Jman85

Regional Capt here just trying to learn more.
I hear a lot of people leave legacies for FedEx. I’m curious as to what Fedex has to offer that a legacy doesn’t. Used to be in law enforcement so it doesn’t matter to me whether I carry boxes or passengers. I want to work for a company that takes care of its pilots. I’ve never met an unhappy Fedex pilot but plenty of legacy pilots who have something to say.
So like I said, just trying to learn more and have a company to shoot for. By the time I flow and gain seniority, it’ll be years before being in base for AA. But I hear a lot of Fedex people commute and say it’s no big deal. Thanks for any info.

Globemaster2827

While I don't commute there are a ton of ways to do it at FedEx. For the domestic stuff you can probably hold lines after a few months where you jumpseat in with the sort in the AM or PM and then fly with the outbound sort. So let's say you are working 2 separate weeks with MEM Night hub turns on the 767... You'd show up at DFW or AFW at around 2130 and jumpseat into MEM. Then you'd fly all week doing hub turns and when you're done you'd probably land in MEM at 2330 and then leave on your jumpseat home at 0330 4 hours later back to DFW. That's when you're junior... As you get more Senior you'd get "Double Deadhead" trips where you'd have the company pay for a ticket out of DFW to something like STL and then you'd hub turn all week. When you're done you'd get a paid ticket home....

The guys doing International on the 777 or the MD also have trips that start and end with deadheads. Those are business class in lie flat seats.... mostly. I think they're supposed to show up and get rest in MEM before they fly longer legs but I'm not 100% sure that actually happens all the time... They could probably describe that better than I could.

Overall I've heard it's very easy here. As a bonus you're never gonna really sweat a jumpseat here as they're mostly completely empty. In my 3 years here I've never flown where the jumpseats were all full and I usually have them empty. You also won't have to deal with sitting with passengers in the middle seat.

opt0712

Beat advice is to search all the FedEx threads here and gather information. Here's a good starting point:
https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/fedex/127152-fedex-vs-airlines-pro-con.html

Globemaster2827

I'll throw this out there too... FedEx will also pay to move you into your base when you get hired. Obviously you'd be able to hold MEM but if you really hate MEM you might be able to hold ANC, IND or OAK these days...

gatorhater

If you’re chasing $$ then living in base is what you’ll need to do, pax or cargo. If you’re a QOL guy then the above cargo description is spot on. I’m a QOL commuter and there’s noting better than commuting on FDX. Mine is a one hour flight that is drivable in a pinch but I was a regional guy and greatly prefer it to pax work.

Globemaster2827

I hate to break it to you but living in base is much better QOL as well... I've never had to sit in a room from 11-4AM hoping for a jumpseat that puts me in my own bed at 5AM... If I want to stay Senior I can cherry pick trips as opposed to needing a double dead head or waiting for some trip that goes through my home town. I'll never need one guy to retire so I can hold that trip. If I want to make more money then I can take first available upgrade and sit at home on Reserve instead of being away from my family in a crash pad. Heck when I'm Senior I may want Reserve anyway depending on how busy we are at the time as I'm gonna get paid to sit at home and scratch my rear...

I get it that some people must live away for whatever reason but living in base will always be a better QOL.... And so is the money.

Jman85

I definitely agree that nothing beats living in base. I’m just curious what makes Fedex so amazing that people leave a legacy for it.
I know one can get to a wide body faster but for me any pay rate is better than the regionals.

Is the schedule at FedEx more flexible compared to the legacies? I know AA pilots can’t stand their PBS but Delta loves theirs.

NotMrNiceGuy

Ah, sitting at home on reserve… those were the days. Definitely in the rear for now in my fleet/seat. 125 hours of block in 2020. Just checked my OE experience summary and I have that in 6 months this year. Maybe cause the training letter is emptying my seat, but it’s definitely not the relaxed job it was not so long ago.

The point about living in base is well-received. Having two young boys, I would hate to miss more of their lives than I already do.

gatorhater

I don’t necessarily disagree, but there are a multitude of reasons for not moving to Memphis (entrenched ex and kids to name one). Comparing the ease of commuting to FedEx with the unknown and unreliability of a pax in a similar situation is where I’m coming from.

in a perfect world I’d sit reserve and coach the kids in Memphis and still be married, didn’t work out that way. I can’t imagine trying to commute with a pax sched compared to FedEx/UPS.

FedEx Pilot

We are not here to sell you on why to come here. Every NH class lately has guys bailing from their major airline gig. That should speak volumes. Start jumpseating on us and chat with the crews.