SO's are pilots who are on the panel of the DC8. We no longer have any SO's. PFE are professional flight engineers. All PFEs were senior to all SOs so they couldn't furlough PFEs which SOs in place. The SOs either had to be furloughed first or they'd have to upgrade to an FO slot.
The DC8 flying is being reduced so they had too many people on the panel of the DC8. They announced a furlough of the bottom 12 which included the only 5 SOs and seven PFEs.
One of those SOs was over age 60 so we couldn't upgrade. He retired. The remaining four SOs are in DC9 F/O class.
Three of of the seven PFEs had the minimums to take an upgrade class so they are in DC9 F/O class (2) or 767 F/O class (1).
Obviously, more PFEs will eventually be furloughed as the fleet is eventually retired as it's our only airplane with a flight engineer. No idea when that will be.
Two other PFEs bid an upgrade so I'm not sure if those two offset two of the PFE furloughs. Either two or four PFEs have been furloughed.
The latest plan that I've heard is that starting in August the DC8 is down to one city (both day and night flights). At some point the DC8 will not have any cities but will be the system backup when a 767 goes offline for maintainance, extra sections, recoveries, etc. The DC8 staffing is down to about 25 crews.
The DC8 flying is being reduced so they had too many people on the panel of the DC8. They announced a furlough of the bottom 12 which included the only 5 SOs and seven PFEs.
One of those SOs was over age 60 so we couldn't upgrade. He retired. The remaining four SOs are in DC9 F/O class.
Three of of the seven PFEs had the minimums to take an upgrade class so they are in DC9 F/O class (2) or 767 F/O class (1).
Obviously, more PFEs will eventually be furloughed as the fleet is eventually retired as it's our only airplane with a flight engineer. No idea when that will be.
Two other PFEs bid an upgrade so I'm not sure if those two offset two of the PFE furloughs. Either two or four PFEs have been furloughed.
The latest plan that I've heard is that starting in August the DC8 is down to one city (both day and night flights). At some point the DC8 will not have any cities but will be the system backup when a 767 goes offline for maintainance, extra sections, recoveries, etc. The DC8 staffing is down to about 25 crews.
