s.r. 65 implications

[ivauir]

I upgraded in 5 years at SWA. Guys right now are running 6-7 years for upgrade. Not too much of a change from 14 years ago and we are setting up in our training center to handle 8000 pilots. It is a numbers game for sure and again growth is the key.
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No flame here amigo, but guys are LANCING at 6-7 years. The most Junior captain in PHX has been here over 8 years. I figure it is already going to be 9 years for me to hold a Capt line in PHX and 65 will delay this upgrade by two years (numbers from SWAPA's website). I am not bitching, I love my job and my company, but I think the senior dudes are out of touch when it comes to upgrade expectations (and the effect of SR 65). To make matters worse SR 65 will bring any senority advancement within the captain ranks to a standstill.
Being an FO is a better deal than it used to be, but 6 year upgrade is no longer a realisitc expectation. Don't expect your FO to give you a high five when SR 65 passes. Yeah for you!

 

[727gm]

You guys must have flown with different old guys than I flew with! I found them to be sharp and on the ball, and those who chose to stay after 60 & go back to the engineer seat are the sharpest.

An old joke: "How much fuel, captain?"...... "Ask him(point to FE), I want how much he wants!"

Some of the younger engineers seem like they're not present sometimes (understandable, I guess, waiting for that FO seat).

 

[SWAdude]

Just because there weren't as many as there may be now doesn't mean he didn't benefit from the rule. Every pilot that retired at 60 (1 or 1000) was another number each of you moved up over the last 14 years.

Can't argure with that.

FJ

One pilot is far different than 1000 when you only have 4000.

You seem to think that when one pilot retires that we all see a difference in our quality of life. Many need to leave to see a difference. Unless you see or feel the difference, its meaningless.

 

[SWAdude]

WOW!! Your father got hired at AA when he was 13! Now that's amazing!

When I was at AA we had an engineer retire with 50 years.

Thought you were on to something huh..

 

[SWAdude]

No flame here amigo, but guys are LANCING at 6-7 years. The most Junior captain in PHX has been here over 8 years. I figure it is already going to be 9 years for me to hold a Capt line in PHX and 65 will delay this upgrade by two years (numbers from SWAPA's website). I am not bitching, I love my job and my company, but I think the senior dudes are out of touch when it comes to upgrade expectations (and the effect of SR 65). To make matters worse SR 65 will bring any senority advancement within the captain ranks to a standstill.
Being an FO is a better deal than it used to be, but 6 year upgrade is no longer a realisitc expectation. Don't expect your FO to give you a high five when SR 65 passes. Yeah for you!

Ever since I've been here PHX has always been senior. Not as much as DAL but second to it.

No matter what airline your with, there will always be bases that will take longer to get a seat in.

If I was an FO I certainly wouldn't want this to go forward. Why would I?

I am sincerely neutral on this issue.

 

[ivauir]

Ever since I've been here PHX has always been senior. Not as much as DAL but second to it.

I thought HOU was second ...

No matter what airline your with, there will always be bases that will take longer to get a seat in.
Most junior Capt in MDW (maybe the system?) is a six year and some change guy.
If I was an FO I certainly wouldn't want this to go forward. Why would I?

I am sincerely neutral on this issue.

I am stoic about it. Things change, and we either adapt or die. The rule should never have been 60 and it will eventaully change. The timing of he change may come at an unfortunate time for those in the right seat (and those with no seat), but I can't muster the strength to call my congressman and ask him to vote to keep a bogus rule in place just because I want a new peice of furniture. On the other hand I have low tolerance for those individuals who whine about the unfairness of the rule when they turn 57.

 

[Jim Smyth]

WOW!! Your father got hired at AA when he was 13! Now that's amazing!

More ignorance in aviation! My Dad started as a bagage handler in high school. Went into the Army at 18, took a leave of absense from AA and got his A&I ticket. Came back to American and swung wrenches at Midway airport until 1959. Then he went into the Flight Engineer program and sat sideways for 35 more years. He retired at 64 as a Flight Engineer. There were some of his peers plumbing well into there mid 70's! American has a formula of years of service, age and best 3 of your last 5 pay wise to come up with your pension numbers. So for my Dad, at 64 he hit the majic number. If he would of continued to work past that age you literally loose money. So try not to be a bigger Jerk than you already are since you dont know $hit about aviation!

 

[Jim Smyth]

No flame here amigo, but guys are LANCING at 6-7 years. The most Junior captain in PHX has been here over 8 years. I figure it is already going to be 9 years for me to hold a Capt line in PHX and 65 will delay this upgrade by two years (numbers from SWAPA's website). I am not bitching, I love my job and my company, but I think the senior dudes are out of touch when it comes to upgrade expectations (and the effect of SR 65). To make matters worse SR 65 will bring any senority advancement within the captain ranks to a standstill.
Being an FO is a better deal than it used to be, but 6 year upgrade is no longer a realisitc expectation. Don't expect your FO to give you a high five when SR 65 passes. Yeah for you!

Out of touch is a matter of opinion and depends on where your based now isnt it. Now your not in Chicago are you? Try going to Dallas, it will take ALOT longer than 8 years! But you have been around to know that. PHX is a tad senior to MDW. Guys in Chicago are upgrading in 6-7 years now. Next month we will pass 1000 pilots at Midway! We are approaching 200 flights a day and they are ramping up to 250! Come on out for the winter.

 

[fr8doggie]

So try not to be a bigger Jerk than you already are since you dont know $hit about aviation!

OWWW! That really hurts my feelings.

Congratulations to your father for a very long career at AA.

Seems that he had 47 years of LONGEVITY at AA, not SENIORITY. A minor point perhaps, but one that shows you are not very familiar with commercial aviation terminology.

I meant your father no disrespect. You, on the other hand...

 

[fr8doggie]

When I was at AA we had an engineer retire with 50 years.

Thought you were on to something huh..

Not really. the original post made it sound like the guys father was a pilot, not a pfe.

We had a guy retire at 80 years old a couple of years ago. He was the oldest active aircrewmember in the world at the time.