Federal Express Announces New Faster Package Delivery Services

[(netnews) Edwards Airforce Base, California] Federal Express
officials announced today the addition of several new package
delivery services, offering even quicker package transfer than
their proven Next Day Air overnight service. "This is for 
customers who have to absolutly, positively, get it there in
three hours", stated the Western Region FedEx vice-president.
"With this new service, we can beat any delivery company in
the world." The new service, known as Mach3+, should be in
operation "as soon as we find paint for the airplanes", he
indicated. 

 The Mach3+ delivery service will utilize a small fleet of
fast aircraft, to be known as FEX-71 Whitebirds. The FEX-71s
will be U.S. Air Force surplus aircraft converted to carry
small amounts of cargo. The aircraft, formerly known as the
SR-71 Blackbird, are being phased out due to Congressional
budget cuts. "With the '71s, FedEx should be able to easily
beat any competitors, and since no more have been build 
since Lockheed finished our production run in the mid-'60s,
their competitors will have a real problem even matching
this service", indicated Gen. Odgers, Edwards AFB commanding
officer. Federal is buying all available aircraft, however,
all spokesmen declined to say just how many this was, as 
the number is classified.

 Pricing for Mach3+ will start at $50,000/lb., with the
exact amounts being set after conversion of the first 
Whitebird is complete, at which time FedEx will know how
much cargo space will be available. Conversion may be
delayed while the paint is being located, however, since
finding something that will stay on a red-hot metal surface
at 2,100 mph may be somewhat difficult.

 A still-faster delivery service, dubbed the "Mach6 to-your-
door" option, allows packages to be delivered directly to
the receiving customers' door without the need for a van
to transport it from an airport. The Mach6 option uses a
converted Hughes AIM-47 air-to-air missile, which FedEx is
also purchasing from the Air Force. "Thanks to the Mach6
delivery option, we can literally drop the package in the
customers' lap. It eliminates the need for the Whitebird
to slow down and land, which can take a while. Those planes
aren't equipped with air brakes", explained the FedEx VP.
"The AIM-47s are particularly suited to use with this 
aircraft, since they were originally designed for use with
the interceptor version of the SR-71, which was known as
the YF-12A. Unfortunantly, it didn't work as an
interceptor, since it won't turn at high speeds. The 
AIM-47 can be dropped as much as 100 miles from the customer,
and will immediately accelerate to at least mach 6 until
it reaches their building. This allows the Whitebird to 
get on to another delivery run, permitting maximum
utilization of our equipment." FedEx did not indicate what
arrangements were planned for repair of the customers 
facility following the impact of the missile. "Our job is
to get it there," he pointed out. The Mach3+ and Mach6
delivery services should be available in third quarter '90.

 FedEx also made preliminary announcement of a different
type of service, for customers wishing a more quiet or
secure delivery. This service, to be known as "Sneak", is
planned to utilize more surplus Air Force equipment, 
specifically B-2 Stealth Bombers and F-117A Stealth
Fighters. Precise scheduling of the service was not
available, as the Air Force will have to let Northrop
finish building the larger B-2 before they can be 
surplused out to FedEx. "We expect to have the smaller 
aircraft in service first, since they're already built and
flying. The big ones will be further down the runway, but
we hope to have them all by the end of the century", said
FedEx. 

 No indication was made about pricing of the Sneak delivery
service, although it was indicated that flights to Columbia
or Peru would probably not be available.











(A few side notes: The SR71 really was a modification of the YF12A,
which really was supposed to be an interceptor carrying AIM-47s,
but it really wouldn't turn at speed (it also took three hours to
get airborne from the scramble alert), but the AIM-47s really were
supposed to do at least mach 6, and there really was a General
Odgers commanding Edwards about four years ago...)