Safety is For Sale at CAL

[flygirlqt]

11 How aggressive has CALAPA been in notifying the FAA of these block time discrepancies?

 

[mamba20]

Just checked my log book and the last 3 times going down and back to Lima I block over 8hrs each way while they were sch going down 8hrs and coming home 7:57 No IRO was need for the pairing under or= 8hrs blocked however the FA's got crew rest going down to Lima while the 2 pilots didn't...
I bet everyone was happy in the back knowing that the FA's were well rested for the breakfast, while the 2 pilots upfront are struggling to stay awake...

File and ASAP EACH time this happens

 

[Homer Jay]

IRO's both ways MUST be in the next contract.

 

[100/hour/5y]

Yes I did and I do file ASAP reports for any flights that block over 8hrs with 2 man crew... 21 reports dealing with flights over 8hrs block with 2 man crew most from the UK and a couple from LIS, MAD and BCN...
I have called in Fatigue 3 times at CAL... all 3 times been pressure by C/S to fly and had chief Pilots call me on each event... ASAP filed
IF planning a flight with a IRO, I don't take a nap in the afternoon... No IRO, I take a nap...

 

[100/hour/5y]

Why is it on Saturday the STT turn has a IRO on the 757 but the rest seat is in coach and on Sunday the same turn on the 737 has a rest seat in 1st class???

Reason... Safety is for sale at CAL

 

[Ben Franklin]

Why is it on Saturday the STT turn has a IRO on the 757 but the rest seat is in coach and on Sunday the same turn on the 737 has a rest seat in 1st class???

Reason... Safety is for sale at CAL

The reason is that 737 First Class crew rest (1B) is specifically codified in our FOM. Putting the crew member anywhere else would be an FOM/FAR violation.

The 757/767 BF crew rest seat requirement was removed from the FOM back in 2006- therefore, no longer an FAA requirement.

If you can prove that the FAA (or anyone) got money to approve the change for the 757/767 while keeping the 737 the same, then safety is for sale at CAL.

My guess is that the change on the 757/767 was done due to the high transatlantic BF tickets that were being bought/experienced during the 2004 - early 2007 timeframe.

Should those legs requiring an IRO on the 737 begin to experience similar or higher demand, I'd bet that the IRO first class seating on the 737 is removed from the FOM quickly and silently, as well.

Even if it's in the contract, it's fly now grieve later and we still may NEVER see a BF seat on the 757/767. Some people just don't get this. Putting it in the contract is great, it should be in there and I will vote "NO" if it's not.

Keep in mind that it will be just one more clause for the company to disregard. The FAA RARELY gets involved in "contractual issues" between labor and management. The FAA will ALWAYS get involved if the company is violating the FOM.

food for thought.


Sincerely,

B. Franklin

 

[densoo]

"no beneficial sleep" in coach

"Based on laboratory data and ergonomic considerations, sleep in a Class IV seat is considered to be degraded to 0% of bunk/Class I seat rest (i.e. it provides no beneficial sleep)." http://ikregeer.nl/document/BLG17046

FAA knows it, CAL knows it. Both will wait for the incident to declare "well, we should rethink that one." Think Buffalo accident. It's cheaper to pay the lawsuits later than to pay the pilots now. That's because the cost of lawsuits will be borne by their insurance at some undetermined point in the future. The cost of pilots is borne by the company, now. Shortsighted, but it is a "best business" practice.

 

[100/hour/5y]

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/pri...21&id=10917074

Teamsters Members Conduct Informational Picketing
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mechanics for Continental Airlines on Tuesday will engage in informational picketing at the airline's major hubs in Newark, Cleveland, Orlando, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The mechanics are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The Teamsters mechanics will pass out literature to the flying public explaining the importance of maintenance work and their complaints with Continental CAL.
The Teamsters and Continental management have been bargaining for more than a year to renew the collective bargaining agreement covering more than 3,600 mechanics.
Negotiations stalled after the company refused to budge from its initial economic proposal in September. Teamsters mechanics are upset that they have been without a raise for seven years. The company has made permanent pay cuts that were instituted as an emergency cost-saving measure to avoid bankruptcy in 2005.
A federal mediator appointed by the National Mediation Board will oversee negotiations starting in January. If mediated negotiations do not result in an agreement, the NMB may ultimately allow the mechanics to exercise self help.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Copyright 2009 PR Newswire
__________________

 

[rk772]

I don't understand how people can't pass the checkride on the 737 as single pilot thus eliminating the discussion about the third pilot and all.

What are you talking about?