Hello All-
This is my first post as I am usually on the sidelines gathering critical industry insight. I was compelled to write after reading the thread B6 and Virtual Basing. What started out as a thread to discuss the virtues and pitfalls of and idea became an argument between the “haves and the have nots”.
I do not purport to know the answers to many of the critical arguments here but I found myself aligning with both Realistic and FNG. I believe both do a good job of both “living the values” and voicing their respective concerns. I would say that is part of the advantage of a site like Flightinfo. I also believe that the senior JB guys have some merit too. Unfortunately I think a psychologist might suggest that we are a case study of the negative aspects of polarization. To be sure, I am speaking of us as the Industry.
Let me give you an example: I am a relatively new FO based at JFK for those that need to quantify the author’s relevance. A couple of days ago my captain and I had a line check all the way from JFK to the west coast. The check airman observed the 6.5 hr flight and then was to dead head back (he went home instead). That is nearly 12 hrs of flight pay @ $180.00 an hr. To be more specific that is $2160.00 to do a simple line check…a check in which we pointed out two inconsistencies in the Check Airman’s protocol. Is it relevant that the Check Airman is near seniority 20 or just ironic? Either way it is stupid that we set our selves up for that as a company.
Why did I just use that example? I mention it because I want to point out that there will always be injustices and inconsistencies in any industry, however, when we are so polarized we do not see holistically. In other words legacy carrier pilots will blame LCCs junior guys will blame senior guys, senior guys will point out seniority and on and on. All have some form of merit but it is in this tiny minutia that we destroy our profession.
I have ideas of what might help us. I believe the ideas of both Union and non-Union are tired. Both are dysfunctional for either the company or its’ crewmembers. What seems to work well is the concept of the American Medical Association. The AMA works by regulating the entrants into medical school and sets the standard for students while in school. This is done while working with the federal government to insure safety and compliance. What I suggest is that we form an organization that works with the FAA to regulate who becomes an ATP in the interest of safety and saturation. This does not harm the airlines in the long run as it levels the paying field and allows pilots from all carriers to sustain their place in the industry after furloughs and bankruptcies. If we eliminate non-collegiate 141 schools where any swinging Richard can get his ATP and take your spot or FBO to Captain Schools intended originally for private pilots we are headed in the right direction.
I am not suggesting that we then get rid of those that have matriculated thru the system via 141 and such but rather set a standard from this date.
What do you think?
This is my first post as I am usually on the sidelines gathering critical industry insight. I was compelled to write after reading the thread B6 and Virtual Basing. What started out as a thread to discuss the virtues and pitfalls of and idea became an argument between the “haves and the have nots”.
I do not purport to know the answers to many of the critical arguments here but I found myself aligning with both Realistic and FNG. I believe both do a good job of both “living the values” and voicing their respective concerns. I would say that is part of the advantage of a site like Flightinfo. I also believe that the senior JB guys have some merit too. Unfortunately I think a psychologist might suggest that we are a case study of the negative aspects of polarization. To be sure, I am speaking of us as the Industry.
Let me give you an example: I am a relatively new FO based at JFK for those that need to quantify the author’s relevance. A couple of days ago my captain and I had a line check all the way from JFK to the west coast. The check airman observed the 6.5 hr flight and then was to dead head back (he went home instead). That is nearly 12 hrs of flight pay @ $180.00 an hr. To be more specific that is $2160.00 to do a simple line check…a check in which we pointed out two inconsistencies in the Check Airman’s protocol. Is it relevant that the Check Airman is near seniority 20 or just ironic? Either way it is stupid that we set our selves up for that as a company.
Why did I just use that example? I mention it because I want to point out that there will always be injustices and inconsistencies in any industry, however, when we are so polarized we do not see holistically. In other words legacy carrier pilots will blame LCCs junior guys will blame senior guys, senior guys will point out seniority and on and on. All have some form of merit but it is in this tiny minutia that we destroy our profession.
I have ideas of what might help us. I believe the ideas of both Union and non-Union are tired. Both are dysfunctional for either the company or its’ crewmembers. What seems to work well is the concept of the American Medical Association. The AMA works by regulating the entrants into medical school and sets the standard for students while in school. This is done while working with the federal government to insure safety and compliance. What I suggest is that we form an organization that works with the FAA to regulate who becomes an ATP in the interest of safety and saturation. This does not harm the airlines in the long run as it levels the paying field and allows pilots from all carriers to sustain their place in the industry after furloughs and bankruptcies. If we eliminate non-collegiate 141 schools where any swinging Richard can get his ATP and take your spot or FBO to Captain Schools intended originally for private pilots we are headed in the right direction.
I am not suggesting that we then get rid of those that have matriculated thru the system via 141 and such but rather set a standard from this date.
What do you think?
uh, yeah....
