retired airline pilots at NJA?

[sweptwingz]

Its not the 777 experience. Its the experience that gets you into a 777.

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My point exactly.

 

[Fozzy]

I love retired airline guys. Lots of good stories. Lots of life lessons. Lots of been there done that, Union stories. They are some of the most militant guys we got. Those guys were calling all the company moves weeks and months before they pulled them.

Also, the company hiring the 60+ crowd always keeps the seniorty list churning. No matter what, you keep moving up. That is nice.

Welcome old guys, just check the ego at the door and get ready to throw some bags with me. If you are okay with that we will have a blast.:beer:

 

[doylehargraves]

Don't worry 1 winter of shleping bags in the deicing fluid and the 777 guy won't last long. Most only make it a year or two and then decide its not worth it.

You're probably right about this one. These guys have no clue about this kind of work. It would be funny to see a guy going from hot meals in a 777 on the way to london to lifting 60lb bags of ski crap on an icy ramp in jackson hole. Personally, I don't think the ego could handle it either.

 

[Hawker dude]

I love retired airline guys. Lots of good stories. Lots of life lessons. Lots of been there done that, Union stories. They are some of the most militant guys we got. Those guys were calling all the company moves weeks and months before they pulled them.

Also, the company hiring the 60+ crowd always keeps the seniorty list churning. No matter what, you keep moving up. That is nice.

Welcome old guys, just check the ego at the door and get ready to throw some bags with me. If you are okay with that we will have a blast.:beer:

are you sure you work at NJA? I have loaded some bags in my time, but most the time the PIC loads the bags in back. I think its that whole FOM thing or whatever they call it.

 

[Mach92]

You're probably right about this one. These guys have no clue about this kind of work. It would be funny to see a guy going from hot meals in a 777 on the way to london to lifting 60lb bags of ski crap on an icy ramp in jackson hole. Personally, I don't think the ego could handle it either.

Some of them do just fine some do not. 98% of the retired guys I have flown with are excellent pilots. Some are hard of hearing and move a little slow but they can do the job. What is comes down to at NJA is attitude. Its not always easy being a CAPT for 20+ years only to pull gear for someone 30.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm getting ready to retire from NW with 28 years of experience .......and taking an early retirement.

That's the smartest thing posted in this entire thread! Congrads Archer!

 

[Apache06]

Airline guys

Most airline pilots did not start out flying B777's. They come from just about every background imaginable. I my case, I flew DC3's in the winter in the Midwest and Northeast. Ever push a 1500 lb D container up the back of a 3 in the middle of the winter in Chicago? I fly A330's now but I got here the hard way.

 

[Diesel]

Yeah but apache do you want to go back to pushing D containers up a 3? I doubt it.

 

[d91papa]

How does one 'prematurely' reach age 60?
I'm one of the older new hires at NJA ( a babe at 52), and after 3 regionals, FSI instructing and corporate gigs, this is the best flying job I've had. Of course the contract those before me hammered out has made it a great place to be..thanks.
The flying is always an adventure here. With 5 types and several thousand hours, I'm learning more about flying here than anywhere else I've been. And I appreciate the patience these 'younger' captains have had with getting me up to speed in the NJA system!
Attitude is everything. Being able to clean and stock the aircraft well helps also!

 

[Ultra Grump]

What fleet are you in?

 

[GVFlyer]

How does one 'prematurely' reach age 60?

It's a joke, papa.

It just means he isn't ready to retire from American Airlines, but he has to because of the US's mandatory retirement age of 60 for airline pilots.


GV

 

[Humphreybogart]

I'm getting ready to retire from NW with 28 years of experience and about 25,ooo hours. Is NJA hiring old guys? (I'm 57 and taking an early retirement). When is the current contract up for negotiations?

Just stay away from CitationShares...PLEASE. We don't need any spoiled union babies here. Good luck at netjets, though...Kid

 

[TORCH67]

I have flown with retired airline guys that act younger and work harder than the 20 something God's gift to aviation types. It's all about the attitude!!! I don't know how some of these guys 65+ do this job, but my hat is off to the ones that do!

As far as attitude, bogart you are an idiot!

 

[Archer38416]

Just stay away from CitationShares...PLEASE. We don't need any spoiled union babies here. Good luck at netjets, though...Kid

I would be happy to stay away from CitationShares to stay away from your cancerous attitude. Funny how you called me kid, I was flying Counter terroist agents in South America when you were probably in diapers cheers

 

[Spooky 2]

Come on guys

It's hard to not jump all over some guys on this thread but the reality is that many guys who retired from the airlines, some at age 60, some earlier than that have done evreything and more, than any 30+ old fractional Captain. Be it Vietnam, slogging bags at some 1st generation frieght outfit, or simply flying long tough trips at some out of business airlines like Tower, TIA, or whomever. No one in this business has an exclusive on skills, attitude, or character and that's one of the things that makes this an intersting career choice. Not always pretty, but usually always interesting. So for those of you who come to this string with lots of opinions and more that a fair amount of attitude, why don't you throttle back a little and see if you can learn from each and every pilot you fly with, be it good or bad, but at least learn how to appreciate the significant experience(s) that all pilots bring to the cockpit.

I have friends that fly for NJ and for the most part they are really impressed with the quality of the PIC's that they fly with. Once and while they get some guy that acts like a real prima donna, or is scared of his own shaddow, or seems to be working every angle to screw over the company in some manner. Those can create some very long seven day events. Fortunetly, those types seem to be the exception to the rule, and all in all they are very pleased to be part of the NJ pilot group.

I use to fly with alot of guys who were WWll vintage pilots, some even were airline pilots before WWll. Many had flown B17's over Europe, B29's in the Pacific, or P51's, P47's. Several of them had been German POWs for a good part of the war including our VP of Flight Operations. I was full of my self in those days so I failed to learn more about their experiences in aviation prior to being an airline pilots Most of them have passed on today so it's to late now, but I wished I had listened a little more carefully, instead of just wondering if I was going to get laid that night by one of the Stew's! I'll say one thing for sure, the characters in those days were a real hoot when they got going. Enough for the moment.

Yes, I'm an old guy by anyone's standards on this board. Had a great airline career and have enjoyed the corporate side of life for about six years now. Don't expect any tears when I leave, but I can give and take with any of pilots out there as far as being both a professional and a pilot who cares about the future of avaiation and the people that are attracted to it.

 

[RTRHD]

Well said Spooky. I learned to listen and remember those stories. They are better than the out of gas Viper Hawker stories I got.

 

[hopalong]

It's hard to not jump all over some guys on this thread but the reality is that many guys who retired from the airlines, some at age 60, some earlier than that have done evreything and more, than any 30+ old fractional Captain. Be it Vietnam, slogging bags at some 1st generation frieght outfit, or simply flying long tough trips at some out of business airlines like Tower, TIA, or whomever. No one in this business has an exclusive on skills, attitude, or character and that's one of the things that makes this an intersting career choice. Not always pretty, but usually always interesting. So for those of you who come to this string with lots of opinions and more that a fair amount of attitude, why don't you throttle back a little and see if you can learn from each and every pilot you fly with, be it good or bad, but at least learn how to appreciate the significant experience(s) that all pilots bring to the cockpit.

I have friends that fly for NJ and for the most part they are really impressed with the quality of the PIC's that they fly with. Once and while they get some guy that acts like a real prima donna, or is scared of his own shaddow, or seems to be working every angle to screw over the company in some manner. Those can create some very long seven day events. Fortunetly, those types seem to be the exception to the rule, and all in all they are very pleased to be part of the NJ pilot group.

I use to fly with alot of guys who were WWll vintage pilots, some even were airline pilots before WWll. Many had flown B17's over Europe, B29's in the Pacific, or P51's, P47's. Several of them had been German POWs for a good part of the war including our VP of Flight Operations. I was full of my self in those days so I failed to learn more about their experiences in aviation prior to being an airline pilots Most of them have passed on today so it's to late now, but I wished I had listened a little more carefully, instead of just wondering if I was going to get laid that night by one of the Stew's! I'll say one thing for sure, the characters in those days were a real hoot when they got going. Enough for the moment.

Yes, I'm an old guy by anyone's standards on this board. Had a great airline career and have enjoyed the corporate side of life for about six years now. Don't expect any tears when I leave, but I can give and take with any of pilots out there as far as being both a professional and a pilot who cares about the future of avaiation and the people that are attracted to it.

Nicely said. Great post. So far, I've flown w/ the older guys and they have some great stories to share. We can all benefit from their years of wisdom.

 

[TurboJetCpt]

The funny thing is, all of the "never-been-to-a-major-airline-cause-none-of-them-ever-hired-my-stupid-ass," dorks are the ones who are talking the biggest crapolla. The difference is that the retired/furloughed airline folk have MORE experience than they will ever have, and they just love that the post-9/11 airline industry has changed the hiring dynamics, which, btw, BY PURE LUCK, has also put them at the top of the aviation food chain. Believe me, back then nobody was busting down the door to get INTO Executive Jet. Well, SOME were...LOL. A 777 captain retiring today PROBABLY has a more diverse aviation experience than MOST fractional pilots today. Note that I did not say ALL. When the furloughs began after 9/11, the funniest, albeit most annoying, comments came from these same folks. "Well, I didn't go to Delta/American/United because I knew Executive Jet had a real future." PUHHHLEEEEEASE ! :laugh: And that is when this place was not a good place to work (pre 91k, horrible pay, gateways, etc). Having said all of that, the VAST majority of the pilots here (regardless of background) are SUPERB AVIATORS !!! Welcome aboard retired airline folks...with the new union and new union leadership, there is alot to like here.

 

[Spooky 2]

And another thing!..... How many 777s do the VOR/DME A approach into TEB?

Oh my God another NP approach. Circling one at that! Pardner, most guys that are Triple 7 vintage were flying DME ARC approches probably before you soloed. Many of these were in places like Alaska, and the Western US where it's not quite as flat as it is around TEB. If you came from my airline, you were doing range approaches in Alaska as late as 1969. So, I don't what approach you are doing at TEB, it's been done before in much worse conditions. By the way these aircraft didn't have any of them there fancy picture tubes with maps or gee whiz autopilots to work with either.

 

[FLYLOW22]

The retired guys rock...

Like any statement there are caviots, exculsions and exceptions.

I have met some retired guys who only make it 1-2 years (too much labor) and I have met some that are still doing it after 8+. It all depends on the individual.

I have flown with some that were a laugh a minute and some that were still expecting a salute and a "Captain on the bridge" call everytime they entered the flightdeck. Most of the flightdecks on these airplanes ARE the airplanes!

LOVE the stories. LOVE the experience and suggestive guidance. LOVE the ability for them to look into the 8 Ball on some issues and "Call it". Hell, after being screwed over by countless management teams for decades, even an old dog can call out an old trick to avoid being kicked again.

Youthful pilots are not to be discounted here either in terms of what they bring to the pilot group. Diversity of experience and backgrounds, true diversity and not some other bogus quota is what really makes this pilot group strong.

What a retired guy MAY lack in experience on how to get a clearance through Flight Service on the phone while on the ground at Union City, TN, I am sure that most will make up for it in other areas.

Roger on the churn rate, that is cool.

I also think that the retired guys are also better suited to "adapt" to the retarded mutant of a basing system the company swears by; the Domicile system. They can still commute as retired guys space available.