Business Week: Have Airlines Cut to Deep

[cybourg10]

CAL has hired many of our FOs in the past 3-4 years that have no turbine PIC or ATP (the ones I know had about 1500tt with less than 500 121 hrs), some even started on the 777. This is not any safer IMHO. I think we need to raise ATP minimums to 2500 hrs tt and add some kind of turbine requirement to that as well, I don't like the idea of people holding an ATP with nothing but 172 and PA44 time........we all know the ATP checkride isn't that hard or much different than an instrument checkride. Mabye to do an ATP checkride the applicant will have to perform it in some kind of turbine aircraft?

 

[A-V-8]

Just today I was on a Colgan flight - only 3 seats open.

No one cares.

Yep. I was dead heading on a Mesa flight when a passenger said; "Did you hear about those clowns that fell asleep out in Hawaii? Jeezzz I would never fly on that airline.” I just ignored him.

 

[Britpilot]

Thanks for telling it the way it is. At least there are still those who can see where the big problem lies. As I have said many times before. Unions are destroying the fabric of this society and undermine the capitalistic way of life. In the long run, unions cause way more harm than good. ALPA National must go.

Unions are destroying the "fabric of this society"? Really? I think there are are lot more forces at work destroying the "fabric" than unions. You sound a little paranoid there brother. ALPA National must stay.

 

[jumppilot]

HHMMMM! So YOU were on a Colgan flight...

I see some irony in that post!!!

No irony there. I was commuting home, and I'd commute home on an ultralight if it was the only seat open.

As an airline pilot, I understand the risk. Passengers, who often get scared of the smallest bit of turbulence, have the least understanding of what went wrong that night in Buffalo and should be the first ones to bail from a media-painted unsafe operation (all regionals have the spotlight, not just Colgan).

But, they didn't. No one cares.

 

[SEVEN]

Unions are destroying the "fabric of this society"? Really? I think there are are lot more forces at work destroying the "fabric" than unions. You sound a little paranoid there brother. ALPA National must stay.

Not paranoid at all. Just sick and tired of seeing my dues flushed down the toilet. I have stated this many times regarding ALPA National. There is a need for representation in this industry, no doubt. But ALPA has failed the test over and over again. They are NOT representing the interests of the vast majority the pilots. It's time for a change. I predict big changes in ALPA carriers going forward. It's time to vote them out, one airline at a time. They have done enough damage and have proven to cause more harm than good.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Not paranoid at all. Just sick and tired of seeing my dues flushed down the toilet. I have stated this many times regarding ALPA National. There is a need for representation in this industry, no doubt. But ALPA has failed the test over and over again. They are NOT representing the interests of the vast majority the pilots. It's time for a change. I predict big changes in ALPA carriers going forward. It's time to vote them out, one airline at a time. They have done enough damage and have proven to cause more harm than good.

Like your taxes?

Unions are democracy.... sure you are fustrated with unions... is out govt hands down better?

Maybe you like being told what to do by your corporate manager.. who is he? Did you elect him? Did you give him authority and power? Of the people, for the people by the people....

You either accept corporate policy or not. Like it or leave it....

No doubt unions have flaws... why? because they comprised of people....

But is your company any better? Sure it is attractive to 'show up, fly your trip and go home'... and that is exactly what your company wants... do what your told, when you are told and how you are told....

To think that a unionless pilot profession is preferred is unrealistic

 

[pianoman]

The sad thing is that corporate America has the masses fooled.

While it used to be the norm to expect paid health care and pension, now you're just greedy if you expect your previous contract to be honored.

How often do I listen to people rail against teacher's unions and state workers because they have pensions and health care? Well, maybe if everyone else had some balls and demanded it as part of their compensation, we wouldn't be where we are today.

My parents (construction worker and public school teacher) have pensions and health care that put ours to shame. I don't want to penalize them for it; I think we should demand to be raised to that level.

If we can't aspire to that, well maybe I should quit and stop wasting everyone's time.

 

[SEVEN]

Like your taxes?

Unions are democracy.... sure you are fustrated with unions... is out govt hands down better?

Maybe you like being told what to do by your corporate manager.. who is he? Did you elect him? Did you give him authority and power? Of the people, for the people by the people....

You either accept corporate policy or not. Like it or leave it....

No doubt unions have flaws... why? because they comprised of people....

But is your company any better? Sure it is attractive to 'show up, fly your trip and go home'... and that is exactly what your company wants... do what your told, when you are told and how you are told....

To think that a unionless pilot profession is preferred is unrealistic

I agree that we need representation/oversight in this profession. I don't think a bloated, oversized national union is the way. ALPA national has proven that it is not interested in representing the majority of its pilots. We need representation, but not ALPA. We need a fresh start in this industry. Time for change. You'd be surprised how many pilots feel the same way.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I agree that we need representation/oversight in this profession. I don't think a bloated, oversized national union is the way. ALPA national has proven that it is not interested in representing the majority of its pilots. We need representation, but not ALPA. We need a fresh start in this industry. Time for change. You'd be surprised how many pilots feel the same way.

ALPA is made up of people...

Why is the new union going to be different... is USAPA different? Did the NPA work? Is the APA so great? All these groups are made up of people...

Recall the jb pilots tried to try something something new..... it didn't work...

That is not to say that ALPA Nat'l does not need change... one of the problems is there is very little if any involvement of line pilots in MEC and National business.. so naturally, members are skeptical if not trustworthy.... a question is... if there was opportunity for line pilots to be involved in MEC and National affairs, say for short durations of time, would pilots take ownership?

On the other hand, the National work that is done nationally and globally is taken for granted... and would only be appreciated when gone...

Finally, the National work that is done nationally and globally is more safety related, while priceless, it doesn't put money in pilots wallets....

In part, that is what we are talking about.... isn't it?

 

[dispatchguy]

When someone a congressman knows, or a congressman's family gets killed, they will
force the FAA to change, not before....

Ding Ding Ding - we have a winner!

Wasnt their an FAA-written book about some Senator getting killed in a plane crash way in the 20s or 30s which caused a lot of changes in the system at the time?

 

[deadstick]

Yep. I was dead heading on a Mesa flight when a passenger said; "Did you hear about those clowns that fell asleep out in Hawaii? Jeezzz I would never fly on that airline.” I just ignored him.

You should have enlightened him. The resulting look on his face: PRICELESS.