Former AWA Pilot writes the truth

[charlie2]

No, you slither, but don't advance!

Hi Mrs. Upthebird! We won't touch PBS. But seriously, how's your August schedule?

 

[Bringupthebird]

Hi Mrs. Upthebird! We won't touch PBS. But seriously, how's your August schedule?

Are you the folks complaining about how you can't get the microwave to change channels? Some of you came around to electric razors, so I'm sure there's hope you'll embrace 20th century technology someday.

Seriously? I can't tell August for a few more weeks, but the previous months were okay if you like 9 days off in a row sound tied to 9 days at the end of the previous month? And the equivalent of SAP is still available to fine tune after the fact, but it's generally for more junior folk. A week of vacation? Tell PBS you want to extend it to about 2 with no problem!

Yeah, stay away from PBS. It's way bad for you!!

 

[charlie2]

Are you the folks complaining about how you can't get the microwave to change channels? Some of you came around to electric razors, so I'm sure there's hope you'll embrace 20th century technology someday.

Seriously? I can't tell August for a few more weeks, but the previous months were okay if you like 9 days off in a row sound tied to 9 days at the end of the previous month? And the equivalent of SAP is still available to fine tune after the fact, but it's generally for more junior folk. A week of vacation? Tell PBS you want to extend it to about 2 with no problem!

Yeah, stay away from PBS. It's way bad for you!!

So you're going to leave me hanging and not tell me how to get that damn microwave to change channels? I remember PBS being talked about during my United express days in the mid 90's and since then I have heard nothing good about it unless you are very senior. This is the very first positive talk about PBS I've ever heard.

 

[Bringupthebird]

The howl that went up when PBS came out at AWA was deafening. Within 6-12 months everyone loved it and you can't find anyone still demanding their veto rights to PBS.

If you have a lousy contract PBS won't fix it, but if you want to build schedules that would never be built on paper and not have to wait and hope for SAP to pay off, then PBS is the way to go.

As for it only being good for the senior folks, a big NOPE! There are enough ways to bid so that someone who might never get a Saturday or Sunday off, can usually get a couple. In fact, the senior guy who wants a specific trip might be the only one who complains about PBS because of the programming requirement that ensures no preference of a senior pilot will cause a junior pilot to be illegal. In that very rare case, seniority might not be honored in that the trip the senior guy might bid for would go more junion to prevent some illegality. When I say rare, I mean I may have heard of it 3 times and the only reason people remember it is because it's about the only negative there is to PBS, so as a pilot you just gotta hang onto that!

All the fears of cramming time are unfounded as the program can't operate that close to the margins and still put out the bid on time. The claim that "If the company wants it, it can't be good for the pilots" is bogus in practice too. The company likes it because it's cheaper than paper bids.

Most guys build a standing bid in case they forget to put one in, but tweak it to meet their month-to-month specific needs.

The west experts presented the experience they have gleaned from 8+ years of PBS, but the BPR sat there as if you had handed a Rubics cube to a Schnauzer and decided to summarily reject it.

Grab a west guy and ask him to open up PBS to take a look. If you have to hate it, at least hate it for legitimate reasons.

 

[charlie2]

The west experts presented the experience they have gleaned from 8+ years of PBS, but the BPR sat there as if you had handed a Rubics cube to a Schnauzer and decided to summarily reject it.

Grab a west guy and ask him to open up PBS to take a look. If you have to hate it, at least hate it for legitimate reasons.[/QUOTE]

Now that's funny. Thanks for the info and I will check it out and pass the word.

 

[LearLove]

My exp. with PBS from my time as a Rep. J4J is 50/50. My beef with implementing it here is the fact that would have caused more furloughs (if done w/in the last 2 years) and the fact that I am on the bottom (no matter which list you use).

Now that things are moving fwd wrt to staffing I am more inclined to look at it again
as long as the company agrees to not reduce staffing as a result. However with that said I think we have much more pressing issues to fix before we look at PBS.

 

[captfred]

I am a big time PBS fan. Would sure hate to return back to the stone age.

 

[Bringupthebird]

However with that said I think we have much more pressing issues to fix before we look at PBS.

Except that the USAPA amature show ("So You Think You Can Negotiate") has already dismissed PBS which will cost us all dearly at the table because the company is acutely aware of how much PBS saves and they will extract all that and more in pay, benefits, co-pays or more.

The longer the pilots let these jerks run unchecked, the worse the final TA will be, regardless of NIC or DOH.

 

[vetrider]

The longer the pilots let these jerks run unchecked, the worse the final TA will be, regardless of NIC or DOH.

That's the unvarnished truth right there. Dead nuts on.

 

[get2flyin]

I waiver back and forth between RSV and holding a line (mostly RSV) and I wouldn't trade PBS. The logic of not using it because it's complicated is like refusing to RNAV your way across the country, instead using P2P VORs because it's simple and you get it. If you can't figure it out, how can you program an FMS?