Old Geezer

[SoCentralRain]

I'll just thow in my .02.

We all see our service members in the terminals. I have yet to see one that looks beat, overworked, underpaid, or un-professional and I would say these guys have reason to bitch above ALL others.

They are definately overworked, underpaid, and bet they have done alot worse things then fly around America on a flightdeck, yet they all have there sleeves rolled up perfectly, have they shoes shined, hats on if required, and look like a million bucks whether coming or going to war. You can see pride in their faces even though they may have been cleaning toilets in a tent 2 days ago in a desert for $1100 a month.

They have pride in representing our country and in their jobs, no matter what they think of their leaders or how sh!!ty the job is.

When you walk down the terminal and see a Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine coming back from over there, I hope you take notice of their professionalism and maybe think about taking a little more pride in yourself and your uniform.

We all represent the airline pilot profession. Our company emblem is secondary if noticed at all so lets take pride in who we are. The customers trust us with everything they have, the least we can do is look like we care about ourselves, let alone them.

Well stated. And while we're at it, how about actually saying "thanks" to our service men and women in uniform? It only takes a second.

SCR

 

[westward]

Works both ways.

So I guess the NWA/Las Vegas incident didn't help our cause?

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Gramps, you guys set this industry up for failure, you reap what you sow, thanks for getting yours and leaving us your mess to clean up. Enjoy your lifestyle, all who followed are making a living at a job, not a profession.

The only people that set this industry up for failure are the airline management people like Carl Ichan and Frank Lorenzo.

We are long-term players in the industry. We're not just crazy and emotional. We try to be logical business managers.​

— Frank Lorenzo
​

I can't imagine a set of circumstances that would produce Chapter 11 for Eastern.​

— Frank Lorenzo​

United has little to fear from numerous small competitors. We should be able to compete effectively by advertising our size, dependability, and experience, and by matching or beating their promotional tactics. . . . In a free environment, we would be able to flex our marketing muscles a bit and should not fear the treat of being nibbled to death by little operators.​

— Richard Ferris, CEO United Airlines, 1976.
​

I really don't know one plane from the other. To me they are just marginal costs with wings.​

— Alfred Kahn, 1977.​

 

[PHXFLYR]

Sorry guys, but you should show this gentleman some respect. It's not his fault this industry is AFU. I happen to agree with him.

Same here....rather than dragging the guy thru the mud,why not figure out a way to start recapturing all that was lost? Some of the responses to Capt Bud's post show what's wrong with the industry today. Rather than band together and bring the fight to management to recapture what's been lost we all to sit around and point fingers(middle and otherwise ) at each other. Management must be laughing their collective a$$es off. I know I would if I were them.


10 years left...and counting!!

PHXFLYR

 

[PHXFLYR]

BG,


The problem with Bud's argument is that he addressed it as problem in aviation. I disagree and say that its reflection of the society we live in. You tell anyone who disagrees to be ashamed. Thanks for your input.

So ,you're saying it's OK for us to lower the bar to reflect the "new normal" that has been set by society? I dunno.......

PHXFLYR

 

[PHXFLYR]

. People have priorities, and when you are close to poverty, uniforms tend to not even make the list.[/quote]



I'm curious ...at what hourly rate would it become a prority for you? Everyone has a price....right?


PHXFLYR

 

[rtmcfi]

LearLove.........as a fellow furloughed U pilot and now a Part 91 pilot for a Fortune 100 company, I can assure you that professional appearance is extremely important. I'm extremely lucky that I landed the cream of the crop job in this profession post 9/11. We still take pride in our appearance because it is expected of us.

By the way, we are hiring for "career positions". Two positions to be exact due to new airplane deliveries. If you were interested and applied and got an interview, would you wear a tie to the interview? I already know the answer to that one.

Wearing a tie or not doesn't make a person any less professional. But I'll give you this, your appearance is a reflection of yourself. The people who take pride in their appearance are the people who take pride in their work. They are the people who are going to be flying at our company.

Fatburger
36 years old.

Congrats on the cream of the crop job. You look the part. It is unfortunate that some guys work at lower tier gigs. Many of them look the part as well. Which came first was it the chicken or the egg? Are they at a $hitty gig because they dress porly, or do they dress poorly because they work at a $hitty outfit?

 

[Fedora]

I see Bud's point clearly, and maybe it's because I'm an old geezer too. I didn't cause the problems with our profession, either, because I've only been in it for 14 years. It's not the tie and the bag folks, it's the ATTITUDE that he is seeing that is demoralizing. It's the " I don't give a s**t" mentality that is so sad.
Bud points out things he sees that make him wonder where our profession is headed. Most of the posters on the thread attacked him and even blamed him for the problem. One guy says he can't afford to patch his jeans, but he can afford an Ipod to block out terminal noise. What's wrong with the values here?
Look at the thread about the NWA guy who blows up and tells his customers "If they don't like it, they can get the f**k off!" Well, we all saw who got off the aircraft. Not many posters on that thread even show an inkling that maybe the guy was even remotely in the wrong.
You all wear your ties and suits to your interview when you want to represent yourselves well. (maybe when not even on a payroll) But when you're representing a company that gave you a job and is giving you a paycheck, the attitude becomes "they don't pay me enough, so I don't care how I appear" How sad!
Go ahead and wear your knapsacks, unshined shoes, swear like storm troopers in front of your customers, and blame everyone else for why you go to work pissed off every day. If you don't care about how you appear to others, that's fine! But don't dis the folks who enjoy being professionals and take pride in their jobs.

 

[UnstableAviator]

In my limited airline experience, attitude is directly related to seniority and schedule/QOL. As a relatively senior FO doing all day trips and 14-15 days off a month, I tend to always be positive, well dressed, and eager to go to work. The senior captains I fly with tend to be much the same as well laid back, competent, and professional in all aspects. If I compare myself now to myself 2 years ago being abused on reserve the difference is really night and day. Seeing the people I care about more than a once a week and having control over my life is really making all the difference. I'm happy, I like my job, and I'm sure my performance agrees with that. Being a regional FO isn't easy, especially for those with families. Sure, the Ipod and backpack is unacceptable, but I've only seen such atrocities a handful of times.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Scorboard, you say I am Captain " I got mine". You couldn't be further off base. My career was as turbulent as most. I suffered significant loss of seniority with the Allegheny/Mohawk merger in 1971. As a result of that, furlough number 1 occurred shortly after the merger. Furlough number 2, 1975 with the fuel crisis. That one lasted only 2 years whith a new baby to feed. Recalled to fly a small turbo-prop that paid a whopping 9K a year. We qualified for food stamps and we got milk for the baby under the federal WIK program. Sixteen years right seat and loss of pension. Yeah, I guess I'm Captain I got mine. Only thing that saved my butt was a wife that was a saver.
My career pales in comparison to the pilots furloughed at US Airways that have been on the beach for 6 years or the 1989 pilots that have been on and off more then Tracy Lords.
Personally, I have never intentionally flown over 85. Flying International, some conditionds forced going over. But with so many pilots out on furlough, this Captain I got mine, would do anything to help get guys back. I'm no whore.
As far as looking sharp, whatever your company manual says is policy, that's fine. If it says no tie, hat, leather jacket, that's what you'll do. Regardless what is says, you wear what they say. I'm sure the manual doesn't say wear what you want, anyway you like, and by the way, it's okay to look like an un-made bed.

Capt Bud,

Was the small turboprop you mentioned the Mohawk 298 conversion of the Nord 262 that Allegheny flew for a short time in the mid 70's?
PHXFLYR