-26-2011, 04:47 PM
#6
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Joined APC: Jan 2011
Posts: 77
02-22-2014, 10:56 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,092
I can't speak for everyone, but from what I see/hear:
Guys are overall pretty happy here. And when the spouse is happy, even more so, as this is a great setup for traveling. Cologne's central location makes it easy to travel around all of Europe by train/car/plane. Guys/gals are also relatively more senior here than anywhere else. I think our most junior captains couldn't hold MEM (not sure). But, most lines are night-hub turning, several with 3 legs a night. As with HKG I imagine, there are still improvements to be made on tuition assistance, COLA with the escalating Euro now, etc... The Continuing Implementation Agreement measures have definitely helped though.
It seems that most guys are leaving around the 3 year mark on average (just an educated guess). We have had a large exodus of FO's who were hired into CGN to get on property (it was their choice to make to either get a class date for CGN, or stay in the pool until MEM/HKG became available). Although of course there are the few who will stay here for the full 4years 9months, and will stay longer if that limit is removed (if the company begins to pay into the German Social Security - unlikely). If the housing allowance was available while living in France, Spain, or Italy, we would have many more guys staying here for as long as possible too.
About commuting - very tough, IMO. There are a few guys who have done it for the short term (4-6 months) to finish out their 2 year commitment while their family moves back a little earlier for school reasons, etc. I believe there might be one guy who is planning on doing it for his entire 2 years here, but when I've looked at his calendar, I cringe because I know he has a family back home and he is gone a lot.
Good luck with your decision for the upcoming bid (March-April?).
tankerpuke, after typing that out, I realized you might not be at FedEx and you're just considering what the implications of taking a CGN class would entail. If you have young children, and enjoy being home, I would say that commuting as a junior FO here would not be an option at all. If you are an empty-nester it might work out for you. I don't think commuting (my idea of it) would work well for other than the top 10% in each seat. If your family is up for the move though, this could be a great experience, it has been for most guys here with families.
Last edited by CloudSailor; 02-22-2014 at 11:06 PM.
02-23-2014, 07:59 AM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 164
tankerpuke,
I can't speak for everyone, but from what I see/hear:
Guys are overall pretty happy here. And when the spouse is happy, even more so, as this is a great setup for traveling. Cologne's central location makes it easy to travel around all of Europe by train/car/plane. Guys/gals are also relatively more senior here than anywhere else. I think our most junior captains couldn't hold MEM (not sure). But, most lines are night-hub turning, several with 3 legs a night. As with HKG I imagine, there are still improvements to be made on tuition assistance, COLA with the escalating Euro now, etc... The Continuing Implementation Agreement measures have definitely helped though.
It seems that most guys are leaving around the 3 year mark on average (just an educated guess). We have had a large exodus of FO's who were hired into CGN to get on property (it was their choice to make to either get a class date for CGN, or stay in the pool until MEM/HKG became available). Although of course there are the few who will stay here for the full 4years 9months, and will stay longer if that limit is removed (if the company begins to pay into the German Social Security - unlikely). If the housing allowance was available while living in France, Spain, or Italy, we would have many more guys staying here for as long as possible too.
About commuting - very tough, IMO. There are a few guys who have done it for the short term (4-6 months) to finish out their 2 year commitment while their family moves back a little earlier for school reasons, etc. I believe there might be one guy who is planning on doing it for his entire 2 years here, but when I've looked at his calendar, I cringe because I know he has a family back home and he is gone a lot.
Good luck with your decision for the upcoming bid (March-April?).
tankerpuke, after typing that out, I realized you might not be at FedEx and you're just considering what the implications of taking a CGN class would entail. If you have young children, and enjoy being home, I would say that commuting as a junior FO here would not be an option at all. If you are an empty-nester it might work out for you. I don't think commuting (my idea of it) would work well for other than the top 10% in each seat. If your family is up for the move though, this could be a great experience, it has been for most guys here with families.
I can't speak for everyone, but from what I see/hear:
Guys are overall pretty happy here. And when the spouse is happy, even more so, as this is a great setup for traveling. Cologne's central location makes it easy to travel around all of Europe by train/car/plane. Guys/gals are also relatively more senior here than anywhere else. I think our most junior captains couldn't hold MEM (not sure). But, most lines are night-hub turning, several with 3 legs a night. As with HKG I imagine, there are still improvements to be made on tuition assistance, COLA with the escalating Euro now, etc... The Continuing Implementation Agreement measures have definitely helped though.
It seems that most guys are leaving around the 3 year mark on average (just an educated guess). We have had a large exodus of FO's who were hired into CGN to get on property (it was their choice to make to either get a class date for CGN, or stay in the pool until MEM/HKG became available). Although of course there are the few who will stay here for the full 4years 9months, and will stay longer if that limit is removed (if the company begins to pay into the German Social Security - unlikely). If the housing allowance was available while living in France, Spain, or Italy, we would have many more guys staying here for as long as possible too.
About commuting - very tough, IMO. There are a few guys who have done it for the short term (4-6 months) to finish out their 2 year commitment while their family moves back a little earlier for school reasons, etc. I believe there might be one guy who is planning on doing it for his entire 2 years here, but when I've looked at his calendar, I cringe because I know he has a family back home and he is gone a lot.
Good luck with your decision for the upcoming bid (March-April?).
tankerpuke, after typing that out, I realized you might not be at FedEx and you're just considering what the implications of taking a CGN class would entail. If you have young children, and enjoy being home, I would say that commuting as a junior FO here would not be an option at all. If you are an empty-nester it might work out for you. I don't think commuting (my idea of it) would work well for other than the top 10% in each seat. If your family is up for the move though, this could be a great experience, it has been for most guys here with families.
How will FDX fill the CGN seats as those pilots return to the US. Or will they just shrink the base?
Has FDX been happy with the base, is CGN profitable? There's a video on YouTube that tours the CGN sort facility, pretty awesome.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kcPYWDhjVek
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