Letter from Prater RE current issues:

[JoeMerchant]

Joe, why do you care? No matter what good ALPA does, its an group of pilots devoid of any benefit, right? You've already written off ALPA as a useless organization, correct? Just sit back, pay your dues, and let the guys that do keep trying, despite ALPA's faults, worry about stuff like that.

Actually, I'm in bad standing with ALPA and enjoying it very much....Ironically, I helped write the Agency Shop language we have....

You never answered my questions:

1. How did fatigue factor into this crash?

2. What has ALPA done to address the lack of experience issue?

Be careful what you wish for....The cure may be worse....

 

[ualdriver]

Actually, I'm in bad standing with ALPA and enjoying it very much....Ironically, I helped write the Agency Shop language we have....

You never answered my questions:

1. How did fatigue factor into this crash?

2. What has ALPA done to address the lack of experience issue?

Be careful what you wish for....The cure may be worse....

You're in bad standing with ALPA so why do you care what my answers are? If you really want me to answer, I'd tell you that ALPA has never done ANYTHING for ANY pilot EVER in its history, EVER. That's what you want to hear, right?

So like I said, sit back and don't worry about anything having to do with ALPA. When they help come up with their new rules, I'll send you a PM with a link to the thread and then you can tell us all about the utter failure the new rules are, how the old ones were better, and how ALPA failed in that matter as well.

 

[ualdriver]

Not a single regional guy on the panel!! I guess the longhaul rest rules will be REALLY nice and we'll keep our 8hr reduced rests!

I thought that I read that there was a Mesa guy on the panel? I'll try to find where I read it.

edit: From post 1 on this thread:


First up, fatigue. After decades of your union’s lobbying for new standards for pilot flight time and rest, and constant testimony before Congress and the U.S. administration over the past two years, I am extremely encouraged to report that last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans to form an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to develop new standards. We’ve been notified that we will have a seat on the ARC and your union will work to assist in modernizing the regulations to create innovative solutions to make a safe industry even safer. Let me tell you the rest of the story. ALPA will have five seats at the ARC and will be one of the co-chairs. I have appointed Captain Don Wykoff, my executive administrator who also serves as chairman of ALPA’s FTDT Committee and Blue Ribbon Panel on Pilot Fatigue, to lead our contingent of staff and pilot experts on the FAA’s ARC. From across our 36 airlines, I have named to the ARC four other pilot experts who engage in all types of flying. These pilots fly for Mesa, Continental, United, Delta, and FedEx—but on this panel they will be ALPA experts and leaders who will represent all 54,000 of us.

 

[PCL_128]

Actually, I'm in bad standing with ALPA and enjoying it very much

There's something to be proud of.

I hope Newie takes it all the way through to termination.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

There's something to be proud of.

I hope Newie takes it all the way through to termination.

If so, he can feel those free market forces.... maybe take that great ATR job in India he keeps advocating...

 

[ualdriver]

there's something to be proud of.

I hope newie takes it all the way through to termination.

+1...

 

[ualdriver]

If so, he can feel those free market forces.... maybe take that great ATR job in India he keeps advocating...

I hear Allegiant is getting some 757's. Maybe he can get hired there as a $70/hr. 757 Captain and see how wonderful life is on the non-union side of the industry.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I hear Allegiant is getting some 757's. Maybe he can get hired there as a $70/hr. 757 Captain and see how wonderful life is on the non-union side of the industry.

People take for granted and expect what has becomes common place. Current levels of obtainment are not motivators... said another way "what have you done for me lately....." is what he is really all about...

Then again.... he failed misrably at being an ALPA officer.... lost meeting minutes or refused to turn them in... depending on his story. He couldn't succeed at being an ALPA officer so his ego requires ALPA to fail....

 

[007]

I thought that I read that there was a Mesa guy on the panel? I'll try to find where I read it.

Mesa, Continental, United, Delta, and FedEx—but on this panel they will be ALPA experts and leaders who will represent all 54,000 of us.

I stand corrected but I'd still like see more of them!

 

[ualdriver]

I stand corrected but I'd still like see more of them!

Yeah, you're probably right. It might have been good to have 2 regional guys, 2 major guys, and a cargo guy instead. I'm glad it's a Mesa guy though, considering the abuse they go through there compared to a more "mature" regional like Eagle or similar (not that they aren't abused too). Hopefully he'll be able to relate the stand-ups, the sleeping on the airplane overnight, the ridiculous block-to-block min rest, the having to "shame" Mesa into providing one lousy hotel room for its pilots through the media, etc., etc. Regardless, let's hope something good comes out of this stuff.