New SWA chief of training, a good thing?

[Skyboy722]

I think it's great. We've been stuck in the stone ages not only in our technology but also in our ideologies. I'm glad to see the company recognize this- it's a good first step. And I second Waveflyer's comment- if this guy has the approval of the AT guys on this forum, then he has my approval as well...

 

[SWA717]

Yeah, because we just moved our headquarters to the US from Kazakhstan.

Lighten up Francis. You will soon be doing your W&B and receiving your performance data via acars or iPad. Soon you will be able to retire that TI-80 thingy behind your seat.

 

[canyonblue]

Canyonblue- thats too defensive man. I love swa. Drink the koolaid every night- but flight ops training hasn't been stellar in my short 6 years- Not awful, we have a great flyer culture and I've met some of the best pilots online -but not a great system yet, and dependent on the individual pilots and instructors effort and expertise to get it done-
I welcome some fresh eyes- and if AT pilots, who had plenty of negatives to say about their previous mgmt, say good things on this man- that should speak volumes-

No ego or axe to grind sounds like a good leader. Not a threat to swa at all

Not being defensive at all. Just love how some of the AAI jokers think that one of their technological geniuses will lift this place out of the 70's. It's not the person, it's the mindset in Dallas. Will he be willing to TELL the brass how to do things HIS way, or will he just fold like a card table and shut up to ensure his longevity in Dallas? Time will tell, apparently the AAI crowd are confident he will do the former, I'll be waiting.

 

[canyonblue]

Lighten up Francis. You will soon be doing your W&B and receiving your performance data via acars or iPad. Soon you will be able to retire that TI-80 thingy behind your seat.

ACARS, yeah that's the future. What info do you think the IPAD will display? The OPC Cooter! I had an AAI jumpseater tell me all about how great getting W&B with ACARS is, I don't think he even understood how the OPC worked. Now I understand where it comes from.

 

[redflyer65]

Not being defensive at all. Just love how some of the AAI jokers think that one of their technological geniuses will lift this place out of the 70's. It's not the person, it's the mindset in Dallas. Will he be willing to TELL the brass how to do things HIS way, or will he just fold like a card table and shut up to ensure his longevity in Dallas? Time will tell, apparently the AAI crowd are confident he will do the former, I'll be waiting.

I have to agree with Canyonblue.

I'm glad to see progression toward the Ipad. W&B via ACARS will be a step backward. If we go that route, then you can expect to pull into the hammerhead and wait for your numbers. You'll be running one engine, but waiting long enough that it will burn down to the two engine (taxi-out) level in the end. So where's the savings?

 

[humveedriver]

Not being defensive at all. Just love how some of the AAI jokers think that one of their technological geniuses will lift this place out of the 70's. It's not the person, it's the mindset in Dallas. Will he be willing to TELL the brass how to do things HIS way, or will he just fold like a card table and shut up to ensure his longevity in Dallas? Time will tell, apparently the AAI crowd are confident he will do the former, I'll be waiting.

Baby steps. The fact that they offered any of our guys some sort of a position of responsibility tells me that some of that mindset in Dallas is starting to change. Who ever on the SWA side that is responsible for that is the key. I don't think any of the AT guys SWA has picked to help out on the other side if the partion are "my way or the highway guys". They were all worker bees who replaced their former bosses on the flight ops side. SWA also picked up our former VP of customer service ( which include the ramp and the gate). I see slowly adopting a more rigid approach to first flight of the day on time performance and hopefully adjusting the pax count working the ramp. Time will tell.

 

[humveedriver]

I have to agree with Canyonblue.

I'm glad to see progression toward the Ipad. W&B via ACARS will be a step backward. If we go that route, then you can expect to pull into the hammerhead and wait for your numbers. You'll be running one engine, but waiting long enough that it will burn down to the two engine (taxi-out) level in the end. So where's the savings?

You won't leave the gate without your numbers. It's called aerodata. Fully automated. Takes 20 secs. No waiting.

*you can leave the gate and still get your numbers, just to clarify. Those situations are few and far in between. Normally gate to antennae issue. Ramp throws 5 extra bags on? No problem. Add them in and resend. Once you see it, you will appreciate it. Like using a printer for things like atis or the pax count.

 

[redflyer65]

You won't leave the gate without your numbers. It's called aerodata. Fully automated. Takes 20 secs. No waiting.

Sounds good Humvee. I want our profit sharing higher, so if it works that way...I'm on board.

 

[Ty Webb]

I have to agree with Canyonblue.

I'm glad to see progression toward the Ipad. W&B via ACARS will be a step backward. If we go that route, then you can expect to pull into the hammerhead and wait for your numbers.

Come on, Red . . . . When have you ever seen an AirTran plane pulled over "waiting for the numbers"?

In 9 years on the 737, I don't believe I've ever had to do that, unless it was something extremely unusual.

 

[Ky.BrownBourbn]

He's a good guy, and knows what he's doing. Real good with technology.

Yeah but once he gets use to the way we do things he'll be saying "Fly it like the 200" in no time!

KBB

 

[27 driver]

If true I personally think its a good move. He is a great guy and has done really well for AAI. Give him a chance and I think you guys will like him. I believe his initials are G C.

edited for stupidity

 

[j41driver]

W&B via ACARS will be a step backward.

AT uses ACARS...its not "we're-waiting-on-our-numbers" ACARS like you're thinking of. Once you have he pax/bags info from the agent at the gate you have the numbers in 30 sec or less. They're all loaded in the MCDU prior to push just like here with the OPC.


....see, what those guys said.

 

[SWA717]

You won't leave the gate without your numbers. It's called aerodata. Fully automated. Takes 20 secs. No waiting.

*you can leave the gate and still get your numbers, just to clarify. Those situations are few and far in between. Normally gate to antennae issue. Ramp throws 5 extra bags on? No problem. Add them in and resend. Once you see it, you will appreciate it. Like using a printer for things like atis or the pax count.

+1. We never wait for numbers. It literally takes seconds to receive your requested data. And if you need to add last minute bags, it's a one minute change. Also, changing runways takes about 5 seconds. It's literally a matter of pressing a couple buttons and it is done.

 

[redflyer65]

Sounds like a good system.

 

[airbaker]

Hold on, I'm putting 2 and 2 together...JetBlue just transitioned to Aerodata last week. Is merger mania done with?!