CASS and Cargo

Well if you may recall. Fedex had an incident with one of their own employees who attacked the crew with an axe. That might have somthing to do with it.
 
The Fedex employee who attacked the crew was another pilot, though. I think that OAL pilots can go up front and sit in the flight deck jumpseat at Fedex. I'm sure if that's wrong, I'll be corrected shortly.....
 
McCrosky said:
That's weird, and I think it's kind of a bit of BS. My last job was a supplemental carrier, but we ran to full 121 flag standards, and the dispatchers were (still are) included in CASS. I also think the whole "flight following" idea is crap, and if you do a flight plan and something goes wrong, I KNOW the FAA will come for your certificate even though the responsibility reverts to the DO. A bit of double standard I think on their part. I hope this rule gets changed soon.
Click to expand...

Was the same with my last job - Supplemental but also flag, so we dispatchers were in CASS.

What I was told is that if it's strictly Supplemental, then licensed DX not required. Doesn't matter that all employed are licensed dispatchers, if the manuals state we are flight followers. Flight followers are not crewmembers, so no CASS privileges.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Just going by how it was explained to me...
 
womanpilot73 said:
It has to do with the fact that currently supplementals aren't required to hire "dispatchers". So at some supplemental carriers, dispatchers are hired as "flight followers". Flight followers are not considered "crew members" and so cannot be in CASS. This was the explanation my boss just gave me.
Click to expand...
I totally understand the difference between the two but if I wasn't mistaken I thought that position was listed as "dispatcher" and not "flight follower/ops coordinator" ect
 
womanpilot73 said:
It has to do with the fact that currently supplementals aren't required to hire "dispatchers". So at some supplemental carriers, dispatchers are hired as "flight followers". Flight followers are not considered "crew members" and so cannot be in CASS. This was the explanation my boss just gave me.
Click to expand...

Precisely.
 
McCrosky said:
What's up with that? Doesn't the 'C' in CASS stand for 'Cockpit'? Is this a FedEx pilot thing? Does that also extend to OAL pilots? Would it help if I brought cookies like the old days? UPS considers the entire courier area as "cockpit" and we'll take OAL dispatchers that are CASS and have agreements (which is pretty much everyone I think).
Click to expand...
It's corporate security. They only allow us Jumpseat outside of the US a limit of two times and cite "security concerns". Apparently they think we are only safe to sit up front twice a year when leaving the US, however we are unsafe the other times. It is completely twisted logic. Now, what the PIC will do is up to him/her. *wink wink nudge nudge*
 
womanpilot73 said:
Was the same with my last job - Supplemental but also flag, so we dispatchers were in CASS.

What I was told is that if it's strictly Supplemental, then licensed DX not required. Doesn't matter that all employed are licensed dispatchers, if the manuals state we are flight followers. Flight followers are not crewmembers, so no CASS privileges.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Just going by how it was explained to me...
Click to expand...

I think if you're DO wanted to he could allow the dispatchers in CASS. Especially if your job title on your ID says "dispatcher" and you are required to do a FAM ride and such. We were a straight supplemental certificate.

PlaneFan82 said:
It's corporate security. They only allow us Jumpseat outside of the US a limit of two times and cite "security concerns". Apparently they think we are only safe to sit up front twice a year when leaving the US, however we are unsafe the other times. It is completely twisted logic. Now, what the PIC will do is up to him/her. *wink wink nudge nudge*
Click to expand...

That's just crazy.. I mean seriously. I used to be a ramp agent at Fed and loved riding the jumpseat. (pre 9/11 of course). I did a couple trips to SYD and back on them.. good times. I did have a long and verbose ... discussion.. in another forum with a FDX captain about why a dispatcher can occupy the jumpseat. His regulatory interpretation was... unique. It sucks that it seems you can't get a ride on your own planes.I guess that's one thine the competition does a little better ;-). I do recall the Brownshirts at my ramp being overzealous on everything though.. so I can see it.

jrdownunder said:
Well if you may recall. Fedex had an incident with one of their own employees who attacked the crew with an axe. That might have somthing to do with it.
Click to expand...

The Calloway incident happened in the early 90/s(??) and they continued to allow all FDX employees jumpseat privileges until 9/11. I can't see that being the reason. I think, as PLaneFan stated, it's a quirky overzealous department at the company now.
 
We are allowed to sit up front in our own metal as much as we want..... in the 50 states, but once we leave the confines of the United States, all bets are off. Makes perfect sense right?
 
McCrosky said:
I think if you're DO wanted to he could allow the dispatchers in CASS. Especially if your job title on your ID says "dispatcher" and you are required to do a FAM ride and such. We were a straight supplemental certificate.
Click to expand...

Perhaps where Kev is, that could be the case but definitely not where I'm at. Here's why...our operations center is a separate company from the airline. Although both are owned by the same people and we are in the exact same location, we are still separate companies. The airline contracts the ops center to do the "flight following" duties, aka dispatch. This is one reason why we can't have CREW or Dispatcher on our badges (the other being that we're flight followers, according to our company manuals, even though our manuals state that we'll hire only those with a valid dispatch license!). For fam rides, we have to get permission from the FAA. Booo... :(
 
PlaneFan82 said:
We are allowed to sit up front in our own metal as much as we want..... in the 50 states, but once we leave the confines of the United States, all bets are off. Makes perfect sense right?
Click to expand...

Clearly, you are flying to your Al-Ki-eeda training camp in Paris or was it Rome....?
 
PlaneFan82 said:
FedEx will let you Jumpseat, just not in the cockpit. Courier area only, and not allowed on the 777 or 767 since there is no cockpit door.
Click to expand...
That's a TSA thing. Same deal why you cannot jumpseat (ride in the actual cockpit) internationally on other carriers, but you can ride on your own metal.
 
Figby said:
The Fedex employee who attacked the crew was another pilot, though. I think that OAL pilots can go up front and sit in the flight deck jumpseat at Fedex. I'm sure if that's wrong, I'll be corrected shortly.....
Click to expand...
Thank you, Auburn Calloway for F'ing it up!
 
deltabobo said:
That's a TSA thing. Same deal why you cannot jumpseat (ride in the actual cockpit) internationally on other carriers, but you can ride on your own metal.
Click to expand...
No it is a FedEx corporate security policy....oh and jealousy from the other employees that cannot ride in the Jumpseat any more
 
deltabobo said:
That's a TSA thing. Same deal why you cannot jumpseat (ride in the actual cockpit) internationally on other carriers, but you can ride on your own metal.
Click to expand...

You can ride cockpit on cargo carriers. there's a couple hoops you have to jump through, but it can be done. GTI and PAC have in the past pretty good with allowing it. FDX and UPS choose not to allow it, because they don't wanna do the legwork I suppose. But as previously mentioned... FDX seems even more restrictive.

PlaneFan82 said:
No it is a FedEx corporate security policy....oh and jealousy from the other employees that cannot ride in the Jumpseat any more
Click to expand...

I can totally see that there... if we can't ride then no one can! The int'l restriction is just weird and seems kind of baseless. You should unionize and get that fixed ;-). In my "discussion" with a fedec pilot he felt that his company dxr's could not "legally" occupy a cockpit seat unless it was the official fam ride... but that a CASS qualified OAL dxr was OK. Again, his interpretation of the English language was unique. But after your insight into FDX corp culture (which seems to have changed since I was there over a decade ago) seems to explain his version.

womanpilot73 said:
Perhaps where Kev is, that could be the case but definitely not where I'm at. Here's why...our operations center is a separate company from the airline. Although both are owned by the same people and we are in the exact same location, we are still separate companies. The airline contracts the ops center to do the "flight following" duties, aka dispatch. This is one reason why we can't have CREW or Dispatcher on our badges (the other being that we're flight followers, according to our company manuals, even though our manuals state that we'll hire only those with a valid dispatch license!). For fam rides, we have to get permission from the FAA. Booo... :(
Click to expand...

Sooo y'all are basically a contract dispatch thing. That makes sense i guess. Sucks for y'all though. whats the point of working in aviation if you can't whisk off for a weekend in exotic locations on a whim? The pay ain't that great.

IN more positive commentary, thanx to UAL for getting me back from MZBZ this week!! Plan A failed me (pass riding DL), but they were extremely helpful in getting me a seat back stateside.
 
McCrosky said:
Sooo y'all are basically a contract dispatch thing. That makes sense i guess. Sucks for y'all though. whats the point of working in aviation if you can't whisk off for a weekend in exotic locations on a whim? The pay ain't that great.
Click to expand...

Yes, we are, even though the airline is in house. The CASS part does suck, but for me it's a trade off. The point for me is the experience. Been here since day one and have learned loads about starting an airline and have been a part of the whole process. Plus, getting to dispatch 3 and 4 engine a/c internationally is great experience for me as well. I'm hoping it will help get me where I want to be ultimately. As far as the pay goes, it is way better than my last gig...that helps make up for not having CASS privileges. We have an awesome group of people here. I love it ;-)
 
womanpilot73 said:
Yes .... Plus, getting to dispatch 3 and 4 engine a/c internationally is great experience for me as well. I'm hoping it will help get me where I want to be ultimately...... I love it ;-)
Click to expand...

I have to second this emotion...:biggrin: I would love to be pushing the big iron around the globe to all kinds of crazy destinations....And maybe get to js once in a while would be ok too...

Of course, I have no idea what Im talking about. But seems like 73's and CJ/RJ's would get pretty sleepy after a year or so...same same. Same cities, same plane...At least you one has El Nino to mix things up out here. (Thank you Greenhouse Gases!):stir:
 
Can anyone make out the livery on this squatter? It looks like World.
It seems like somebody lied about their weight!

upload_2014-3-8_20-7-46.png

Please submit a caption...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top