ABX gets new VP of Flight Ops

[Jurassic Jet]

ABX AIR HIRES NEW SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS
Gerdes Brings over 20 Years of Commercial Airline Experience to ABX Air

WILMINGTON, OH - May 19, 2008 - ABX Air, Inc. announced today that Captain Mike Gerdes will replace Captain Robert Morgenfeld as its new Senior Vice President of Flight Operations. Morgenfeld is retiring in July. Gerdes, 50, has over 20 years of commercial airline experience. He will report to ABX Air President John Graber, and have direct responsibility for all Flight Operations of the all cargo airline company.

“Mike is an exceptional leader. We welcome his skill, experience, and positive leadership style,” Graber said. “He is just the person to take the controls as Captain Morgenfeld retires. We wish Bob all our best in his retirement.”

Gerdes comes to ABX Air from ATA Airlines , where he was the Vice president of Flight Operations. His background includes being Chief Pilot, Fleet Manager, Line Check Airman and Simulator Check Airman. In addition to ATA, Gerdes flew for Comair, Eastern Airlines, and Pan American World Airways. Gerdes recently served as Chairman of the operations council for the National Air Carrier Association (NACA). His experience includes over 8,000 hours of flight time. He earned his B.S. in Applied Science and Technology from Thomas A. Edison State College and is pursuing his MBA at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Captain Bob Morgenfeld, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations, announced his plans earlier this year to retire this July after 23 years at ABX Air.

ABX Air, Inc. (www.abxair.com) is an air cargo services provider operating out of Wilmington, Ohio, and 15 hubs throughout the United States. In addition to providing airlift capacity and sort facility staffing to DHL, ABX Air is an FAA Part 121 operator and holds an FAA Part 145 Repair Certificate. It provides charter, maintenance and package handling services to a diverse group of customers. ABX Air is the largest employer in a several-county area in southwestern Ohio. ABX Air, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATSG).

Source: http://www.abxair.com/pr2008-05-19b.html

 

[fodc8]

This is not good news for ABX Air.

 

[Jurassic Jet]

This is not good news for ABX Air.

Speaking from personal knowledge/experience with this guy or just doing a little pot stirring?

 

[b707guy]

Interesting timing for retirement, from both an age-60 vs -65 thing as well as with all that's going on at the moment. A few years back, we had a chief pilot who was over 60, so he couldn't fly the line, but he did mx tests, ferries, bounces, etc, while our DO was line qualified. He retired when he was ready to (pretty much...). Is Capt Morgenfeld retiring by choice, because he has to, or because he feels he needs to now?

 

[bukakke]

Captain Morgenfeld is a millionaire.......why work

 

[abxaviator]

This is not good news for ABX Air.

Care to expound a little?

 

[fodc8]

I'm good friends with a pilot who worked there. He said this guy was instrumental in hiding a lot of the events from the pilot group that led to there unfortunate ending. I'm not saying that because I think ABX is going out of business. Stirring the pot is truly a waste of time here.

 

[shooter]

This is not good news for ABX Air.

Morgenfeld announced his intention to retire a while back. To not get a new SVP of Flight Ops would have been bad news. Unless you know something about his replacement you want to share.

EDIT: ooops, seen you were typing as I was.

 

[mxer]

I have no idea what went on at ATA. Where they a shareholder owned company? SEC may have been a reason for a lack of communication in that case. Then again, most management types view us as nothing more than labor groups on a need to know basis. Bad part is others get to decide what we need to know and then they just make it up.

 

[bukakke]

the word on the street is "milk toast", leadership at its finest

 

[shooter]

the word on the street is "milk toast", leadership at its finest

What street is that on? The one in front of building 11? If so I find that ironic after admitting Daz bends over for DHL.

 

[TransMach]

Abx

Guys,

Is P Sparks still around ABX ... if so he is a great leader, speaking from experience.

TransMach

 

[1800 RVR]

fodc8 is pretty much right on. I was a former ATAer, furloughed in 2005, but tried to keep abreast of what was going on afterward. Many felt that upper management (i.e. Gerdes, etc) knowingly lied to the pilot group keeping information of ATA's impending doom quiet. They kept saying "all is well" when it wasn't. I know, that is management's job to do, but I'm sure there are other things to go along with this story.

 

[FreightBumper]

Guys,

Is P Sparks still around ABX ... if so he is a great leader, speaking from experience.

TransMach

If you believe that, your judge of people is lacking.

 

[fob727]

Shooter..you and Chinchim should start a consulting business....you have have all the answers. I can't believe you haven't been hired by now.

As I said before ....I think I'm going to to puke

 

[shooter]

Shooter..you and Chinchim should start a consulting business....you have have all the answers. I can't believe you haven't been hired by now.

As I said before ....I think I'm going to to puke

Maybe you already have, but you are just too dense to realize it. :smash:

 

[abxdx]

We already did. We told FDX to sh!tcan all thier 727's because they are fuel-hogging pieces of junk. Could you put in a good word with DAZ? We are looking for new clients.

Shooter..you and Chinchim should start a consulting business....you have have all the answers. I can't believe you haven't been hired by now.

As I said before ....I think I'm going to to puke

 

[fob727]

No offense to the pilots of ABXA.....but you two are knowitall a$$holes. Worried more about if your chip-dip bowl is full, when we(both groups) do the production.

You two need to get out a liittle more. There is more to life than the bowling alley.

 

[Jurassic Jet]

We already did. We told FDX to sh!tcan all thier 727's because they are fuel-hogging pieces of junk. Could you put in a good word with DAZ? We are looking for new clients.

<-------- Cleaning Diet Coke off monitor and out of keyboard.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[abxdx]

No offense to the pilots of ABXA.....but you two are knowitall a$$holes. Worried more about if your chip-dip bowl is full, when we(both groups) do the production.

You two need to get out a liittle more. There is more to life than the bowling alley.

My favorite is COOL RANCH doritos....

 

[shooter]

No offense to the pilots of ABXA.....but you two are knowitall a$$holes. Worried more about if your chip-dip bowl is full, when we(both groups) do the production.

You two need to get out a liittle more. There is more to life than the bowling alley.

Listen scooter, I don’t know what was posted that yanked your chain but you should crawl back under the rock you slithered out from. You must be drunk again because your post makes no sense, AGAIN. If you think posting my opinions about the situation we all find ourselves in makes me a "know it all", maybe you should just step back away from the computer because it’s obvious you can’t handle what you want to dish out. I respect every pilot I work with and don’t want to see ANYONE lose their jobs out of this mess we are all in. If you think calling me an A-hole offends me, you are late to this game. I KNOW I am an A-hole, especially to those that want the pilots and other ABX employees I work with to be out of a job. Most are too polite to say anything in return, but like I said I am an A-hole. If you want to post speculation and take the slightest bit of joy out of it then I will serve it back and you can kiss my arse.

If you think my opinions are not backed up with historic business practices within our craft then you are an idiot to boot. But like I said before, they are my opinions because I (like you) do not know what is coming down the line. But I will be an A-hole if you want to talk smack. I will defend my position and I will be an A-hole if you want to play that game. I will also debate differing views without being an A-hole if you respond in kind. I don’t care you do not share my views, but I do care if you are smug about anyone in the aviation side losing their jobs and you better expect me to be an A-hole. I will be the first to tell you I am when it comes to things like that. If you don’t like it…too bad. Put me on ignore or don’t read the threads. Or here is a novel idea….quit being an A-hole yourself and taking joy in ABX pilots losing their jobs.

 

[fob727]

(I would love nothing more then to see astar get booted to the curb where they belong)

Shooter, I will never be "smug" about anyone loosing their job. I have started over in this industry twice, it is not good time.

The above is a direct quote from one of your fellow employees.....who is smug?

Don't worry about a debate with me, I don't debate with fools.

 

[shooter]

(I would love nothing more then to see astar get booted to the curb where they belong)

Shooter, I will never be "smug" about anyone loosing their job. I have started over in this industry twice, it is not good time.

The above is a direct quote from one of your fellow employees.....who is smug?

Don't worry about a debate with me, I don't debate with fools.

You don't debate with fools....well its good to see you don't debate with yourself. That would make you INSANE. :nuts:

Don't make me your whipping boy for another's post. I whip back. And while I do not know the threads by heart to see where that post came from, I am willing to bet that it was in a heated exchange. Don't cherry pick one line out of what I am sure was a long thread of back and forth. If you are setting them up, expect a few to get hit back out of the park.

 

[rotor&wing]

C'mon Shooter....give the decaf stuff a try, it's just as tasty as the regular.............