Today's USA Today (July 22), Page 5b

[xanderman]

That's not good enough for some west pilots. Maintenance replaced a battery bus but that's not good enough either. Ya we want to burn the place down and be unemployed..ya that's it. Management has no tactics at all they just want to give the pilots a raise but mean old USAPA wont let them. Only USAPA has some tactics called safety, all management is smart enough to do is have maintenance done after 6 pilots demanded it. History shows that the AWA pilots had Parker by the balls through their vastly superior ALPA. We all know they were the highest paid with the best benies so we easties should bow down to them and do exactly what they tell us to do. NOT!

What kills me about you easties is that you go out of your way to punch the company in the mouth and then you expect the company to treat you with respect. Your little "Safety First" campaign is so transparent! Grow up.

 

[BigMeat]

I would say you are incorrect in that assumption propagated by a less than truthful union. The plane was fixed. It didn't take a temper tantrum to have that happen. All it took was a captain calmly and professionally asking for the service.

The captain in question is one of the union people advocating for an ill advised safety campaign in an attempt to bring leverage to the negotiating table. This stunt was pulled in furtherence of that campaign.

As a long time union volunteer - not for the USAPA outfit - I can say without reservation that most pilots at our airline stand in abhorrance at the level some here are willing to stoop. Using the safety card is about as low as you can go in furtherence of a political goal.

Are you sure your not a continental pilot?

 

[Carl S.]

Any flight under number 700 on USAirways is operated by the old AWA side and there are no safety issues to worry about beyond everyday small things. Riddle me this, we have the same mx people and procedures and facilities monitored by the FAA, but the 700 and over flights numbers are said to be unsafe per USAPA? It is a sad day when a union paints themselves in a corner and uses safety as a weapon. I truly wish this places goes out of business and the curse of USAirways goes away and the industry grows and prospers, USAPA's death wish they are trying to make happen.

Mark

P.S.- charlie2, lots of west bashing in your post, is LOA93 for life getting long in the tooth? You want to delay, so this is your dream come true,enjoy!

 

[jehtplane]

+1. My questions is what can (legally) happen to the captain if the MEL and the FARs allow a trans-Atlantic flight under those above mentioned conditions. If the airplane was legally dispatched to go, then USAPA's argument of "illegality" and "unsafe" is fruitless. I can see this ad backfiring quickly...

Anyone here with a 757/767 or A330 MEL?

Not sure for USAIR, but an APU was required for ETOPS at a former carrier of mine.

 

[TWA Dude]

Phoenix Domicile Update

Dear Phoenix-Based US Airways Pilots,
Today, July 22, 2011, USAPA published a full-page advertisement in USA Today citing serious safety concerns at US Airways. The ad further implores the flying public to visit the USAPA website "to get more information and find out what you can do to help." Without commenting on the validity or content of this advertisement, we need to advise our constituents of the history leading to this action by USAPA.

On Tuesday, July 11th, the USAPA Communication Committee sought the support of the Board of Pilot Representatives for a resolution which directed the Communication Committee, along with the USAPA President, "...to use all resources to resolve these issues." The resolution stated that the issues to be resolved included US Airways management's alleged, "...aggressive acts aimed at the pilots and designed to intimidate and harass the pilots in apparent retaliation for our efforts to force management's compliance with the RLA's status quo provisions."

In light of the fact that the pilots of the Phoenix domicile of US Airways have never had a single member appointed to the USAPA Communication Committee (with the exception of a single pilot who was briefly a member of the Comm. Sub-committee, P4P, but was then removed by the President), your PHX Representatives were understandably reluctant to give such unlimited authority to the Communication Committee without some input from the PHX domicile. As you are aware, our perspectives on many issues are different from those of the other domiciles. Therefore, when the time came to vote to approve the resolution which authorized this strategy, your PHX Reps voted against it. It follows that the pilots of Phoenix can take no credit or responsibility for the content.

Please keep this in mind if you choose contact us to either complain, or register your support. Per the resolution discussed above which was approved by the remainder of the BPR (except PHX), the Communications Committee, in concert with the USAPA President bear complete responsibility for this action.
Sincerely,

PHX Chairman
PHX Vice-Chairman
PHX Vice Chairman

 

[weasel_lips]

The flying public has a short term memory and does not care. They will still book whoever is the cheapest from A to B.

SWA has had scores of very public MX issues, yet their planes are still full.....

US is not going out of business, the place is not going to burn down.

 

[Captzaahlie]

Not sure for USAIR, but an APU was required for ETOPS at a former carrier of mine.

It's required for our 76's.

 

[Turtle21]

Phoenix Domicile Update

Dear Phoenix-Based US Airways Pilots,
Today, blah, blah, blah Without commenting on the validity or content ..

PHX Chairman
PHX Vice-Chairman
PHX Vice Chairman

Leaders may still apply for the vacancy. Next applicant...

 

[Grandpa +65]

Response to USAPA ad in USA Today – A Message from COO Robert Isom

July 22, 2011

Earlier today we issued a communication related to an ad by the pilot’s union, USAPA, that ran in USA Today. We also felt that the following statement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), regarding the incident mentioned in the ad, would be informative for employees:

The FAA manager assigned to the US Airways certificate reviewed the June 16, 2011 incident. The APU shutdown the aircraft experienced is a failure that pilots are well aware can happen and that they are trained to recognize. The battery apparently was depleted by attempts to restart the APU. Flying an aircraft with an inoperative APU is not an unusual event and normally poses no safety issues when proper limitations are applied. The Captain simply chose to exercise her pilot-in-command authority of not accepting an aircraft. Our information indicates that US Airways followed their approved MEL procedures, and all maintenance procedures were followed in accordance with the operator’s approved maintenance program. We found no violations of Federal Aviation Regulations.


Dear Fellow Employees,

By now some of you may have seen an advertisement in today’s USA Today paid for by our pilots’ union, USAPA. As you know, USAPA has been embroiled in an intra-union seniority dispute for several years and is also working to negotiate a joint contract. Those efforts have been severely complicated and delayed by their inability to resolve the seniority dispute, and because of this dispute, USAPA has embarked upon a smear campaign that in reality is all about contract negotiations, not safety. Today’s move is simply the latest in a series of misguided efforts to put pressure on the Company as part of those negotiations, and while we are disappointed that USAPA has chosen to use safety as a negotiating tactic, I can tell you unequivocally the union’s claims are outlandish, false and a disservice to the 32,000 hard-working employees of US Airways.

Safety has been and always will be the top priority at US Airways, as it is at any airline. On the specific issue that the advertisement focuses on, I’d note that USAPA’s account is highly inaccurate and its claims about the aircraft in question were wrong – it flew that day and performed flawlessly, and has done the same ever since.

Simply put, our safety facts stand for themselves:

• US Airways has just passed the International Air Transport Association’s highest worldwide standard for safety and security – the IOSA audit – with flying colors. This audit, the airline industry gold standard for safety, shows that we are in compliance in every safety area.
• Our safety team also knows how well we are doing on all safety measurements. Our Flight Safety Index, which measures how we’re doing in all areas, is at the highest level in the history of the company. Aircraft damages are 50% better than industry average, and deferred maintenance items are at an all-time low.
• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cited US Airways as the model for other airlines to follow with our significant investment of time and resources into the voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) program. We are one of only two airlines to implement SMS in every area of the airline. We also are the first U.S. airline to have our SMS program validated by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

 

[Golden Falcon]

Legal to dispatch or not, the minute any Captain loses the right to refuse an aircraft within reason, its time to get out of the business...

 

[charlie2]

Any flight under number 700 on USAirways is operated by the old AWA side and there are no safety issues to worry about beyond everyday small things. Riddle me this, we have the same mx people and procedures and facilities monitored by the FAA, but the 700 and over flights numbers are said to be unsafe per USAPA? It is a sad day when a union paints themselves in a corner and uses safety as a weapon. I truly wish this places goes out of business and the curse of USAirways goes away and the industry grows and prospers, USAPA's death wish they are trying to make happen.

Mark

P.S.- charlie2, lots of west bashing in your post, is LOA93 for life getting long in the tooth? You want to delay, so this is your dream come true,enjoy!

I'm just sick of you guys trying to sound like you're so much better at negotiating with management. Your current contract isn't real good evidence of that and yes I think our ALPA reps really screwed us with LOA 93.

 

[becket]

I'm just sick of you guys trying to sound like you're so much better at negotiating with management. Your current contract isn't real good evidence of that and yes I think our ALPA reps really screwed us with LOA 93.

You do realize that your "ALPA" reps are in fact the VERY SAME PEOPLE who are now your "USAPA" reps right?

The boogey man is staring you in the face in CLT...not Herndon. He always has but you guys are to effed in the head to see it.

 

[johnsonrod]

Yet another reason to avoid USAirways - both as a pax and professionally. Disgraceful to say the least.

 

[eaglesview]

Legal to dispatch or not, the minute any Captain loses the right to refuse an aircraft within reason, its time to get out of the business...

About time someone said it. The MEL does not cover all contingencies. Just because it is legal does not mean it is safe.

 

[becket]

About time someone said it. The MEL does not cover all contingencies. Just because it is legal does not mean it is safe.

Of course, however in this case the hysterical captain was dumb enough to be "on board" with USAPA. I hope they fire her. She clearly has no judgment ability.

 

[ableone]

I still have seen no evidence of a "hysterical rant on the PA."

I have heard the rumors - whispered by the company to a few (perhaps not a few) pilots.

A manager once accused me of making inappropriate PAs during a management induced fiasco so I know this play is in their book.

Considering everything slightly newsworthy (see pants down guy) seems to end up on youtube I am suspicious that a "hysterical female airline captain" making multiple inflammatory PAs was not captured on some passenger's iphone.

Though USAPA has played the "safety" card too many times, which they are going to regret should an actual issue ever arise, the jury is still very much out on this one.

 

[OurMoney1]

I think the tide is starting to change at USAIR. Easties are starting to see that the same 10% of the village retards that got them into this mess are not going to be the same 10% that are going to get them out. The more they beat their toy chests the more their members are losing. Sooner or later we will arrive at the tipping point and I am betting its gonna be sooner.

 

[charlie2]

You do realize that your "ALPA" reps are in fact the VERY SAME PEOPLE who are now your "USAPA" reps right?

The boogey man is staring you in the face in CLT...not Herndon. He always has but you guys are to effed in the head to see it.

When you say "people" you mean like the Germans are a "people" right? We have some new blood in our reps and NAC and the commities. But your point is right that the union is only as good as your elected pilot reps. What we lose is help from ALPA national but we really don't think we got help from them anyway. I find it humerous on this forum that ALPA supporters are quick to point out that it is our local MEC to blame when things are bad but when things are good it is ALPA that is responsible. Some of you have quickly claimed it was ALPA that got us a pretty good contract 11 years ago but it was our "boogey men" local reps that got us LOA93. You can't have it both ways.

 

[Carl S.]

USAIR East pilots painted themselves into this corner thru ALPA and USAPA, nobody else!!! You are only as good as your leadership and it is sad and funny to watch them blame everyone but themselves for their path. AWA was no dream if you think we had big image of ourselves, just like I thought the US ARMY was not the top of the military food chain while serving, but we made the best of what we could get with a majority going along. USAPA leadership is run by almost 90% ex-ALPA FPL w************************* and are leading the lemmings(That's you) off the cliff. Wake up and get some real leadership and legal counsel before it is too late. West pilots are just on the side lines as Parker and Co. battle USAPA over this fake safety drive.


Mark

 

[ironspud]

I think the tide is starting to change at USAIR. Easties are starting to see that the same 10% of the village retards that got them into this mess are not going to be the same 10% that are going to get them out. The more they beat their toy chests the more their members are losing. Sooner or later we will arrive at the tipping point and I am betting its gonna be sooner.

"Sooner" has long passed. It's "later" now.