NewOldGuy

Been running anywhere from 2-6 weeks.


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Aviationguy

Is it true that a pilot can be displaced from their aircraft and/or base by another pilot during a system bid?

USMCFDX

Not on a normal bid, only if there is an excess bid.

The Walrus

And never from a foreign domicile.

Albief15

No longer the case...

KC10 FATboy

Old language (excess bid). The new system bid changes that. Our union recently promised to send some training material out to the members to teach us about these changes. Hopefully we get it before our next bid.

USMCFDX

You are correct sorry. Still has to be a company determined excess in that seat though for someone to be pushed out.

IQuitEagle

I'm exciting to be joining Fedex soon and have decided to accept a position in Hong Kong. I was just wondering what kind of routes people based there on the 75/76 fly these days? Also, in what area do most people end up getting housing? Thanks!

Albief15

You can join the Hong Kong Google groups and get a lot better intel from folks already there.

Kids will drive you towards Discovery Bay or Sai Kung to put kids in Discovery or Renaissance College. DBIS or any of the ESF schools are also solid choices, but living on HK Island will cost you 20-40% more than the other options.

Go buy BidX and download the bidpacks. You'll get more intel there than any other source for the trips. Until you on property you can request someone else send you a bidpack and/or email you a bidpack to Unzip with the program.

HK has its challenges but its a lot of fun too. Try not to get too wound up during the 5-6 weeks it takes to get all the paperwork, Visas, IDs, housing, etc set up.

Most of the pilots that are there are there by choice and enjoy the trips, so you shouldn't find too many disgruntled or grumpy guys on the line. Good food and fun on most trips, but some of the turns are getting short and tight and day/night swaps are problematic. I'd say its better than most domestic hub turn flying but it is still a grind some nights. As long as you understand that you'll be fine.

School is 20k/kid. FedEx pays 15k per family, so more than 1 kid probably washes any savings you might gain by coming over.

Housing is about 5k. That buys 900 sq ft and 3 BR/2 Bath in DB or New Territories. Forget anything bigger than 2 BR/650 sq feet on HK at that price.

A few folks here have cars. 95% just use public trans. If you go way out in NT or South Lantau you may need one, and its another layer of Chinese paperwork and "cannots" you have to endure for a while. I'd say go 1-2 years without one and live in an area with good public trans. Once you know the area if you decide you want to live in Hickville HK and get a car you can do it...

Dinner out for you and wife is usually 80-120 bucks US. Get used to it learn to eat local or eat in. I hit some small places in the Kwai Fong for dinner now and then, but it ain't that much cheaper than downtown Central.

Hiking and biking is good. Water is by most standards filthy, which can be discouraging if you like water sports. Clearwater Bay/Big Wave Bay/Sai Kung have cleaner water than Lantau, which is closer to Pearl River Delta. My technique now is to leave when I get the urge to swim or surf. Its a bit depressing to see the beautiful beaches from a hiking trail a few miles away, and get all lathered up to go play in the water....then get down there and find trash, syringes (my personal least favorite), and debris on beach and floating in water.

Overall...its a good experience...but you will be reminded every day you live in China. The 20th anniversary of the handover was in July, and China took every opportunity to remind Hong Kong they are daddy now. Every pretty hillside you see is earmarked for future development, and every pasture for future paving. If you can come over understanding you can enjoy this place for a while, but that is is a fading star you'll be fine. If you get too attached to it, however, expect to get your heart broken.

Raptor

Albie,

Normal lines, is it week on, week off so you have the opportunity to jet over to Thailand, Vietnam, etc for short vacations? Isn't HK a great opportunity to see Asia if you don't have kids in school there?

Do you trade trips among yourselves to improvise schedules, or is that hard to do?