USA Jet's New DO

[USA Jet Pilot]

Thanks to CH and his 3 Ring circus, RM is gone and we are now getting a guy that has tumbled down hill since leaving ABX. I heard he is one of those Title Chasing Types. Oh well maybe the pager will go off soon.

Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls of all ages let me be the first to introduce your new DO....Danny Clifton.

Danny K. Clifton, Vice President & Director of Flight Operations
Danny Clifton, Vice President and Director of Flight Operations for Kitty Hawk Aircargo, Inc. joined the Kitty Hawk team in 2004.

Previously, Clifton served as the assistant chief pilot for DC-9 aircraft, as well as a DC-9 First Officer and DC-8 Second Officer at ABX Air, Inc./Airborne Express in Dayton, Ohio. He is certified on the Boeing 737 aircraft and was a pilot and instructor for Rick Aviation in Newport News, Virginia prior to his service with ABX. Clifton holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, part of the Royal Air Force, in Bentwaters, UK. Clifton also served in the United States Air Force for 24 years. During his Air Force career, he commanded an Air Combat Command Training Support Squadron and handled a variety of other operational and training duties. Clifton also led an A-10 fighter squadron during the first Gulf War.

 

[landlover]

dc-9 co-pilot then chief pilot? is that normal/possible?

 

[Friedaloo]

Is he related to Tony Clifton? He's my favorite stand up comic!

 

[pilotyip]

dc-9 co-pilot then chief pilot? is that normal/possible?

Sure, he was asst CP? no FAR requirements for that or Asst DO

 

[HeavyjetDC8]

dc-9 co-pilot then chief pilot? is that normal/possible?

At ABX, more than possible, it's quite common. Pilots desiring a management position frequently have next to nothing in the way of seniority and may actually have underperformed during training.

Seniority, qualification, competence: not necessarily required; other qualities (which it must be said, could in some quarters be considered as character flaws) can however stand the aspiring applicant in good-stead for advancement to the exalted status of Assistant CP.

 

[inplaneview]

Thanks to CH and his 3 Ring circus, RM is gone and we are now getting a guy that has tumbled down hill since leaving ABX. I heard he is one of those Title Chasing Types. Oh well maybe the pager will go off soon.

Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls of all ages let me be the first to introduce your new DO....Danny Clifton.

Danny K. Clifton, Vice President & Director of Flight Operations
Danny Clifton, Vice President and Director of Flight Operations for Kitty Hawk Aircargo, Inc. joined the Kitty Hawk team in 2004.

Previously, Clifton served as the assistant chief pilot for DC-9 aircraft, as well as a DC-9 First Officer and DC-8 Second Officer at ABX Air, Inc./Airborne Express in Dayton, Ohio. He is certified on the Boeing 737 aircraft and was a pilot and instructor for Rick Aviation in Newport News, Virginia prior to his service with ABX. Clifton holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, part of the Royal Air Force, in Bentwaters, UK. Clifton also served in the United States Air Force for 24 years. During his Air Force career, he commanded an Air Combat Command Training Support Squadron and handled a variety of other operational and training duties. Clifton also led an A-10 fighter squadron during the first Gulf War.

Danny is a good man. He was a straight shooter while at ABX and I considered him one of the good guys in management. You could do a lot worse!

 

[cfire]

The Kitty Hawk MEC didn't have a very high opinion of him.

 

[SWA/FO]

Where did RM go? Inquiring minds want to know???

 

[USA Jet Pilot]

Hey there is nothing like starting out on top and retiring on the bottom...kinda like going from FedEx and ending up at some auto parts night freight outfit. If we are trying to move towards pax, what experience can war hero here bring us? Are we just using his GI Joe connections for the government contracting side. We all know that ex GI Joe clown we had prior to RM was worthless as single ply toliet paper. RH, I mean Col. Klink was a real piece of work, to bad he couldn't fly. So here we are recieving second rate has been management type, well he will fit right in with PT Healey and circus. So why take an unknown from the outside? I bet all that A-10 time is about as worthless as C152 time . I wonder if this individual can fly the VOR/DME 2 Circle to 35 into MMIO? I bet he can't, great another do as I say because I can't back it up. I hope these up and coming interviews pan out. Thats all, carry on I will be in the area all day. Oh yes I forgot, welcome aboard Oh Danny Boy.

USA Jet Pilot

 

[TransMach]

New D.O.

Funny ... the very best aviation (read pilot/flight) managers I have known in my 30+ years in this business are those who have enough experience in the airplanes to be able to fly them well, know what they are doing in every setting but not so much time (read seniority) to be jaded by being there (read stuck) there. Seniority has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Real aviation managers love the flying, they love each fascet of the business. They find great personal joy, pride and fulfillment when they help someone achieve a goal, help their team succeed in a particular enterprise or simply do the right thing in a tough situation. Their's is a job of insurance, ensuring that the team succeeds, each individual capable of success achieves it and being certain that the business thrives.

And yes, we pick on them constantly ... I just don't understand it.

I'd give the "Joe" a chance ... things may very well get better! If not, and you don't understand why, then you can throw a stone.

TransMach