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Let's Start an Airline-Hypothetically
- Thread starter Astra Guy
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bart
Decader
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
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- 861
Absolutely. It's a deal.
Hypothetically that makes me your first customer.
Theoretically, congratulations are in order.
On a more serious note, I spoke with an old B-school professor the other day. We ran an airline biz simulation one semester, I asked him to see if he still has the software for it. If he does, I will make it available to you to see if it might help with modelling the effects of the decisions you guys make.
Last edited:
Publishers
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2002
- Posts
- 1,736
bobbysamd
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- Nov 26, 2001
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Additional considerations
We need a competent CEO and Chairman. Could we lure Herb away from SWA? If he feels he has a happy bunch right now, wait 'til he meets our group.
I know that Frank L. and Stephen W. are available. Uncle Frank is dying to "run something" again.
What about regional service to feed our hubs? We have agreed not to contract-out that part of the operation, so say good-bye to Mesa, TSA, et al, nor were we going to get into any scope controversies. Therefore, I have a two-pronged suggestion, based on my experience as an instructor of Alitalia students at FSI and Mesa students at its school (and please read on - it isn't what you're thinking).
Of course, we need experienced and typed pilots to get going, and we'll likely need them for a number of years. But, once we have enough money in the bank (or have leveraged-out our assets enough to have that money), why not follow the European and Asian example and start up our own in-house flight academy? We would solicit for high-quality applicants, select the ones who have the best qualities and/or potential, and train them using our LOFT philosophy, at our expense! We would provide housing and board in our modern dormitory and pay them a modest per diem. Selected line pilots would live with our students to serve as TAC officers. No restriction on age, within reason; you wouldn't want to enroll someone at age 58 if he must retire at age 60, though that person could be offered a position elsewhere in the company, with pay and hours structured in such a way that he/she can earn money and still draw Social Security.
After these students are trained, they would be assigned to our very own fleet of regional-type equipment. As they gain seniority, they would go to mainline, with no flowthrough, flowback, backflush, no worries!
Academy instructors would be primarily line pilots who are assigned tours to teach our students. Of course, they would hold their seniority and receive their same guarantees as if they were flying the line. I would propose opportunities for street-hire instructors, primarily to bring in fresh input and points of view to avoid the incestuous-type staleness, dogmatism and dilution of knowledge that is common with schools that hire only their own graduates. Outside instructors would be given opportunities to interview as pilots for our airline.
I feel that training our own pilots would establish loyalty to our company early on, and paying them well and treating them well will maintain that loyalty.
We need a competent CEO and Chairman. Could we lure Herb away from SWA? If he feels he has a happy bunch right now, wait 'til he meets our group.
I know that Frank L. and Stephen W. are available. Uncle Frank is dying to "run something" again.
What about regional service to feed our hubs? We have agreed not to contract-out that part of the operation, so say good-bye to Mesa, TSA, et al, nor were we going to get into any scope controversies. Therefore, I have a two-pronged suggestion, based on my experience as an instructor of Alitalia students at FSI and Mesa students at its school (and please read on - it isn't what you're thinking).
Of course, we need experienced and typed pilots to get going, and we'll likely need them for a number of years. But, once we have enough money in the bank (or have leveraged-out our assets enough to have that money), why not follow the European and Asian example and start up our own in-house flight academy? We would solicit for high-quality applicants, select the ones who have the best qualities and/or potential, and train them using our LOFT philosophy, at our expense! We would provide housing and board in our modern dormitory and pay them a modest per diem. Selected line pilots would live with our students to serve as TAC officers. No restriction on age, within reason; you wouldn't want to enroll someone at age 58 if he must retire at age 60, though that person could be offered a position elsewhere in the company, with pay and hours structured in such a way that he/she can earn money and still draw Social Security.
After these students are trained, they would be assigned to our very own fleet of regional-type equipment. As they gain seniority, they would go to mainline, with no flowthrough, flowback, backflush, no worries!
Academy instructors would be primarily line pilots who are assigned tours to teach our students. Of course, they would hold their seniority and receive their same guarantees as if they were flying the line. I would propose opportunities for street-hire instructors, primarily to bring in fresh input and points of view to avoid the incestuous-type staleness, dogmatism and dilution of knowledge that is common with schools that hire only their own graduates. Outside instructors would be given opportunities to interview as pilots for our airline.
I feel that training our own pilots would establish loyalty to our company early on, and paying them well and treating them well will maintain that loyalty.
Shadow...my man! I can see you have gathered a number of links that might prove invaluable. I appreciate the legwork you have done for our little group...great enthusiasm!
Bart,
You are absolutely right about being the first customer...and I had not looked in our passenger database when I quoted the specifics of your options. As a first time customer with us we now think it is appropriate to upgrade you to business class in both directions...on us. Welcome aboard! And sure if the software is available we would love to see it. Sure we can't entice you to join us? We need a financial type to help decifer what the others on the board will propose.
Publishers...thanks for offering the spreadsheet. That too could be a great tool in helping to form educated decisions. We sure could use that along with Bart's software offer. Sure you don't want to join our group? We seem to be building enthusiasm and individuals willing to put forth effort here.
Bobbysamd,
Another set of great ideas, all of which seem to have merit for us down the road. We will probably have to prove something to the industry before we can sway Herb away...there may be a Herb within our own organization, waiting to rise to the occasion. I think you are on target with the instructing side as well as recruitment for possible newcomers and training them to our methods. Great solid ideas from where I sit.
And for enigma....well you haven't missed anything if you have read the posts. It is pleasantly surprising how much interest there is in something that seems so far out but then again feels so right.
Much, much more work lies ahead. Admittedly I haven't been around much...been out there cheating death again in my flying job and just got connected in the hotel on a dialup...man, am I spoiled!
We need talents and contributions from others to help accelerate the process...but then again we don't need to feel we have to be in a hurry...just on target and deal with factors that we know of first and the others that follow in sequence.
First we zero in on our target market...city pairs and see where there might be targets of opportunity. Once we have the city pairs figured out then we determine the route structure....# of flights from each city and where they should logically be paired up with. Somehow discern gate fees, fuel hedging technics and come up with realistic $/gallon at each location. Determine the airframe....once these questions are answered then we can begin to work on the staffing side, from top to bottom...in all categories.
One last thing...we must keep in mind that what we are going to offer is above the rest in terms of customer service, equipment, quality of people employed and the rest will take care of itself.
Thanks for all of the input. I will try to spend more time in the next few days to get to some of what Shadow has uncovered. I encourage everyone to check out the links he has brought forward and then we can discuss what we have learned and make suggestions accordingly.
Bart,
You are absolutely right about being the first customer...and I had not looked in our passenger database when I quoted the specifics of your options. As a first time customer with us we now think it is appropriate to upgrade you to business class in both directions...on us. Welcome aboard! And sure if the software is available we would love to see it. Sure we can't entice you to join us? We need a financial type to help decifer what the others on the board will propose.
Publishers...thanks for offering the spreadsheet. That too could be a great tool in helping to form educated decisions. We sure could use that along with Bart's software offer. Sure you don't want to join our group? We seem to be building enthusiasm and individuals willing to put forth effort here.
Bobbysamd,
Another set of great ideas, all of which seem to have merit for us down the road. We will probably have to prove something to the industry before we can sway Herb away...there may be a Herb within our own organization, waiting to rise to the occasion. I think you are on target with the instructing side as well as recruitment for possible newcomers and training them to our methods. Great solid ideas from where I sit.
And for enigma....well you haven't missed anything if you have read the posts. It is pleasantly surprising how much interest there is in something that seems so far out but then again feels so right.
Much, much more work lies ahead. Admittedly I haven't been around much...been out there cheating death again in my flying job and just got connected in the hotel on a dialup...man, am I spoiled!
We need talents and contributions from others to help accelerate the process...but then again we don't need to feel we have to be in a hurry...just on target and deal with factors that we know of first and the others that follow in sequence.
First we zero in on our target market...city pairs and see where there might be targets of opportunity. Once we have the city pairs figured out then we determine the route structure....# of flights from each city and where they should logically be paired up with. Somehow discern gate fees, fuel hedging technics and come up with realistic $/gallon at each location. Determine the airframe....once these questions are answered then we can begin to work on the staffing side, from top to bottom...in all categories.
One last thing...we must keep in mind that what we are going to offer is above the rest in terms of customer service, equipment, quality of people employed and the rest will take care of itself.
Thanks for all of the input. I will try to spend more time in the next few days to get to some of what Shadow has uncovered. I encourage everyone to check out the links he has brought forward and then we can discuss what we have learned and make suggestions accordingly.
This is one of the best threads I have seen on this board in years.
What about flight attendants? Can we call them stewardesses again? I'm assuming they will all be female. Is there a legal way to insure this? Maybe we could start a religion along the right lines or something.
Maybe we could go in with Hugh on a deal.
What about flight attendants? Can we call them stewardesses again? I'm assuming they will all be female. Is there a legal way to insure this? Maybe we could start a religion along the right lines or something.
Maybe we could go in with Hugh on a deal.
Speedtree,
I like the way you think. We could probably woo some FAs/Stewardi away from another msn web board called Sky High Angels...even have pics, etc. There is one board within their board called the Mile High someting or other. As one old geezer told me in a QB meeting "Astronomy is the study of heavenly bodies!" You know it is hard to get these QBs to talk much...LOL
We'll put bobbysamd, our current legal guhru, on the legal issues of well, you know...using discriminating taste, as it were.
I like the way you think. We could probably woo some FAs/Stewardi away from another msn web board called Sky High Angels...even have pics, etc. There is one board within their board called the Mile High someting or other. As one old geezer told me in a QB meeting "Astronomy is the study of heavenly bodies!" You know it is hard to get these QBs to talk much...LOL
We'll put bobbysamd, our current legal guhru, on the legal issues of well, you know...using discriminating taste, as it were.
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