Astar Cargo Help PLEASE!!!!!

[ABXbooger]

A couple of questions:

How can you dictate to DHL what and who flys for them? I know, your owned 49% by DHL, I wonder what UPS and Fedex will say about your ability to dictate to them about your staffing levels ( i.e. ownership and control).

Also, given a straight re-fleet (43 for 43) how many people does that put on the street? (3 man planes for 2 man).

Also, what happens if DHL shuts down Astar? Was the 110+ million overpriced buy a payout? What happens if Astar buys another company?

And I would venture a guess that Dasburgs influence at DHL has run it's course. Zumwinkel and Das were close, Frank "the razor" is not chummy with anyone and cares about the bottom line, not who has potential political influence. That influence has not done very well for DHL, has it? Das has made a LOT of money here, DHL HAS NOT.

As the old Knight Templar said in Indiana Jones..."Choose wisely, my friend...".

 

[AV8OR]

"As the old Knight Templar said in Indiana Jones..."Choose wisely, my friend..."."

Hey Boog...that I agree with. I could have punted this job no less than three times for higher pay, in the last three years, one flying a G550 and Citation X. Chose not to for a variety of reasons. I can still leave and get a pretty good gig flying REALLY nice equip, but am going to watch it play out. The man, wanted an opionion from an AStar pilot. I gave him ONE. I don't have a crystal ball into the future. I might be king of the world or dead by this afternoon, (more likely dead), but here's what I know as of the last 30 min...

A. I have a conract and I like t.
B. If they pull up the posts on AStar, I have a good contingency.
C. I stay current.
D. My check got direct deposited as usual.....today.
E. We are hiring for some reason, I do not know why.
F. AStar Air Cargo doesn't do one dang thing that DHL doesn't sign off on.
G. DHL has had multiple opportunities to park us over the years, with and without JD, but for some reason hasn't.
F. When somebody asks my opinion, I'm gonna give it the way I see it and I really don't give a tinker's d**n whether you like it or not.
G. It would have only been irresponsible if I told him things I knew weren't true or tried to manipulate him into coming here. I did neither, and ultimately don't really care who comes to work here.
H. After recommending a friend for a job here, him interviewing and subsequently being offerred a position, he was offered what I thought was a potentially better position at the guard full time. I encouraged him to take it, although it probably soured some of my influence for LOR's in the future.
I. I pointed him to the ABXA Yahoo board if he'd like a 180 degree opposite opinion. Cause he'll get quite an education on the attitude towards us from the other side of the field.
J. If they pull up the posts at AStar today, it won't be any different than any other aviation job. Here today, gone tomorrow.
K. Don't you have a contract you need to be working on, picketing for, or maybe 15 or so pilots undermining your efforts in Osaka you could be speaking with? Dude, when we thought we were gonna furlough, we raised thousands of dollars as a pilot group to help our brothers and sisters out. Didn't yall just pick up more open time? You wanna call ME irresponsible? Please.

\

 

[AV8OR]

Oh yeah, one other thing exkuzme, in the name of responsibility, you don't want to come to work at AStar......we're not CATII.

Good luck.

 

[Johnlp3]

Resist the temptation. You will be an FE for a very, very long time. Let's clear up some myths. This is not meant to be cynical, just the reality of ASTAR. So make an informed decision.

Myth #1: ASTAR is getting 10 more aircraft
We currently have 43 aircraft, the company only counted 37 for the growth provision in the contract. So 37+10=47. We are only "guaranteed" a net gain of 4 aircraft in 4 years. If they don't meet the "growth" provisions we are rewarded with a bonus check (which is much cheaper than buying new aircraft).

Myth #2: ASTAR is refleeting
This is based on the "guarantee" that half of all new aircraft purchased will be 2 pilot a/c. This is supposed to start in 09. Anyone who has been here can tell you if they say it will happen in 1 year, it takes at least 3 (or never)! Like moving the simulators, CAT-II, electronic flight bags, new cities, hiring, etc.

Myth #3 The upgrade now is 9 years, but it will take me less time because of growth and attrition!
Nope. Right now the junior FO has a seniority number of about 400/500 some simple math will tell you that for growth you need at least 11 more aircraft to get to the right seat. There will be some attrition, but not much, since very few people leave and age 65 will lock things up for a while. Also, the current upgrades were before the age 65 rule went into effect. So most upgrades now will go to the age 60-65 crowd (about 20 people). If we do get 2 pilot aircraft this still applies, and by then there will be no furlough protection either. Or the company could just pay us the "bonus" for not meeting the growth aircraft deadlines.

Myth #4 ASTAR has a 7on/7off schedule
Yes and no. Hard lines are based on a 28 day bid with minimum days off of 14. The schedules are built so that days on are in blocks of 6 or more. If you are senior enough to be able to "pick your matrix" you can theoretically have a 7/7 schedule. If you are not senior enough you can get stuck with 14 days or more on because of how the bids line up! There is no provision for guaranteed days off after a rotation, so if you get a line with the last 7 on, and the next bid get the first 7 on you are hosed.

If you hold a reserve line it is 8/6, and if you hold an X line who knows. Trijetter can tell you, as a junior guy you can get stuck with 16-21 days on occasionally with these types of lines.

While I personally don't regret coming here, I can tell you it is a risk. I was betting on growth and the "potential" this place has. So far we have only gone backwards (less aircraft, pilots, and lines). There is still alot of "potential", but I don't expect us to grow to the 54 aircraft it would take to upgrade anytime soon.

 

[ABXbooger]

The fact that you represent the OPINIONS on the Yahoo board as fact is the irresponsible part. The true fact is that is an anonymous board with half the posters there representing an Astar point of view, or at least DHL, as you guys will still not believe you aren't DHL.

When we furloughed, we actually raised enough money to cover every pilot furloughed for a full 6 months of pay.

And you brag about only doing what DHL tells you to do. Your CEO just made a 600% profit, off your backs, and WILL NOT put a penny into his own company unless it comes from DHL, yet you are happy with your new contract with all these new "guarantees".

Do a search about the last time Astar hired and what happened.

I stand by my first statement: wait until DHL makes it's moves in May.

I wouldn't go to ABX right now either to be fair.

 

[rotor&wing]

The Yahoo board is a joke. I would venture to say the majority of the posters aren't pilots, and probably don't work for either company. It's a troll paradise.

As far as CEO's and what they make, that's called "business". Ol' Joe Hete has made a small fortune off the pilot's backs and continues to do so. Hete and Dasburg are pretty much the same except for one thing, Dasburg has managed to keep the Germans on his side while Hete continues to alienate them.

But I do agree, May will be interesting.

 

[shooter]

There is not one serious discussion on the Yahoo board. It is all hot air speculation and what seems to be a severe hatred of ABX by Astar. But like I first said, there is nothing of any merit there so that may be just hot air as well.

My advice xkus would be to take as much advice from the Yahoo board on your career as you would take medical advice from the kid at Taco Bell. In my opinion you are asking questions at the right place here on FI, just avoid that bit about Yahoo.

 

[rotor&wing]

as you would take medical advice from the kid at Taco Bell.

What?? I got a First Class Medical and a couple of burritos from that kid!

 

[shooter]

What?? I got a First Class Medical and a couple of burritos from that kid!

He asked the guy in front of me if he could check for a hernia; I was gone before I heard the answer. That wasn't you was it?

 

[ABXbooger]

wouldn't that be a "uno classico"