So now we are not professional...

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Professionalism began it's decline with the rise of egalitarianism at airlines like Southwest, People's Express and America West. Pilot's were told they weren't too good to be cross-utilized, to clean the airplane and that they were an equal cog in the machine, no better than anyone else.

But they are more highly qualified than every other employee in the airline. They are hired due to a special combination of skill, experience and temperment. After years of conditioning that they really are just another labor group, they begin to think it and those qualities that made them suitable to be pilots are both no longer valued, nor are they brought to the profession. They played the 'Awe shucks, I'm a heavy equipment operator" role so long that they began to believe it themselves.

Pilots should earn the respect they deserve by holding their profession in esteem themselves first. It should be them that proves that they do a job that not everyone can or should do, regardless of the dumbing down of the equipment they fly.

Close, consider this....


Those companies and most companies don't really have a stake in pilot professionalism.... If they can cross train pilots to clean lavs they will do it... the endless pursuit to lower costs. For some reason pilots assume for themselves that everyone values the profession... why wouldn't they, I mean after all, we are Air Line Pilots!

In addition in the post golden age, the Harvard MBAs running the airlines instead of the Sixs, Pattersons and Cords, real airline men, don't understand flight crews and think pilots are over rated.... Sully helped reinstate us, and just as quickly the MSP Fly (over) Boys took it away....

You can't expect airlines, govt or industry to be custodians of the Air Line Pilot profession.

One of the facets of professionals as defined by the FAA is a code of ethics. Unions pilots who don't have a code would be wise to get some... non union pilots..... well, that is another thread....

 

[livin'thesim]

3000 to be 121 PIC.

1500 hours, and ATP, and type rating to be SIC.

Rigorous training and checkrides.

You PFT, ALPA refuses your membership.

No ALPA, no airline job.

Just a few ideas.


To clear a few things up - I have no opposition to unions using such methods to ensure that compensation remains high for pilots.


I have a HUGE FREAKING PROBLEM with union pilots thinking that the same tactics that failed before will work again.

Guarantee me my proper place in line, and I will refuse to work for lower wages.

However, if the only thing you can offer me is your 'respect' that I 'held the line' on pay, then it's every man for himself.

Pilot unions' current methods are aiding management's divide and conquer strategy, whether they know it or not.

 

[JoeMerchant]

And politically, how do we raise standards?

By voting for Republicans?

Keep in mind that it was Jimmy Carter who signed the Deregulation Act of 1978 which led to the drop in revenue at the airlines. Your beloved Democratic Party wants cheap airfares for the average Joe....

In addition, some of us believe that the policies of the Democrats will lead to a weaker economy and thus even less revenue for us to bargain for....All the collective bargaining in the world can't overcome declining revenue and companies that lose money...

First things first...You need a successful profitable company before you go to the table demanding a bigger piece of the pie.....If the pie shrinks....Your piece will shrink too...If the pie goes away...so does your piece of it....

 

[tomgoodman]

Cord?!!

...the Harvard MBAs running the airlines instead of the Sixs, Pattersons and Cords, real airline men, don't understand flight crews and think pilots are over rated...

Rez,

You make a valid point, but your inclusion of Cord in that list is rather shocking. "Flying the Line" devotes an entire chapter to his anti-pilot, union-busting, strikebreaking attempts at Century Airlines. He was one of the worst enemies ALPA has ever faced.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Rez,

You make a valid point, but your inclusion of Cord in that list is rather shocking. "Flying the Line" devotes an entire chapter to his anti-pilot, union-busting, strikebreaking attempts at Century Airlines. He was one of the worst enemies ALPA has ever faced.

Good call, I meant CR Smith