The long, dark walk on the airline conveyer belt

[Rez O. Lewshun]

This will absolutely have to come from the FAA. The only thing ALPA could do is pressure / lobby the FAA and Congress for these changes.

Maybe we are the ones who need to start pressuring ALPA to pressure the FAA.

On track.... now the tough part..... How do we pressure ALPA to get this going? The trick is ALPA has to convince the legislatures, the FAA and airline management that this is in everyones interests. Or at least everyone gets something out of it....

But we don't really pressure ALPA, we empower them.....

ALPA-PAC. Everybody in Wash DC has thier money in someones pocket. We should too. You support those who support your issues.

The avg participation rate is 30% at the major level. When you look at just the regionals thier avg. ALPA-PAC participation rate is embarrassing low..single digits.

If you don't understand the difference between your dues money and giving money to ALPA-PAC, then it is time to get informed and accept how it is...

Look at the structure of the Merchant Marine, use that structure in our industry.

There are lessons to be learned with the maritime industry. There are no US registered ships to move goods. And the saliors and officers that operate these ships are from third world countries. Wiliam Langweische (yes, the authors son) did a great piece on the unregulated maritime industry. Basically, no body cares becuase as long as thier "stuff makes it to port" who cares how it arrives.

Potential for the Air Line Industry and pilots? You bet.

Get informed, get involved. Choose our future or someone else will.

 

[pilotyip]

When you work it out so pilots are paid more by regulation, the cost of an airline ticket will go up, ridership will go down. Pilot’s jobs will disappear and the military pilot will again have the first shot at the remaining jobs, just like the 70's

 

[No Delay]

When you work it out so pilots are paid more by regulation, the cost of an airline ticket will go up, ridership will go down. Pilot’s jobs will disappear and the military pilot will again have the first shot at the remaining jobs, just like the 70's

Yeah, but look at what is happening now....

Ticket prices are low, pilot pay is at an all time low...and pilot job are disappearing faster than we can conprehend.

 

[pilotyip]

There are more jobs being created than are disappearing. There is shortage of pilots, tons of hiring going on, maybe not the jobs most would like, but our pilots are having no problems finding jobs. ATI, Atlas, Kalitta, Gemni, Air Willy, Flex Jet, Jet blue.

 

[Mr. Jet 2005]

someone call? There is a Jet Blue pilot in another thread commenting about his lack of a dgree and his success as a military and Jet Blue pilot. I am not making any claims here about the degree or non-degree just bringing everyone up to date on real world of success in a flying career. This is still a great career where else can a high school grad make $100K/yr by his mid-30's with 12-14 days off per month.

Only if that makes it great for somebody, should we all as a whole have the bar lowered because we spent time and invested in ourselves for an education? Or Does the fact we got that 4 year degree mean nothing at all in this industry. It got us started making $20k, but so what. Where do we go now?

How often do you see doctors / attorneys / teachers going to "0 hours - airline job in 3 months!!!" schools?

Thier industry illiminated this type of candidate by raising the bar on what really counts to get hired.

 

[viper548]

There are more jobs being created than are disappearing. There is shortage of pilots, tons of hiring going on, maybe not the jobs most would like, but our pilots are having no problems finding jobs. ATI, Atlas, Kalitta, Gemni, Air Willy, Flex Jet, Jet blue.

Kit, is that you?

 

[pilotyip]

No but Kit is in tune also, he knows what is going on in the market,. He is a believer in the 2007 hiring boom

 

[No Delay]

Kit, is that you? - viper548

funny!

 

[pilotyip]

Actually over on the "I got the call from Jet Blue" thread there is a post that says he got the job becasue of going to the job fair and recommends it as the way to get Jet Blue's attenetion.

 

[DrewBlows]

Quit blaming low time new hires. They didn't negotiate the contract. You did! If you don't want pilots with less than 500, (1000, 1500?) hours working at your company, negotiate it in your next contract. I don't think it will help, but if that's what is important to you bring it up with your negotiating commitee. You could even do one better and volunteer to help your union out, or at least go to a meeting.

The reality is that there is little you can do to tell a flight instructor that a pay raise to fly an RJ is a bad deal, but once they are hired you can educate them. You may have to start by educating yourself. The industry today is really no different than it was in it's infancy. I believe that the solution is the same as it was then. Pilots must stick together (read, strong union), support one another and support pro-union candidates.

Don't believe me? Read Flying The Line Vols 1 & 2 before replying. I've heard that Hard Landings is good as well, but haven't read it.

Remember you can only control the things that you can control. I wouldn't count on management or the FAA for anything, but I would and do count on my fellow pilots.