Pilot sticks it to mgmt!!!!

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

Capn Megadeth is good people--lay off!!! But I have to disagee with her. That guy deserves every penny. The emotiional distress he went through losing his job needs more than 12 million!

 

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

Capt megadeath,

Got your period again?

Real classy, dude.

 

[Big Beer Belly]

BBB, Desert Shield started 2 August 1990. Desert Storm went from 16 Jan 91 to 24 Feb 91, when Operation Desert Sabre (the land war) began. Desert Saber ended on 28 Feb 91.
If you're referring to the Southwest Asia Service Medal, it includes time from 2 August 1990 through 30 November 1995, and is divided into three separate dates. (Defense of Saudi Arabia, Liberation of Kuwait, and SWA Cease-Fire). I have a star on my SWASM because I participated in two of those three events.
Even lumping Desert Shield, Storm and Sabre together, you're only talking a stretch of 2 Aug 90 to 28 Feb 91; a period of 7 months. I can't remember what the flight time waivers were, but I don't think that the 90 day lookback allowed more than ~350 hours (30 day was ~150). Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I left the operational world in '91 to fly white jets until '94. When I returned to the ops world, I flew out of Saudi enough 94-98 to apply for Saudi citizenship. (I got to the point where I knew PSAB blindfolded). Even after leaving active duty, I flew Operation Northern Watch missions in 2002; SWA ops have been continuous since Operation Desert Shield.
I guess that I could say that I've got over 1000 hours flying in Desert Storm, but there's no way that I could look myself in the mirror and call that even close to factually correct.

(I wasted way too much time researching this minutia; it wasn't an attack on you, BBB; I understand where you're coming from. For me, this was more of an exercise to dig up some Cliff Claven trivia. I lost my AF flying records long ago, so I've got no earthly idea of how any of my time was classified.)

I guess I'm wrong also ... but when someone asks I just lump all my SWASM time generically as "Desert Storm" time. Chicks dig war heros you know! As far as living with myself ... well, I can barely stand to look at myself in the mirror on a good day! (lol)

Take care Andy!

BBB

 

[FN FAL]

Now, someone please tell me why someone deserves to become a millionaire because...

It all depends on who's wearing the epaulets.

If you're an airline passenger with internal injuries, you're an asshole for suing.

If you gots a nice white shirt, replete with festive adornments and wing devices, you're a hero for suing.

It's all in how you look at it.

Personally, I don't hold any judgment against the guy. He suffered a loss, was able to prove it in court and won a settlement. It's not like he was hanging out at a Sears store waiting for the janitor to mop so he could fake a "slip and fall" injury.

 

[be-400xpdriver]

I could be wrong but I believe that in a whistle blower case, the "blower" does not actually get the money. The govt is the plaintiff and the money is actually a fine. I could be wrong, though

You are wrong.

 

[Pilotbob3]

Now, someone please tell me why someone deserves to become a millionaire because the wrongfully terminated him. I can see court, attorney costs, back pay for the time you were not employed and benefit money but $12 million? That is excessive, just like the mentality in America these days. Truly sad. Furthermore, the pilot did not stick it to management....they will be ok regardless. In truth, now the company will have less cash and stick it back to the pilots in the end. Meanwhile, the one dude that got screwed never has to work again. Bogus.

sour grapes megadeth? im sure you would refuse the $$$.

 

[capt. megadeth]

sour grapes megadeth? im sure you would refuse the $$$.

Yeah, sour grapes. I am jealous because I really want to be part of the me me me, everyone owes me, I am not accountable for anything, it's never my fault, I should be rich for nothing crowd.

Everytime someone has something $hitty happen to them thinks they are "entitled" to "compensation". If that is the case, I wish I could get fired.

I guess all the passengers on the SWA flight that crashed should be millionaires too, huh?

 

[FN FAL]

I guess all the passengers on the SWA flight that crashed should be millionaires too, huh?

Not really.

Remember the ValuJet crash?

I remember that there was discussion on how the victims families were not going to get the usual 1.5 million per victim because ValueJet was a discount airline and the passengers were discount people. I'm not shooting you here, that was what was said.

Be that as it may, SWA is a discount airline and it carries discount passengers. Motion over-ruled, 500,000.00 for the plaintiffs...not a penny more. :smash:

 

[ExAF]

Depends

He deserves 12 million because no other air carrier will ever hire him. NAA has very likely ended his aviation career. How much is 30 years of flying plus retirement worth to you?

Well....If you work at NWA about $25,000 if you invest wisely in your 401K!:crying:

 

[cl65capt]

He could probably go to work at Airtran. Don't they hire trash? I mean, that's how they started anyway.

Chuck, whats your beef with Airtran. Didnt get hired?

 

[FL420]

I have flown with Randy Ott numerous times. He is a fine person and a fine pilot. He did the right thing in not only sticking up for himself but sticking up for all of us who may have not had, at one time or another, the guts to say "enough - I won't fly an unsafe aircraft."

He had no problem getting hired by TransMeridian in the B757 and when they folded in October, he had no problem getting on with Evergreen in the B747.

The lawsuit has pretty much consumed all his time and attention the last few years. He was fortunate enough to be represented by some very experienced lawyers who believed in him and the merits of his case. The list of expert witnesses who testified on his behalf is truly impressive. No doubt the readers of this board would recognize most of the names on the list.

The amount of the award is immaterial. The value is in the message to operators who are willing to compromise the safety of passengers and crew to save a few bucks.

Appeal of the award is a given. It will be reduced and attorneys fees and expert witness fees will eat most of the rest.

 

[Spooky 1]

I have flown with Randy Ott numerous times. He is a fine person and a fine pilot. He did the right thing in not only sticking up for himself but sticking up for all of us who may have not had, at one time or another, the guts to say "enough - I won't fly an unsafe aircraft."

He had no problem getting hired by TransMeridian in the B757 and when they folded in October, he had no problem getting on with Evergreen in the B747.

The lawsuit has pretty much consumed all his time and attention the last few years. He was fortunate enough to be represented by some very experienced lawyers who believed in him and the merits of his case. The list of expert witnesses who testified on his behalf is truly impressive. No doubt the readers of this board would recognize most of the names on the list.

The amount of the award is immaterial. The value is in the message to operators who are willing to compromise the safety of passengers and crew to save a few bucks.

Appeal of the award is a given. It will be reduced and attorneys fees and expert witness fees will eat most of the rest.

Thanks for sharing a little insight to this event. Sounds like he did the right thing as opposed to the convienent thing. Good for him.

 

[G21Agoose]

BOLLOCKS (as we say in england)

I have flown with Randy Ott numerous times. He is a fine person and a fine pilot. He did the right thing in not only sticking up for himself but sticking up for all of us who may have not had, at one time or another, the guts to say "enough - I won't fly an unsafe aircraft."

He had no problem getting hired by TransMeridian in the B757 and when they folded in October, he had no problem getting on with Evergreen in the B747.

The lawsuit has pretty much consumed all his time and attention the last few years. He was fortunate enough to be represented by some very experienced lawyers who believed in him and the merits of his case. The list of expert witnesses who testified on his behalf is truly impressive. No doubt the readers of this board would recognize most of the names on the list.

The amount of the award is immaterial. The value is in the message to operators who are willing to compromise the safety of passengers and crew to save a few bucks.

Appeal of the award is a given. It will be reduced and attorneys fees and expert witness fees will eat most of the rest.

Congratulations for being a whistleblower. BUT the award is RIDICULOUS. The idea is to have a jury of ones peers. How many of those dumbf***k jurors could understand the complexities and issues involved? Just like tobacco ("Sure I smoked 50 a day for 30 years but I thought it was good for you...") ignorance this is yet another example of U.S. jury's being STUPID STUPID STUPID!

 

[Dangerkitty]

Funny thing. I know that guy. He's from my hometown and always told me he worked for American, skipped the "North" part. Maybe he is furloughed or something.

I looked for his name on the Pilot Directory for the APA. His name didn't appear.

Mr. Randall Otto has never flown for American Airlines.

 

[Spooky 1]

Congratulations for being a whistleblower. BUT the award is RIDICULOUS. The idea is to have a jury of ones peers. How many of those dumbf***k jurors could understand the complexities and issues involved? Just like tobacco ("Sure I smoked 50 a day for 30 years but I thought it was good for you...") ignorance this is yet another example of U.S. jury's being STUPID STUPID STUPID!

As he said, the amount of the award in inmaterial. The message is everything.

 

[G21Agoose]

As he said, the amount of the award in inmaterial. The message is everything.

WRONG; the money must come from shareholders/ owners but WE as taxpayers ultimately end up paying..........

 

[SennaP1]

Real classy, dude.

Real Funny..er ah "Dude"

 

[Spooky 1]

WRONG; the money must come from shareholders/ owners but WE as taxpayers ultimately end up paying..........

Is North American a public company? I have not seen any increase in my taxes that can be attributed to this award. BTW aren't you some French guy/gal bitch anyway? I guess they know a thing or two about taxes, eh?

 

[G21Agoose]

Is North American a public company? I have not seen any increase in my taxes that can be attributed to this award. BTW aren't you some French guy/gal bitch anyway? I guess they know a thing or two about taxes, eh?

Ignorant right seater,

NAA is a government contractor (your taxes) as well as the insurance increases for such a settlement affecting your life....I live in France, and the taxes are high, but they have the best public education in the world....something I'm sorry you missed out on.

 

[Dangerkitty]

Ignorant right seater,

NAA is a government contractor (your taxes) as well as the insurance increases for such a settlement affecting your life....I live in France, and the taxes are high, but they have the best public education in the world....something I'm sorry you missed out on.

Better brush up on your insurance law there sonny. Insurance does not cover intentional torts. So the insurance rates will not and cannot be increased due to this settlement. Looks like you missed out on a good public education as well.

France also has one of the worst unemployment rates of any industrialized country out there. The people in France would piss themselves to have an unemployment rate of 5% like we have in the US.

Got an other misguided socialist garbage to sling at us?