USAir Furlough Recall: My Decision

[Dumb Pilot]

The best post that I have ever read on this forum, thanks Furloughed Again. being one that have seen two downturns of the industry and one that had to look for another option outside our borders due to having lost hope in the viability of this industry to supply a future for my family, I have to agree that your assessment of ALPA as an institution is very accurate.

Best of luck

 

[Jaffo]

While that may be true of ALPA (I don't know), it certainly isn't true of all unions. I've been absolutely blown away by how good my union has been here at Netjets, even as a new guy. An absolute night-and-day difference compared to my previous non-union job.

A union is what its members make of it. If it's made up of apathetic members who are only out for themselves, then that's the representation you get. I get more than my dues' worth, that's for sure.

alpa is not a union, it's an "association"! A high priced magazine subscription. A fraternity with no brotherhood outside of the individual airlines.

peace

 

[Jaffo]

Southwest has never had turboprops at any point in its history; their first planes were 737-200s. Cute story, though...

When did SWA get the 727's?

 

[CA1900]

When did SWA get the 727's?

Uhhh... what 727s?

 

[swait]

When did SWA get the 727's?

They got one from Braniff in 78 as part of an anti-trust settlement. Then they had a few that they leased from Peoples Express in the early 80's to help with capacity.

 

[CA1900]

Learn something new every day! Check out the top picture:


http://www.rstack.com/planes/planes.html

 

[ratherfish]

Outstanding post Furloughed!

It may not get you on the cover of ALPA mag., but, whatever.

All I remember about ALPA during the great airline race to bankruptcy protection, and then airline management’s free-for-all once under protection, was how tenacious ALPA was at getting into bed with the freight companies. .... Just one guy's blurred view of things while scrambling for employment elsewhere.

FACT: For every "General Lee" there are thousands of "FurloughedAgain"s and many who fare much worse.

Listen up young cadets and don’t do what I’ve done.

My career began in the last slow time, before you could go fly an RJ with 300 hrs on your rez. Here it is:

Instructed a couple years in California, earned squat, applied everywhere.

Flew in S.E. Alaska 2 summer seasons single engine VFR. , It was lots of fun, the highlight of my career. Earned squat, built time, had a couple close ones, instructed in the off-season.

Got a freight/charter job at a mom and pop place in Iowa, light twins, earned squat, built time, had a couple close calls, applied everywhere, bailed within a year.

Got a better paying job back in Alaska. Flew 1 year single engine VFR all over W. Alaska, made a somewhat livable wage, cheated death, struggled with sanity, built time, applied everywhere, took pay cut to upgrade to the rt seat of a 1900, flew semi-legit IFR out of ANC. Pax by day freight by night. Earned squat, built time, had a couple close calls, the company failed a year or so later, applied everywhere.

Worked for a fractional in Ohio for a few years, earned squat, built time, couldn't believe how safe flying in the system in the lower 48 was, applied everywhere.

Flew for USAir for a couple years, started to actually earn a living, looked to move to CLT base, got bumped out of CLT, looked @ moving to PIT base, 9/11 happened, got pax home that were stranded post 9/11, got furloughed.

Fortunately, I got re-hired by fractional. I'm very thankful. DON'T BURN YOUR BRIDGES KIDS. Promised a contract was just around the corner, earned squat for a couple years, couldn’t make ends meet, took state aid for my new family, didn’t need to build any more time, applied everywhere.

Especially fortunate when fractional union produced a livable contract. I now earn a livable wage, have good medical, 401k, time off, etc. Most importantly, I’m happy. I'm thankful for the union's hard work. I'm thankful the company keeps writing me paychecks.

I started this journey with dreams of big money and blonds on my lap as I pointed my plane toward foreign destinations while making deviant plans for my long layovers. (My early 20s) To those who have that lifestyle, I applaud your good fortune. To those who’ve figured out how to get more time at home than me, good for you too. To those who have both…"I’m not worthy".

To those who, in hind site, say I should have made better choices: Thanks for your observation of the obvious. It’s easy to see now. Just know that times change. When we interviewed at USAir there were guys from FedEx, America West, Airtran, the military, etc. too. It was a calculated risk for me that I couldn’t pass up at that time for many reasons…no excuses. I blame no one but myself for the choice. I understand how it looks to you. I turned down AmWest years prior because it seemed too risky to me at the time. Oh, the irony.

My purpose in showing my resume is to illustrate that I busted my butt for many years to make that big iron/big salary goal happen. Work smarter, not harder than me. 1. It’s not what you know, but who you know. 2. It’s all about getting those stupid hours as quickly as possible, at as young an age as possible. 3. It’s even better to know somebody. 4.spend premium dollars on a good crystal ball.

I could press on and maybe, make it happen. I’m just not willing to sacrifice any more “living” to make it happen right now. Going back to reserves at a fubar’d airline is not living. I have more pressing duties on the ground. Family is my priority/goal now. Short sighted? Possibly, but if I run into problems with my kids down the road, I will be able to look myself in the mirror and say I did my best...“and gosh darnit, I like myself” I won’t kick myself for spending all that quality time in a crashpad, layover, reserve sched., etc.

I’m not saying an airline job hinders family life at all. Even that freaky delta guy, who posts way too much to have any time left for a family, could be a good family man. Now is just the wrong time for my family. If I would go back now, I’d really be forking my family…shorting them money, time, and my pleasant demeanor.

I’ve turned down my USAir recall as well as offers from a number of other airlines. Jobs that made financial sense before the bankrupsy protected, worker bloodletting, don’t make financial sense now. The bottom line is the bottom line. It was an easy decision in my case.

My priorities have changed. Now all I want is stability, money, and to be home as much as I can. An honest days work for an honest days pay. A plane is a plane is a plane. Being 40 something vs 20 something might have something to do with it.

Maybe I guessed right this time and will continue to live my revised goal. I’m optimistic for my employer’s future. Maybe I made yet another bad choice. I hope the new USAirways becomes the best airline out there. Going there now would defiantly be “buying when blood is flowing in the streets” Who knows?

If I/we did make a wrong choice again, one thing I can promise is that there will never be a shortage of pilots eager to say “I told you so” or “I saw the writing on the wall” Just know that gamblers only brag about their winnings. Don’t let them get you down. We’re all gamblers here. I suspect they'll will be eating me a new hole shortly.

I’m currently applying to no one. It’s a good feeling.

Best of luck to all!

P.S. To those who know me, plz respect my privacy.

Wow, after all that, I still want to fly big planes. Is that so wrong? I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.

Thanks again for the good posts Furloughed.

I'm going fishing.

 

[iaflyer]

Uhhh... what 727s?

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0395753/M/

And no, it's not photoshopped. Airliners.net has more.

I heard about it before too - it might of been in the book Nutz.

FurloughedAgain, I know it was hard to walk away from USAirways, especially with your dad working there for so long. Someone else here hit the nail on the head when they said that the USAirways that you were hired at in 99 is no longer that. Making the choice for you and your son will reap benefits many times what any airline can.

Now that you've made the decision, you'll enjoy your job down there even more.

 

[Jaffo]

Uhhh... what 727s?

thanks to all who knew that asking about swa's 727's was not a crazy ?

I answered the ? myself.

The airline operates more Boeing 737s in its fleet than any other airline in the world; Southwest is often cited as an example of an airline streamlining operations by having only one type of aircraft. However, Southwest operated leased 727-200 aircraft during the late-1970s and again in the mid-1980s and subsidiary TranStar Airlines operated DC-9s and MD-80s during the mid-1980s. Southwest has been a launch customer for all three of the Boeing 737 variants it currently operates, and was the first airline to put both the Model 500 and next-generation Model 700 into service. Southwest has a mix of old and new aircraft with both its "classic" and "next generation" 737 aircraft. [30]

peace

 

[PHXFLYR]

This aint a popularity contest, and I was giving my personal opinion. I hope he enjoys his current job. I responded also to some untrue facts from that ferlo guy, and he opened that can of worms himself. And, we can make money empty between ATL and Chad just on the cargo alone, probably. Also, you may be correct that Furloughed Again should move on, since your company really is full of some major problems. Hopefully you and your East cohorts can grow up yourselves and get it together. Maybe that is asking too much.

So, Furloughed again, please, have fun at Wal-Mart. Good luck to you.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Do yourself a favor. Don't worry about me and my "east coast cohorts.",ok? Because unlike you,when this whole thing comes crashing down around our ears,(and chances are better than 50/50 it may do just that) we'll get over it and move on with our lives. Something tells me the same can't be said about you because this whole idea of you and Delta is your life,your entire life;and nothing but your life. And that my friend is sad. Truly sad. I have more respect for guys like Swaayze and Furloughed Again for making the tough call that they did than I will ever have for pilots the likes of you who think of this job as some sort of be all and end all.


PHXFLYR