UPS/Fedex

SkyJeff

New Member
I'm an aspiring Fedex/UPS pilot and I'd like to know how some of the hiring works. If you have a Pilot of either of these walk in your resume and you meet the req'ts what are the chances of one being hired? Is there a waiting list of some sort or is it meeting the req'ts and then getting the luck of the draw? What times are competitive?
 
I think UPS will hire at least 300 next year. More if we get a contract. You need at least one in house recommendation. I helped a guy get hired a year ago, he was a check airman on the RJ at Mesa and had been a Capt there for at least five years.
 
SkyJeff said:
I'm an aspiring Fedex/UPS pilot and I'd like to know how some of the hiring works. If you have a Pilot of either of these walk in your resume and you meet the req'ts what are the chances of one being hired? Is there a waiting list of some sort or is it meeting the req'ts and then getting the luck of the draw? What times are competitive?

Jeff,

The requirements for FedEx are listed at their website, pilot.fedex.com. You'll need to have several references, FedEx pilots with whom you have flown, to be competitive. FedEx hires pilots from all backgrounds - - Military, corporate, 121, 135 - - you name it. Disregard anyone who tells you different.

By the time you've accumulated the 1000 Turbine PIC required, there's a pretty good chance you will have accumulated the required references. Good luck.

.
 
blee256 said:
best way to get on with FedEx is by going thru the military. ha

While I know you were joking (sort of!) - the easiest way to get an interview with FedEx is to be a FedEx Express employee. They have a very strong internal hiring policy. If you meet the mins as a pilot, you will get an interview over every outside applicant (military etc.).

~wheelsup
 
wheelsup said:
While I know you were joking (sort of!) - the easiest way to get an interview with FedEx is to be a FedEx Express employee. They have a very strong internal hiring policy. If you meet the mins as a pilot, you will get an interview over every outside applicant (military etc.).

~wheelsup


What are the mins. for the Caravan and the other feeders Fedex Express uses?
 
FlyOrDie said:
What are the mins. for the Caravan and the other feeders Fedex Express uses?

I *think* it's FedEx Express (who owns the aircraft) mandated at:

-2000 Hours Total Time
-1000 Hours PIC
-Commercial and Instrument Rating.

Check out Wiggins-Air, Empire Aviation, and Moutain Air Cargo (also known as Air T). They are dedicated FedEx feeders. However, working at these companies gives you no 'in' with FedEx whatsoever, and there are even rumors that it could hurt, to the point of PREVENTING you working at FedEx. The only way to get into FedEx internally is working for FedEx Express 'mainline' (as opposed to FedEx Ground or FedEx Freight) - ie working as a package delivery person or sorting person at a sorting facility, among other areas. This is my understanding of the process.

Oh and another thing - the feeders don't like to hire people with college degrees for some reason. They feel they (the person) will leave ASAP when they build quality flight time. This again, is pure rumor, so take it for what its worth...

~wheelsup
 
Thanks Wheelsup & TonyC for the information

I'll have a degree in 6 months so flying for a feeder is not really a good option at this point. So it looks like I'll try to work for FedEx Express part time while I fly corporate. I'm currently only at 1200tt with 180 multi turbine so it'll take awhile :)
 
"the easiest way to get an interview with FedEx is to be a FedEx Express employee. They have a very strong internal hiring policy. If you meet the mins as a pilot, you will get an interview over every outside applicant (military etc.)"

I don't know if you are right about this. I know it's not so at UPS and I've heard different stories about this at Fedex. Tony C or Seagull will hopefully chime in.
 
DE727UPS said:
"the easiest way to get an interview with FedEx is to be a FedEx Express employee. They have a very strong internal hiring policy. If you meet the mins as a pilot, you will get an interview over every outside applicant (military etc.)"

I don't know if you are right about this. I know it's not so at UPS and I've heard different stories about this at Fedex. Tony C or Seagull will hopefully chime in.

FedEx isn't UPS :). I did some research on the subject, as I was going to go to Amflight or ACC with the intention of building turbine PIC while working at a FedEx location during the day. TonyC was the one that responded to my post over on flightinfo.

tonyc on flightinfo said:
You are correct, to a degree. The job has to be permanent (not temporary) and it has to be with FedEx Express (not Ground or Corporate or Kinkos or any other division). The length of time varies with the job, but it is no less than 1 year.

Then, if you meet the published requirements AND we're hiring pilots, you are guaranteed an interview before external applicants are considered. If we're not hiring (and there have been such periods), you're not getting an interview.

For those willing to invest some time and hard work to GUARANTEE an interview, working a day sort as a part-time handler and working nighttime as a freight doggie finishing off the turbine time requirement might be a good way to go.

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=57220&highlight=fedex+internal+hiring

Granted, this is all heresay off of Flightinfo. So take it with a grain of salt.

~wheelsup
 
Sounds like a good way to get on at Fedex without the good ole boy network coming into play (not that there is anything wrong with that). Wonder how my guys get hired at Fedex this way vs the usual way.

I only mentioned UPS because I've seen people say this is a viable route at UPS, as well as Fedex, and I'd hate for someone to get the wrong impression.
 
DE727UPS said:
"the easiest way to get an interview with FedEx is to be a FedEx Express employee. They have a very strong internal hiring policy. If you meet the mins as a pilot, you will get an interview over every outside applicant (military etc.)"

I don't know if you are right about this. I know it's not so at UPS and I've heard different stories about this at Fedex. Tony C or Seagull will hopefully chime in.

It's absolutely correct at FedEx, and I could introduce you to a number of pilots who got their interviews exactly that way. One must be a permanent employee (not casual or seasonal), either full-time or part-time, of FedEx Express -- not corporate or any other "subsidiary."

The problem is, it only gets you an interview, it does not guarantee you a job. Also, it only gets you an interview if you have met all of the other qualifications. I have to wonder how serious a guy is about flying for FedEx if he has to ask about qualifications, since the qualifications are available to the public, and accessible with only a few clicks on the internet. Even if you start by looking at www.fedex.com, it's not that far away. pilot.fedex.com will get you there with fewer clicks. The most common showstopper is 1000 Turbine PIC.

And here's the trick - - while you're holding down the job with FedEx Express that will get you the interview, you also have to have some way of maintaining "recency of experience."
 
Thanks for all the info. I knew the qualifications, but I wanted to know what times guys are getting hired with. I know UPS doesn't really care if you threw boxes in the truck before getting your qualifications. The fact that Fedex has a strong internal hiring system is pretty cool and not a lot of people know about obviouslly. A few more questions about Fedex: Does throwing boxes for Fedex Express guarentee you an interview? Do you have to be a current employee (as in: could I work there during college, then leave to finish training)?

I'm assuming for PIC Turbine they don't want Caravan or King Air. The only other method to get PIC turbine in a 25k pound turbine powered plane would be to go to a Regional and make Captain, but I can't see anyone squeezing a Fedex handler job in there. How did the guy(s) you know get their time and interview TonyC?

As a Captain at a Regional how much flexibility do you have over scheduling since it's done through seniority. Can you request nights off and work at Fedex during that time? Can anyone see that as a possibility?

Now about recentcy, if you have 1,000 PIC tubine and you stop flying your turbine a/c, but stay proficient flying a C150 would you still be considered recent!?
 
SkyJeff said:
I'm assuming for PIC Turbine they don't want Caravan or King Air. The only other method to get PIC turbine in a 25k pound turbine powered plane would be to go to a Regional and make Captain, but I can't see anyone squeezing a Fedex handler job in there. How did the guy(s) you know get their time and interview TonyC?

As a Captain at a Regional how much flexibility do you have over scheduling since it's done through seniority. Can you request nights off and work at Fedex during that time? Can anyone see that as a possibility?

Dude, read the stuff pointed to you before you post lol! :)

From FedEx's website:
1000 hours PIC in fixed-wing jet, fixed wing multi-engine turbo-prop, or combination thereof.

So, that effectively cancels out the Caravan, but not a kingair. No mention in there about gross weight requirements.

To give you an example of what "my plan" was - I interviewed and was hired at a company called Air Cargo Carriers - they fly Shorts SD-3 aircraft, which gross out around 23-26k depending on the model (if my memory serves me correctly). Upgrade for me (because of my high time) would've been around 6 months or so to this 2 person multi-engine turbo prop. After I upgraded and settled in on a run, I was going to find a FedEx sort location where I was going to work during the daytime while on a layover, M-F. This is just an example of what could be done to get that multi turbine PIC time and qualify for a FedEx job. Granted, you'd have to have the stars aligned for it to work, but atleast it was a plan.

One could do something similiar I'd bet while working for Ameriflght or other similar operator.

Of course, this all went to hell when ACC started moving bases out west and I wanted to go east and settle down.

~wheelsup
 
:yeahthat: - - Yeah, what he just said. :)





SkyJeff said:
Do you have to be a current employee (as in: could I work there during college, then leave to finish training)?
To be an internal applicant, one must be internal. That is to say, one must currently be a permanent full-time or part-time employee of FedEx Express. The internal hiring process does not apply to former employees. Former employees, not being "in" the Company, are considered "external" applicants.

You could work there during college and leave to finish training, but that would not entitle you to the process of internal hiring. It would entitle you to health care benefits and tutition assistance, though.

:)


.
 
blee256 said:
wheelsup.

do you know a Dean that worked at Air Cargo Carriers?

No - I never worked there - I interview around the middle of June and was put into a pool. They eventually called me on my second day of ground school with another company, and I politely declined.

~wheelsup
 
I worked at Fedex Express from 97-99. When I worked there, communication was very hard. We didn't have computers like we do today so what I heard was pure heresay. One told me they gave interviews, one said they didn't. But anyway to work it, theres no way that you can work at Fedex as a handler whether its remp or permenant and still work for a regional as PIC. The shift is from M-F either early morning 4am-6am or night from 5-7pm. The thing that kills it is its from M-F.
 
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