MidAtlantic Captain Positions At 01/99 DOH

[F70pilot]

Does anyone remember the feelings of love in the cockpit of the F27s when they merged Suburban and Pennsy?

 

[FurloughedAgain]

speedbrakes

PS - If you find yourself reaching for that speedbrake handle more than once or twice a trip you probably need that flight instruction!

That brings back some memories.

In the DC9 we had a Capt named Jim Ladd (who is now, thankfully, retired). Well "Jim Ladd sucks" was written on the back of all of the yoke-clips. He sure did. And he didn't care much for us new guys either!

Anyhow, was flying with ol' Jim one day and I reached for the speedbrakes and he grabs my hand.

"Did you screw up Son?"

"No, Jim"

"Did the controller screw up Son?"

"No, Jim"

"Then you dont need to be touching that dang thing!"

He later explained to me in excrutiating detail how proper management of airspeed (energy) would yield the same results while providing smoother, quieter, ride for the customers.

But, even today I cringe whenever people (over)use the flight spoilers.

(He did later admit that if you mess up, or the controller messes up, sometimes it is appropriate to use em'.)

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Speedbrakes and such

Ahh yes, you know it was a good flight when you go to idle on the throttles at FL 350 and manage it so you don't have to bring power back in until the gear comes out!!! Rare, very rare, but every now and then everything fell into place, the perfect STAR, good controller, correct active runway.

Of course, when it does work out you have to act like you do it all the time!!!!!!!!

 

[WSurf]

Well, if you want a level playing field for the furloughs. Lets do this, I have no problem, and I do believe they should get longevity for pay. But on that same note, I believe that since MDA (soon to be WO:SSO does Paychecks, PDT Employ #'s and Health care provider) shouldn't all people from APL and CEL be combined into one list and us date of hire for the MDA seniority list. I think that would be fair, since the APL guys keep longevity at mainline and the WO's start at year one. I think that is a EVEN PLAYING FIELD!!!!!!!!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

well...

Well... that depends Surf.

What's your date of hire? <wink>

 

[Steve 737]

There is a learning curve when transitioning to a jet. We all went thru it at some point in our careers. Almost all of the captains i flew with in the late 80's at U mainline were great to fly with and i learned a great deal from alot of them. Sure, there were a few i did not particularly care for, but i made the best of it. I hope you are not coming over to MAA with that attitude !!!

Should make for a fun cockpit at MDA. I heard PSA has been a real joy since the J4J guys came over..... Man I can't wait to sling a gear at MDA and listen to my Capt. telling me how to operate a Jet. Fun, Fun, where do I sign up!!!! LOL, oh.... usairways-express.com!!! I am so there....

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Well, if you want a level playing field for the furloughs. Lets do this, I have no problem, and I do believe they should get longevity for pay. But on that same note, I believe that since MDA (soon to be WO:SSO does Paychecks, PDT Employ #'s and Health care provider) shouldn't all people from APL and CEL be combined into one list and us date of hire for the MDA seniority list. I think that would be fair, since the APL guys keep longevity at mainline and the WO's start at year one. I think that is a EVEN PLAYING FIELD!!!!!!!!

Except that MDA is mainline. Only the payscale is different. As far as the FAA is concerned there is no distinction. It is just like MetroJet. All on the same 121 certificate. The FAA has not issued any 121 certificate to an airline named Mid-Atlantic.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying make the W/O's give up their senority but to have the W/O guys getting paid 36 bucks an hour more than the mainline furloughees is way out of line, especially the 12 and 13 year Airways pilots.

If you go Surfs way you must also give all the former W/O pilots that went to mainline their original W/O hire date back, or since you are wanting to use hire dates from 3 different airlines, it can also be argued that every mainline furloughee should be given his original Regional hire date back regardless of what airline that was. (Ie. Eagle, Mesaba whatever)

The J4J agreements were pretty screwed up at times, and at PSA furloughees were holding artificial Captain spots in return for the jets to more that double the size of the airline almost overnight, However every one of the PSA guys was senior to the furloughed pilots. And despite the moaning and Biatching from the PSA pilots, they have made out very well in the deal. At last count there were only 80 (not my numbers somebody elses) something furloughees left over there, and PSA is hiring like crazy to try and staff all those new shiney jets. Far better than they would have done if they still only operated 25 Do 328's. I know it is somewhat hypocritical, the way the Capt. seats went in the J4J stuff, but the bottom line is that PSA cannot operate independant of Airways. They do not have their own res centers, ticketing, support, or identity of their own. What they can do is supply their own pilots, fuel, and maint., but they would have no one to haul. To the passengers it is USAirways, I know I flew the W/O's long enough to realize that passengers never knew who we were.

But at any rate Surf, If you want to go with our original W/O hire date thats fine by me because it will add another 7 years to my seniority at MDA, on top of my 2 at Airways. And done that way if your profile is current and 3500 is your total time you would fall waaayyyy down the list by the time it got to you.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

There is a learning curve when transitioning to a jet. We all went thru it at some point in our careers. Almost all of the captains i flew with in the late 80's at U mainline were great to fly with and i learned a great deal from alot of them. Sure, there were a few i did not particularly care for, but i made the best of it. I hope you are not coming over to MAA with that attitude !!!

Not to mention that 99% of the mainline furloughees has more time in jets than WSurf has total. And that last 1% were the Military fighter jocks with 2000 hours of ultra high performance jet PIC time. Not saying that the regional pilots don't have the skills but there is a learning curve. No offense, but going from a drag a$$ Dash 8 to a jet does take some guidance. Like Steve said I learned a great deal from the guys that had been doing it for a long time. Sim training under 10k and never over 250 knots doesn't help much the first time the airspeed starts shooting through 320 indicated knots at a pace you didn't think was possible, while climbing.

 

[WSurf]

Okay, I have some jet time, and believe me.... Auto Throttles and fly by wire is not hard. Once you learn the right buttons to push and have a good concept of pitch and power its easy. So dont give me the learning curve deal, its all the same. The Dash 8 is a beast in itself to fly, and in some respects harder then a jet.
I am 5 year pilot a PDT, and it wouldn't bother me going straight date of hire. I have no problem with it. Seems only fair...
As for learning from your captains at mainline. Remember these won't be the same captains at MDA that you flew with at Mainline...And I doubt there are only a few if any that where ex mainline captains that will be at MDA. I know a hand full of people that got hired a US Airways from the regionals with little or no PIC Regional time! Now there left seat drivers and teaching me... wowoow.
I am not trying to create waves, its just I hear it from the PSA guys, and I know its gonna be that way at MDA...... Hope not however... G-Day

 

[WSurf]

And watch, MDA will soon not be a part of US Airways... CEO has mentioned it several times as a WO... It will be one soon...