Alaska officially furloughs 32 today (05JAN09)

[Ih8AFYesmen]

ANC is the best base we have, although it is nothing like it use to be. If you come with an open mind you just might learn a few things and enjoy it enough to stay. If it were easy to live here, ANC would be more crowded than L.A. There is a reason the state poplulation stays under 750K - there are not that many people left in America who can survive in anthing less than an air conditioned, seat belted, politically correct, governement regulated society.
So, since I will soon be going back to FO school, which I plan on failing at least once, maybe twice, after which I will try to bid the tuff stuff up here so you can fly on the straight purple line for 6 hours, slowly going brain dead and breaking into a cold sweat at the mere thought of a flight director failing, just so you can drink beer in HNL with a few thousand tourist from Japan.
Sorry to seem grumpy, its been a long day as I hate the idea of being an FO again. My thoughts and prayers go out to the 79.
Come on up and enjoy - seriously, I guarantee you will learn a few things - if you want.

How many time have I heard the "arctic eagle-I am such a great pilot bull$hit stories"? Man, grow up already! We've all been there and done that -no flight director, No FMC, nasty weather hand flying, engine out circle to minimums, multiple missed approaches, etc. etc. etc. Just because you fly to SE Alaska in crap weather doesn't make one a superior aviator. Isn't that why most of us are in the majors, because of the our "experience"? World of flying does not revolve around ANC. A lot of us have "been there done that" in Alaska and else where around the world. Geez!

 

[Singlecoil]

Totally.

Many of us have slid sideways down gravel runways in the Bering Straits, and done off airport work, etc. I find it rather amusing that some of the buff dudes up north like to point the finger at anyone who would dare bid a trip with legs longer than 49 minutes as being somehow less of a pilot. Not hard enough to fly long legs you say? News flash! A lot of us don't find any of this flying challenging at all anymore! Wind? Snow? Who cares? My days of landing VFR in a 207 in a quarter mile and blowing snow are long since past. This airline stuff is ridiculously boring, but it puts food on the table. All we care about is our days off and spending time with our families. Whatever line gives me the most days off is the one I'm bidding. Longer legs generally means more time at home.

...and by the way. 737's don't just break on the way TO Anchorage. Once that culture disappears the ANC pilots will earn a lot more respect than they will by busting minimums.

 

[clippyrip]

...and by the way. 737's don't just break on the way TO Anchorage.

This is a very interesting subject you bring up. We all have done/do this to help the company. It seems to me that if there are pilots on the street then this type of unwritten "one for the company" atta boys should come to a complete halt. If they want to play hard ball then two can play at that game. Maybe it is time they enjoy a little YAK maintenance.

 

[Wally]

Let's keep the cat fights in-house. This back-and-forth bickering is embarrassing (and serves no purpose on this faceless forum.)

Good luck to those who are and will be furloughed.

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

There's no cat fight here. Just wait until the $hit really hits the fan in a few months and you'll see some real cat fights... you know, the ones between spineless Whiskey Deltas and pilots with big ballz. Talk is cheap and we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

OBTW, if you guys really care about helping out our furloughed guys/gals financially, I suggest that you check out the ALPA weboard for Alaska pilots. Just go to the "People" (very first one) section and read the post by S.K. No, I'm not S.K.
He set up a Paypal account so that anyone can send money to help our furloughed pilots. All you need is S.K.'s e-mail address to send money via Paypal and you can find his e-mail on the Alaska ALPA forum. Now, put your money where your key stroke is!

 

[F/O]

How many time have I heard the "arctic eagle-I am such a great pilot bull$hit stories"? Man, grow up already! We've all been there and done that -no flight director, No FMC, nasty weather hand flying, engine out circle to minimums, multiple missed approaches, etc. etc. etc. Just because you fly to SE Alaska in crap weather doesn't make one a superior aviator. Isn't that why most of us are in the majors, because of the our "experience"? World of flying does not revolve around ANC. A lot of us have "been there done that" in Alaska and else where around the world. Geez!

Dude...thank you SO MUCH for posting that!!!