Cargo 360 just bought Southern Air

[unwashed]

I just checked our training and we have a class going to the 400 in Nov and another in Dec with the first aircraft arriving in DEC or JAN. The second airframe will be in Xiamen before the "merger". As far as Cargo 360 we will have seven check airmen and three line pilots qualed and through IOE before this whole thing happens.

 

[unwashed]

The Company does not authorize the use of Military Leave for weekend drills, unit training assemblies,
additional flight training periods, or other Reserve Component inactive duty for training activities such
as flight physicals, simulator periods, and schools.

We have a lot of military guys asking about this, is this legal? And if so how do the current Military guys at SAI handle it?

 

[dakotaHC8]

Oak hill purchased the 777's about four months ago. The 400's have been in Cargo 360's hands for over six months. Is SAI's "union" recognized by the US government or is it a gentlemen's agreement with Neff and company? Cargo 360 utilization and on time performance during it's short life has been about 400 plus hours per month per airframe and 97% on time, what is SAI's? Having seen your rotations and trips your schedules are ineffiencent with a lot of sitting. If you had a national union maybe that would change? Have you guys thought of that? It is not hard and is the law. If history repeats itself Neff will be moved up to the COB of the airline and Oakhill will replace him, it only took oakhill eight months to do this with H. David Greenberg. He owned 15% of Cargo 360 funny how that number is being repeated with Neff. With Oakhill owning both companies there are two pilot groups and even thought the company is being called SAI holdings it just as well could have been call southern 180. The operating certificate is another matter Cargo 360 was certified under the new rules ATOS (SIC) the combining of certificates maybe harder than Oakhill understands. Best of luck and hold on for a ride.

Yes, it is NMB recognized representation.

Yes we have considered national representation, but as a group, not all pilots are accepting of the idea of Teamsters, or worse yet, ALPA. Remember, there is always a downside to working with a national Union as well. Plus any national union will have to work within the framework of the established CBA already in place.

Utilization of SAI aircraft has never been an issue, if anything, they need to sit around less.

Glad to hear that you have "had" the 400's, but in reality, until they are flying revenue for your operation, you don't "have them". Trust me that in this industry, you cannot believe anything until you have been flying it for a month, and even then you still cannot count on it.

Both the 400BCF's or 777 could go elsewhere, or they could show up at Southern. IMO Chances are pretty good that the 400's will arrive, and the B777 are (kinda sorta in a wait and see manner) likely depending upon the needs of the customer.

Afterall, no one can afford new 777 freighters, or even 400 coversions except for one of the major international airlines, or a company good enough to establish a solid long-term contract with them. I am betting that those customers would like to see Southern operate newer equipment, that saves on gas and has far better reliability.

That seems like the only real reason to even do this merger, because Southern was more profitable + experienced than C360, yet Oak Hill had the means to finance future growth. It's not like SAI was doing bad on our own, Mr. Neff had grown his airline from 4 to 10 747 aircraft in two years using the profits SAI had produced...

So now the idea is to use Oak Hill's money to allow the new company to grow, and make more money for both Oak Hill and the Neff's.

So try to look on this as a positive, instead of lamenting the changes. There will be enough growth for everyone, and many new opportunities to go with the hassles. But in the long run we will all have to fly with each other, for hour and hours on end, so your best bet is for us to each do what we can to get along.

 

[unwashed]

Not trying to lament the change, we have ability to stay with Cargo360 until the end or to transfer to SAI and incure a 24000 dollar training bond for something I will be trained in and qualified. The other issue is some of our MX guys where with SAI and hated the way MX was done. The Cargo 360 MX is bar non great. My last airline was a 6 time diamond award winner from the FAA (first and only airline to do this). Your MX guy in RKSI was told to sign off an airframe with a bad engine so they could ferry it to MIA for an engine change, he refused. Two days latter I saw him in the airport and he said it was still there along with two more broken airplanes. Your profit has come at a cost of your equipement. Neff's expansion is do to his ability to get banks to laon him the money to lease the airframes, my guess is Wells Fargo out of SLC. Not lamenting, and probably not going to SAI unless Oakhill starts putting your airframes in C check and getting up to what most of the rest of the industry is used to operating with, few MEL/CDL items and less B and C items that have been extented.

 

[Rookiy]

The Company does not authorize the use of Military Leave for weekend drills, unit training assemblies,
additional flight training periods, or other Reserve Component inactive duty for training activities such
as flight physicals, simulator periods, and schools.

We have a lot of military guys asking about this, is this legal? And if so how do the current Military guys at SAI handle it?

Any Mil Res/Guard folks at SAI? This is a big problem! I'm not savey enough to say definitively if this is legal or not. I'll be following this up with the appropriate folks at the 446TH AW. Any insight prior to then would be greatly appreciated.

 

[slinky]

That is not even close to being legal.
http://www.osc.gov/userra.htm

This pretty much spells it out. The nice part is the DOL lawers are more than willing to take this on and fight on your behalf.

slinky

 

[unwashed]

What happens if the management of SAI wants to play hardball with your grivences. They can and will bleed a in house union dry, that is the benefit of having a large national union on site. Most of Cargo 360's Captains have felt the sting of being let down by their union, I can't believe anyone at SAI has felt that kind of sting. Our Captains are in full support of a national union regardless of what has happened in the past. Neff given the opportunity will bleed you dry or just ignore your pleas.

 

[pilotbrain]

But Neff would and will close the doors SAI if pilots national unionized were even close to being voted in. Then he would rehire and start all over again like what he did with SAT.

 

[heilhaavir]

But Neff would and will close the doors SAI if pilots national unionized were even close to being voted in. Then he would rehire and start all over again like what he did with SAT.

Might sound a bit ignorant here, but what exactly did Neff do with SAT?

 

[unwashed]

He does not control the company as a 15% owner, is in the minority. He can't shut down what he does not fully own.