The Big January Bid at SWA for AT

[Daddy]

What are guys going to do? Bid to get paid to sit and wait for training? Try to get left seat at any base? Try to lance captain?

What are they telling you? FO rates til qualified? CA rates for prior AT captains? Lance program will be dead by then?

I've heard many things. Upwards of 2 months for those going straight to the left seat among others. Widely distributed among the bases is another. It is unprecedented here at SWA and dwarfs the effect on the system that a new base even has which is substantial. Displacements and movement will happen everywhere. Could be good or bad for many.

 

[SWA Bubba]

What are guys going to do? Bid to get paid to sit and wait for training? Try to get left seat at any base? Try to lance captain?

What are they telling you? FO rates til qualified? CA rates for prior AT captains? Lance program will be dead by then?

I've heard many things. Upwards of 2 months for those going straight to the left seat among others. Widely distributed among the bases is another. It is unprecedented here at SWA and dwarfs the effect on the system that a new base even has which is substantial. Displacements and movement will happen everywhere. Could be good or bad for many.

Don't know about the rest of the stuff (pay, etc), but I don't think it will be a problem with displacements and movement. Since we'll only be adding people, and then at the same rate we are now as we can train them, bases are grown to accommodate larger numbers of pilots. You can only be displaced if your base shrinks (or a secondary displacement if another base shrinks), and that's not likely. So even as FAT guys come over as captains, they can't displace another captain out of base (or seat); they'll go to where there's openings, which will probably be everywhere.

On the other hand, when a new base opens, the others shrink a bit each to provide the manpower. That's why you can see displacements in that case--fewer pilots in the old base, so if not enough volunteers, someone gets bumped out the bottom. Not gonna' be the case in this situation.

Having said all that, there's a vacancy bid every month, and with 7000+ pilots, there's always people wanting to move from one place to another, so that even helps when there's little to no growth.

Bubba

 

[freightdogfred]

What about these "virtual bases" ? A feller with a flag tie tole me that when the Ipads are online, they can distribute the needed info electromagnetically so no need for for a big cheese with a big desk. Any truth to this?

 

[Daddy]

I'll believe that when i see it

 

[redflyer65]

What about these "virtual bases" ? A feller with a flag tie tole me that when the Ipads are online, they can distribute the needed info electromagnetically so no need for for a big cheese with a big desk. Any truth to this?

I could see it down the road. Timeframe? Could be years.

 

[Luv2BFlyin]

They have to way til all the old guys retire that are struggling with the Ipad. As far as how long that takes, I'd say it depends .

 

[BR715]

Lance. It will not be gone. We will not have a contract for at least 2 years. Any TA that comes from the company I will vote no on until I see a way to trade my trips with company trips. Elitt is a joke. All weekend flying trips in Elitt. Trip trade giveaway works sometimes but if that is the only thing you can rely on your month can stink.

 

[jimcav]

I wonder if a lot of the present lance capts are gonna bid capt positions in the next few vacancies, so they don't lose the position when the FATs can opt in. Anybody in the know?

 

[Daddy]

I think that is happening now. Lance is going more and more junior (more than normal) to not be stuck there (assumedly). I think guys don't want to be stuck in the right seat when the music stops for awhile. We will be very overmanned once its all done (abt next May). 2015 is going to be a really interesting year for everyone. It's one of those times where you have to remind yourself to be careful what you wish (or bid) for....you just might get it. Our vacancy bid system is about as goofy as it gets. Very convoluted....especially when you throw in lancing and a large influx of pilots with few airplanes coming with them.

 

[jimcav]

I'm also hearing upgrades and hiring to continue for the foreseeable future... New used airplanes????