DL CRAF volunteers

[DaveGriffin]

Are the DL furloughees eligible to volunteer to fly the CRAF military charters?

 

[TriDriver]

Dave

To my knowledge, only international pilots will be flying military charters and CRAF flights.

I saw a bulletin that asked international category pilots (777, MD-11, 767ER, and maybe 767-400 pilots) to sign up for military charters. It said that if enough pilots did not volunteer for these "lucrative" military charters, Delta may not be able to fly them due to lack of crews, and would lose valuable revenue.

At this point, I think they may be flying some military charters. I believe the CRAF flying is only done when the gov't drafts the fleet into service, which hasn't happened yet.

They can't assign reserves to fly these missions, and all the pilots that are used must "volunteer".

TriDriver Bob
De Oppresso Liber, Rangers Lead the Way!!!!

 

[DaveGriffin]

Thanks Bob.

1. So are any of the furloughed pilots international catagory?

2. If they were, and if there were not enough volunteers, could an international catagory furloughed pilot volunteer and fly?

 

[Tim47SIP]

Training costs

I think the costs to retrain or become recurrent would probably be cost prohibitive. But it sure would be nice to get these guys working again. I cant imagine that they wouldnt get enough volunteers to help serve our military guys. I know I would jump at the chance if I was qualified to do so.

 

[DaveGriffin]

Thanks Tim.

It seems that the most recent furloughees, being the most senior, would be most likely to be international catagory. If they have been furloughed recently, why would there be a training issue?

I would think that this is an issue that the DALPA negotiating committee would promote in the CRAF negotiations, if they were interested in getting their junior guys some work, even if it is not full-time.

Does it look like Delta will get enough volunteers from the active pilots?

 

[TriDriver]

Dave

I'm sure there will be plenty of volunteers to cover the military charters and CRAF flying.

I read the bulletin again that covers that flying, and it will only be done with 777, MD-11, and 767ER aircraft

As far as furloughees being used, hell, I can't even hold 777 or MD-11 copilot, and probably this summer I'll be bumped back to 767ER copilot myself. I've been a captain for 6-1/2 years - two years ago I was a 727 captain, one year ago I was an MD-88 captain, this year I got bumped back to Delta Express captain on the 737-200, and this summer I'll be bumped back to domestic 757/767 or international 767ER copilot.

The guys getting furloughed are being bumped down to Orlando to the Delta Express copilot position (the most junior seat in the airline), and are furloughed from there. Delta Express is being shut down this summer and the 737-200 pilot base will be CVG, so when the furloughees are recalled, they'll be going to the most junior jobs available at the time. There won't be any 727 flight engineer jobs, so they'll be recalled to 737-200 and MD-88 copilot positions for the most part.

There's a huge backward/downward movement going on. Delta is going from some 580 aircraft down to something like 520 by the end of the year. Of course we're taking delivery of dozens of RJ's for the connection carriers. I understand Comair is hiring some 40 pilot/month. Unfortunately, the downsizing of the mainline and the growth of the connection carriers means our furloughees will be out a long time.

I wish there were some way to use them for military charters or CRAF flying, but it ain't gonna happen.

TriDriver Bob

 

[DaveGriffin]

Thanks for the info Bob.

I was hoping that the CRAF flying would provide the opportunity to give the furloughees some work.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

fyi, there is a column by Kevin Garrison pertaining to this subject on Avweb.com. Speculate he is DAL pilot. While it doesn't go into great detail it is good reading for the layman (like me). Also interesting comments from his peers who are ex-military.

 

[TriStar_drvr]

They can't assign reserves to fly these missions, and all the pilots that are used must "volunteer".

We don't have that option available to us, but even if we did, I'd still volunteer. I enjoy flying the "missions." Right now we don't have the equipment or crews to handle all the requests from the military.