Disgruntled furloughed Midwest pilot accuses "regional pilots" being inferior airmen

[kf4amu]

I get tired of the looks I get being a captain and hearing some of the stupid remarks passengers make.

Last Capt I flew with has 18k hours. A pax asked our FA if "we knew how to fly har har har!".

Not appreciated.

 

[ePilot22]

SOURCE: Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/39999982.html

Lessons to be learned about flying experience

An examination of recent events in the aviation industry begs the question "why?" Let's examine the two most recent airline disasters that had entirely different outcomes, US1549 and CO3407. It might be a prudent consideration before the Milwaukee traveling public books its next airline ticket.

One of the nasty little secrets that the airline companies don't want the traveling public to know is that although the ticket was sold as a Continental Airlines flight, the actual company doing the flying was Colgan Airways of Manassas, Va. Airline companies really hate paying experienced airline pilot salaries and would rather subcontract flying out to the lowest bidder - as opposed to paying their own employees - as a cost-savings measure.

Of course, the results are quite predictable when the combined flying experience aboard most mainline air carriers is greater than the combined ages of those flying at regional air carriers. US 1549 piloted by Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger that ditched into the Hudson River had a much different outcome than did Continental 3407, where it would appear that pilot error might be to blame.

Experienced airline crews don't get paid because of the days when it's sunny and everything is going well. We get paid to ensure everyone entrusted to our care during flight goes home alive at the end of the day, regardless of the circumstances.

As a furloughed airline pilot from Midwest Airlines with nearly 25 years and 15,000 hours of flying experience, I expect history to repeat itself until the traveling public stops falling for the bait-and-switch tactics the airline industry employs in the name of cost savings.

Capt. Snott B. Kaley

Hilton Head, S.C.

First, Major Airlines subcontract not because they hate to pay pilots, but because of the cost associated with the entire flight. There is no sense in flying 49 people on a 737 from New York to Buffalo, no profit will be made. Snott Kaley you're an idiot!

Second, Sully ditched a plane in day VMC conditions from 3000' AGL, with full knowledge of the problem and no icing. Colgan 3407 went down at NIGHT, IMC blowing snow, ice and from about 1500' AGL. There can be NO comparison between the two. Two different aircraft (the airbus is way more automated!), two different times of day and type of weather. Again Snott Kaley you're an idiot!!

Third, of course we know that every 25 year pilot with 15,000 hours has never crashed a plane and never will. And I'm sure Snott Kaley was born with 25 years experience and 15,000 hours. Snott Kaley you're still an idiot!!!

This guy has no point. His argument is flawed and really makes no sense. He should be directing his energy towards Midwest management instead of the regional pilot group. I'd be laughing at this article if the public was actually educated enough to see through this garbage!







eP.

 

[SLUF4]

Yeah; I get it all the time..."did your mom let you fly today?" stupid stuff like that. Funny thing is, none of them get off the plane so I guess they just think they're comedians.

 

[SkyMiles]

.............

 

[kf4amu]

First, Major Airlines subcontract not because they hate to pay pilots, but because of the cost associated with the entire flight. There is no sense in flying 49 people on a 737 from New York to Buffalo, no profit will be made.

There no secret that regionals are flying mainline size jets on former mainline routes for regional pay.

Yes, blame it on mainline pilots giving up scope, but the fact remains, there is a pilot group willing to fly mainline size jets on mainline routes for drastically lower pay than in the past. For management, it makes great business sense.

 

[WayBack]

To me as horrible as it may be to say, he has a point.

This coming from Mr. Make Believe Gulfstream pilot.

 

[BFE]

This tool should be brought up on ALPA Article [FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]VIII charges.

As for anyone else who is jumping on the bash commuter pilots wagon....How much experience did these guys have that crashed good airplanes?

FedEx 1478
American 587
FedEx 14
American 965
Southwest 1455
Delta 1141
Northwest 255

And, how many J4J (US Airways) pilots who came to PSA couldn't make it through training?[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[ePilot22]

There no secret that regionals are flying mainline size jets on former mainline routes for regional pay.

Yes, blame it on mainline pilots giving up scope, but the fact remains, there is a pilot group willing to fly mainline size jets on mainline routes for drastically lower pay than in the past. For management, it makes great business sense.

I don't want to blame anyone. I want everyone to accept that they all play a part. I don't believe there is a mainline pilot now that wouldn't have flown a "mainline size jet" on a mainline route for a regional for regional pay when they had 1000TT. If they say they wouldn't they're lying. For them now to blame regional pilots is BS! I'm flying a jet because they were above it at a major, but they would have flown it 10 years ago at a regional if it existed.

Besides, what is a "mainline size jet"? 50 seats, well not according to mainline pilots. 60 seats? 70 seats?

Why is it determined by the number of seats? Why not gross weight or type? How about the number of departures done each day by a crew?

How about turboprops? 74 seats? It seems to me mainline pilots determine what mainline size jets are not management.

I'm sure SkyWest didn't tell United they were going to buy jets and operate them. I'm sure SkyWest didn't tell mainline pilots they were above flying such little jets.

But I am sure that if we all keep bashing each other and only looking out for ourselves this industry will get better, oh yeah, much better.




eP.

 

[kf4amu]

Besides, what is a "mainline size jet"? 50 seats, well not according to mainline pilots. 60 seats? 70 seats?

Mainline pilots determine that with their scope, I would guess.

They give it up in order to keep their jobs, so management can farm that flying out to lower paid pilots to lower costs so they can get investor money to "restructure" or come out of bankruptcy or whatever. It makes great business sense! Lower costs!

The problem is the unintended consequences of pushing the experienced pilots out of the profession (60 percent of the USAir pilots that were offered recall...who incidently would have been furloughed again had they accepted recall) has made it less safe.

You dont have that with normal cost cutting measures at most businesses. Lowering labor costs at a sugar refinery doesnt affect safety by pushing out the experienced workers. Cut the UAW's salary like the airlines, and you may have a mass exodus of experienced workers, but you dont have cars and trucks falling apart on the interstate killing people.

 

[WayBack]

Blame ALPA. They screwed it all up by trying to represent both majors and regionals.

 

[Poahi]

SOURCE: Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/39999982.html

One of the nasty little secrets that the airline companies don't want the traveling public to know is that although the ticket was sold as a Continental Airlines flight, the actual company doing the flying was Colgan Airways of Manassas, Va.

That nasty little secret is printed on every boarding pass and website where the tickets are sold.

Of course, the results are quite predictable when the combined flying experience aboard most mainline air carriers is greater than the combined ages of those flying at regional air carriers.

Capt. Scott B. Kaley

By far, the worst airline disaster in history was piloted by a 12,000 hour pilot with KLM. He was also a training Captain. The other pilot of the other aircraft involved in the accident had 21,000 hours. In the case of KLM 4805, it was the less experienced FO that tried to talk him out of doing the takeoff. Around 500 people died.

http://www.airdisaster.com/special/special-pa1736.shtml
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[saab fixr]

excuse me but dont most main line pilots start out as regional inexperianced ones? or do you high time guys just start flying big stuff right out of the box? cant imagine other then bitterness why someone thats supposed to be in a faternity of brothers would say anything so degrading. seems like he's on a crusade to try and ruin the jobs for the few who still have one!! Get a Life, sad to think that someone has to say crap about others because he is furloughed. Although true it may turn out that the buffalo flight could have been handled better or differantly but have some simpathy for those who died. Even those experianced pilots make mistakes as quoted serveral times by others but am sure the fine Capt. failed to mention that when he was ranting to the news media.

 

[flyboyike]

excuse me but dont most main line pilots start out as regional inexperienced ones?

No, mainline pilots are born in a double-breasted suit.

 

[BoilerUP]

The problem is the unintended consequences of pushing the experienced pilots out of the profession (60 percent of the USAir pilots that were offered recall...who incidently would have been furloughed again had they accepted recall) has made it less safe.

Flawed logic.

How many of those 60 percent declining recall do you think really left aviation?

Now many of them went to FedEx, UPS, Southwest, ATA, World, Polar, Emirates, Delta, NWA, AirTran, JetBlue, Spirit, USA3000, kept their J4J job at Republic, got hired by a corporate operator or a fractional like Netjets, started instructing at FlightSafety or even went to America West?

If anything, the "experience" those pilots brought to the profession has been spread further around aviation...actually making it safer.

 

[dooork]

There no secret that regionals are flying mainline size jets on former mainline routes for regional pay.

Yes, blame it on mainline pilots giving up scope, but the fact remains, there is a pilot group willing to fly mainline size jets on mainline routes for drastically lower pay than in the past. For management, it makes great business sense.

The fact is...yes,there is a pilot group that is willing to pick up flying another pilot group gave away.

Another fact is..."mainline" pilots work for drastically lower pay.