Funny numbers are fun

[Papps]

My uncle asked me today(im guessing this reflects public opinion of the non-flying public.... "why have the northwest pilots quit coming to work lately, they are really making people angry"

I explained to him that the pilots are timing out at the end of the month and it would be illegal to show up for a flight. He made an annoyed jesture that showed that he thought that was just a cop out.....

Then he asked me how much they work. I said 100 per month 1000 per year. He then said that he works 60 hour WEEKS and that 100 hours per month is a part time job.

Then he kept talking... "But you guys get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, i only sleep 6 or 7". I explained that 8 hours meant rest and did not mean anything but door open to door shut (more or less) it almost always means 5 hours of sleep to.

We will never have any leverage with the FAA until the public understands that 8 hours of flying actually takes 13+ hours. And more like 15 or 16 hours when the weather drops. And that 8 hours of rest is 5 hours of sleep.

They will never care about our pay, and i don't blame them, I would care either. But some of the outdated FAA flight and duty regs would make them nervous if they understood them.

Why is alpa not using duty times and estimated crew sleep to respond to the poor press about "pilots not showing up for work"

 

[EatinRamen]

Why didn't you give your uncle the real numbers? Pilots work 300+ hours a month (total duty). We are gone away from home for half the month or more. Our actions as pilots are dependant on us feeling well rested and in good health, yet we barely get 5 or 6 hours a night. I could go on and on.

 

[say again]

Why didn't you give your uncle the real numbers? Pilots work 300+ hours a month (total duty).

There's the truth!! All the preflight actions (planning, A/C inspection, cockpit prep, etc), down time between legs, postflight are basically volunteer work.

 

[Papps]

Why didn't you give your uncle the real numbers? Pilots work 300+ hours a month (total duty). We are gone away from home for half the month or more. Our actions as pilots are dependant on us feeling well rested and in good health, yet we barely get 5 or 6 hours a night. I could go on and on.

Yeah i did give him the real numbers, but they bounced right off of him somehow. He left the conversation thinking we work part time jobs, sleep a ton, and that northwest pilots just quit coming to work for the crap of it.

I was just illustrating that ALPA needs use estimated duty times and estimated sleep when they talk to the press because the non flying public dosen't have the ability to understand this stuff.

 

[imacdog]

Just tell him if he feels it's such a great job to become a pilot himself. I hear Mesa is hiring.

 

[Americam]

It is starting to get some attention. Studies show that flying fatigued has similar, if not greater, rates of error than flying intoxicated. I would hope that 10 years from now flying tired would be akin to flying drunk. We need to start treating it that way now.

 

[~~~^~~~]

It is starting to get some attention. Studies show that flying fatigued has similar, if not greater, rates of error than flying intoxicated. I would hope that 10 years from now flying tired would be akin to flying drunk. We need to start treating it that way now.

Very true.

 

[svcta]

There's still one problem. THE FEDS DON'T CARE. Fatigue is a rest issue to them and those are to be dealt with between the pilots and management.

And Jane Q. Gramma couldn't care less, either. She only wants HER flight crew to be the most well rested, highly paid pair in the whole world. The rest can pound sand with a bunch of Valujet O2 generators as fas as she's concerned if it will save a few bucks getting the little kiddies to the condo in Boca for the summer.

 

[wrxpilot]

The rest can pound sand with a bunch of Valujet O2 generators as fas as she's concerned if it will save a few bucks getting the little kiddies to the condo in Boca for the summer.

Boca in the summer? Augh! Misery.

 

[navigator72]

is it quicker to NYC or by bus?