Fedex 757 First Flight Video

I added this youtube video to the permanent links list:  http://youtu.be/Hv2bFBdVlI8

Line Check Complete

I'm good for another year after my double-team line check to Greenville. Actually, the guys were great to fly with and the checkride went very well. Decided to bail out on the weekend layover and come home: live to fight another day.

CMV-1 Complete

Made it though my CMV-1 last night, although the sim was acting up and at one time it looked like we would not be able to complete the event. That would have sucked b/c it would have meant another day in Memphis, probably next month. Last night's event was a dusting off of old emergency procedures, and an intro to a new type of approach we're going to be doing using GPS with a tighter tolerance (called RNAV (RNP). Tonight, I have my line check to Greenville with a check airman acting as my FO while he watches a new check airman check me. What fun!

Global War on Error #3

Ground school today, my third year with Noel as instructor. I gave him the link to this blog in hopes he might be able to glean some more info on the life of a Fedex pilot. He actually does a very good job of relating to us as a group and understanding our unique concerns, but more info never hurts, right? A post of particular note might be the Confessional back in October, b/c I applied some of the concepts Noel is teaching. Tomorrow night is my CMV-1 sim, then a day off in Memphis, then my line check to Greenville. Stay tuned!

Jumpseat to Memphis for Training

Michelle got home at 8 pm last night from Seattle and California, and I had to get up at 2:30 am this morning. Since Jan 2, these 6 hours are the sum total of the time we've gotten to spend together because of her schedule and mine. I won't be home again for another 9 days. Sometimes, retirement sure looks good. I picked up breakfast burritos for the crew and my mechanic friend at Fedex Mike this morning, and then rode the jumpseat to El Paso. We loaded some freight and another jumper and got to Memphis at around 11:00. It took quite awhile for me to locate the trusty Golf in the parking lot, but it fired right up and got me to the hotel which will be my base of operations for the next 4 days. Time to study!

Low Vis Takeoff

Here's what 1400 RVR (Runway Visual Range) looked like for our takeoff from Greenville last night. Since it was below 1600 RVR, I had to make the takeoff instead of the FO. The little red sign says "22" for the hold short line at runway 22. The blue lights are taxiways and the white lights are the runway.

Union MEC Vote is in

The Fedex ALPA MEC has decided to continue our present contract for one more year instead of reentering section 6 negotiations. This means a 3% pay raise in March and continued interim discussions with the company on open contract items for 2013. So, we can all get back to work now for another year without the inevitable conflict that surrounds active negotiations.

Quantarids

We were treated to a nice meteor shower on the flight from Memphis to Greenville this morning. The Quantarids only appear in a two hour window once a year. Here's more info: http://www.space.com/14136-photos-2012-quadrantid-meteor-shower-images.html

Lost Bag

The offending bag

This happens about once every 5 years or so. I'm one of those pilots who hates to deadhead in uniform and also hates to try to carry on my bag, so I risk my uniform not showing up every time I deadhead. Last night I got into Greenville, SC at midnight and there was no bag for me at baggage claim. The next American flight was not until this afternoon. I finally got the bag at 5:00 pm, so it wasn't even close to my showtime of 9:00 pm, but it did severely limit my day.