Caveman said:
I have been seriously mischaracterized by TonyC and others on this issue.
I'm sorry if you feel that way, as I in no way mean to attack you personally. I thought I had a grasp, though, on the ideas you've espoused, and only exaggerated them somewhat as means of illustrating their fallacies.
Caveman said:
All I want is for the freight pilots to get their companies to install the reinforced doors so that on the a/c with seats in the back we can ride.
If only it were that easy. If only freight pilots could MAKE their companies do ANYTHING. In fact, MOST of the MD-11/MD-10 fleet is equipped with the hardened door. On these airplanes, some company employees can jumpseat in a business status, but they have been through a screening process, and we can pull up their picture in a computer database to verify their eligibility for jumpseat status. We cannot, however, verify the validity of the credentials of a Delta pilot, or a United pilot, or Mesaba pilot. Consequently, the TSA won't let us carry you. We're fighting an uphill battle here, and although it's not visible to you, it's a valiant fight.
Caveman said:
I know that the cockpit JS is lost in the TSA morass but there is no reason why the doors shouldn't already be installed system wide. That's where I hold the freight pilots responsible. It's their company. They are the ones that can influence management to get it done. There is no valid reason why large profitable companies like UPS and FedEx haven't complied with this 100%.
Yes, it's our company. And we have the power to influence management to do anything we want. That's why we have the highest pay rates in the industry, we work only 4 days a month, and we retire at 15 years with 200% of our pay. Don't you see the absurdity of what you suggest?
I agree that the Company should be in 100% compliance. I find it reprehensible that the Company can tell the media that it IS in 100% compliance, when it clearly is not. So what do we do? Call the TV stations? Write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper? E-mail Katie Curic? If the Company can defy the TSA and get away with it, what are we 4000 pilots gonna do to make it right?
Caveman said:
Maybe a one day moratorium on allowing freight pilots to JS would cause enough of a financial impact to UPS/FedEx to encourage them to install the doors on every a/c that had seats in the back. If they can't complete even 10% of their flights because of a lack of pilots they might get the message. Some of you disagree and suggest that this would do nothing but inconvenience the pilots themselves. I respect that, but I also disagree.
OK, then we'll disagree. We'll just have to leave it at that, because I don't think either one of us is apt to persuade the other one otherwise.
Caveman said:
I didn't use the term 'lazy bum'. TonyC did. Don't try to assert that that was my message. It wasn't. I suggested that the pilots weren't doing enough. I never said they weren't trying at all.
I take credit for "lazy bumm" in reference to what the pilots in question must be sitting on instead of forcing the Company to fix the riciprocal jumpseat debacle. It was your humble opinion that we aren't doing enough. I find that offensive. I thought my response was rather mild, and "lazy bumm" seemed less than harsh at the moment.
Caveman said:
I also clearly stated that I have not and would not independently deny a JS to anyone for anything having to do with this issue. However, I reserve the right to suggest, petition, advocate, and lobby for any collective action that would get this fixed. I am entitled to my position just as those of you that disagree are entitled to yours. I didn't suggest that because you take a different stance that you had it in for passenger pilots did I?
I respect your right to suggest, petition, advocate, and lobby -- surely you respect my right to rebutt. Remember, though, we're all in this together.
Edited to correct spelling errors. 