Before I post, my apologies for the crass post. I am halfway around the world - flew as a passenger, not in the cockpit. When I posted, I was exhausted (extremely jetlagged) and had a few good German beers in me. I lacked restraint and let my feelings guide my post. But make no mistake about it; my true raw feelings were expressed toward you. Now, a response:
High horse? You were furloughed; not nearly as long as me, but you've been furloughed. How would you feel if the senior Capts were pushing for changing age 60 right when the end of the furlough tunnel was in sight? You would've been much more pissed than me.
I can't believe that you have the audacity to play the victim here. And I know that you are WELL aware of what your proposed age change will do to the junior pilots. One only needs to look at how those of us on the street got screwed by C2003. You think of no one but yourself; don't pretend to defend the profession.
You know as well as I that the upgrade chain is different during times when there are furloughed pilots. Don't try to BS your way out by expressing that an RJ FO will benefit from your retirement; it's likely that s/he will not - too many intermediate pilots jammed in the pipeline. And I'd like to point out that the junior RJ FO has more experience than you had when you were hired at UAL. What was your experience when you were a UAL newhire? I won't begin to address your address your arrogance about your valuable experience - accident statistics, based on 100,000 flt hours/accident, speak otherwise. I love how the pro-change crowd pushes accidents/pilot statistics rather than accidents/100K hrs. Just how much sick leave does the average pilot burn between 55 & 60? And a much greater percentage of flying time for senior pilots is spent in cruise flight, much safer than the high cycle flying experienced by young pilots.
If you think that an age change is going to happen anytime soon, you have zero understanding of the monumental change that took place for the midterm. I'd take the time to walk you through it, but it is obviously a waste of electrons. Just ask yourself why Bert Yetman (at ppf.org) has not yet published a December newsletter. It isn't because there is good news on the horizon.
I do not understand why you are in such denial over this; you've had a good career. Your career has ended. Those of us who had hoped to have a career half as good as yours are not happy that you are resistant to get your azz off property. I've tried the crowbar to your posterior to vacate your current seat; you now deserve a crowbar to your cranium case. I can't believe that you lack the intelligence to realize that you will be retiring very, very soon. Truly sad.
