USAir Furlough Recall: My Decision

[FurloughedAgain]

<shrug> Even so, I can't seem to help but to read the threads and think back to around Christmas 1998 when I got that phone call from Lonnie Robinson...

Good times.

 

[flyinboxes]

ah, the always magnanimous general. "good luck with your decision. i sincerely hope your life doesn't come crumbling apart because of your stupidity."

i think the guy clearly knows what he's doing and what's really important.

by the way, general, i sincerely hope that no more of your flying gets outsourced to regionals or cabotage, your wife doesn't screw around while you're on the road, and your kids don't end up in juvy because there's no present father figure in their lives.

That is funny, nail on the head!

 

[weasel_lips]

Deleted

 

[FurloughedAgain]

So Swaayze,

It's been a month or so. Any second thoughts?

No major ones here. Just the occasional pang of SJS when I read about people interviewing there.

Hope all is well.

 

[iaflyer]

No major ones here. Just the occasional pang of SJS when I read about people interviewing there.

Hey, I'm not interviewing at Airways, that should make you smile... ;-)

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Not YET...

 

[zman]

My fellow pilots,

The November bid includes 165 recalls. With a roughly 10% recall rate anticipated, this bid should exhaust the furlough list and generate meaningful hiring for US Airways.

I have been told to expect the "take it or leave it" letter within the next two weeks, and that classdates will be scheduled in September and October.

Over the last several months I have labored over this decision. I have spent countless hours on the internet on this forum and many others. I have spent hours more on the telephone with former co-workers, other furloughees, family and friends deliberating over the decision.

5 years is a long time. Honestly I can barely remember what the job was like at US Airways. Over the last 5 years i've worked for 2 regionals before ending up at a corporate flight department. I've moved twice. Our son was born and may take his first steps any day.

I wonder whether i'm the same man I was years ago. Honestly I doubt it. When I started my first job as a Jetstream 31 first officer with Chautauqua I never imagined that I would spend the next decade working for 3 regionals, 1 lcc, 1 major only to end up flying a 7 passenger corporate jet. The airline pilot lifestyle was all I ever wanted. I remember looking at that Jetstream as though it were the finest airplane in the sky. I was proud of the aircraft, proud of the uniform, and proud of the job. I polished my shoes, wore my hat, and dreamed of the day that I would make the inevitable leap to the cockpit of a Boeing.

When that day came in 1999 and US Airways began hiring 100 pilots each month after my date of hire, I thought I had won the lottery. The job was almost everything I dreamed of. Most of my frustrations were with the association. I honestly felt as though ALPA was damaging my career far more then they were helping it. At every turn they seemed intent upon building new barriers to prevent the company from competing in the airline industry. The contract was amazing, and I appreciated everything it offered, but as I became more involved and attended ALPA meetings I realized that I completely misunderstood ALPA's mission. To me the union's motto should have been "ALPA: Job security is Job #1". But it wasn't. ALPA protected its most senior members at the expense of it's most junior. It robbed from the poor, to give to the rich.

Later, with thousands of pilots on furlough, ALPA would continue to shield it's most senior members by allowing the company to raise pay-caps, by continuing to allow the outsourcing of an armada of regional jets, by failing its most junior members.

The national union leadership could clearly see that a nationwide whipsaw was in effect couldn't they? How could they successfully represent both the US Airways pilots who had lost their jobs and the regional jet pilots who were reaping the benefit?

Over the last 5 years the airline pilot profession has changed. Compensation, lifestyle, work-rules, duty rigs, and retirement have all suffered. Narrowbody jets with as many as 95 passenger seats are flown by outsourced feeders at a fraction of the pay and benefits that such positions should command... and pilots line up for those positions. Pilots spend countless nights away from their families in pursuit of a lifestyle that no longer exists. Except for those rare few who work for FedEx or UPS, the dream is dead.

The profession does not protect experience. If US Airways were to disappear tomorrow its pilots, should they choose to continue in their profession, would start over. Just as the 1800+ furloughees were forced to find employment as commuter first officers, charter pilots, expatriots (yes, they left their COUNTRY to achieve some measure of success in exchange for their sacrifice)... so too would those who found themselves unemployed due to the destruction of the airline. Who is at fault? Managers who lack the ability to control pricing? ALPA who is incapable of putting a premium on experience and creating a national seniority list to prevent pilots from becoming handcuffed to a single operator?

I'm rambling.

So I made an extensive list of pros and cons. I carried the list with me for weeks and added to it whenever a thought came to me. I stared at that list time and time again trying to see a clear answer. Accept the recall, or abandon the dream in favor of my new life.

I emphasize how much time I put into this because I want the young pilots who read this thread to understand how much time and effort had been put into achieving that major airline position -- and that giving it up has been no easy decision.

But that is the decision I made.

I'm going to remain with the corporate flight department where I am currently employed. It is by no means perfect, but it offers me a lifestyle that could only be enjoyed by the most senior airline pilots. As I write this I sit in a hotel on one of the very rare overnights we are scheduled for. My son's photograph is the wallpaper on my laptop and I can't help but wonder what he is doing right now. Every day he does something that he has never done before and watching him discover the world is just amazing to me. I miss my wife and son after less than 24 hours away. How could I even consider commuting to sit in a Philadelphia crash-pad for days at a time missing out on all of that?

Make no mistake. This has not been easy. I've wanted to be an airline pilot for as long as I can remember. I was that kid -- the one who had no other hobbies, no other interests. I was singularly focused on that airline career.

So thank you everyone for all of the advice, the insider information, the emails and PMs, the phone calls, and the friendship you have provided to help me make this choice. I wish all of the US Airways pilots -- east and west -- the very best. There is something about that airline. Something more than airplanes, tugs, and people. It will survive and prosper in spite of itself. East and West pilots need to come together and take back ALPA.

No more meetings at high priced resorts. Hold your meetings where pilots can attend -- airport hotels at the domiciles. Spend your membership dollars as if they were your own. No more meals at 4 star restaurants. Protect your junior pilots. They are the foundation upon which the profession is being built. Defend their jobs as if they were your own...failure to do so will cause more and more pilots to "look out for #1"... The result of that practice is apparent. G0-Jets, SkyBus, Virgin America...

Good luck to all, and thank you. The experience I gained flying by your sides has made me the pilot that I am today. I will not forget the lessons learned.

All my best,
FurloughedAgain
Furloughed March 02

PS - If you are furloughed and sharing my decision has helped you make your own, please rate this thread above. It would be nice to know I helped.

what a dork!!!! why dont you shoot yourself in the face!!!! god i never read anything that was more of a waste of my time, thank you for taking away the 1 minute of my life to read that crap!!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

I'm here for you Zman. If you would like to waste a few more minutes of your life I could direct you to some of my other fine posts.

Just let me know.

 

[chimichanga]

No major ones here. Just the occasional pang of SJS when I read about people interviewing there.

People are still interviewing at CommutAir too... doesn't mean it's a good place to work anymore!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Update: He took his first steps in late September and was walking unassisted in mid-October. I would have missed it had I been in initial.

I still feel a few pangs of regret and jealousy when I read about Airways hiring 300+ this year, or when I see a Boeing or Airbus taxi by. Overall i'm still satisfied with my decision though. I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years at home instead of at some crashpad in Philly.

Sometimes it still feels odd -- as if i'm swimming against the tide -- not pursuing the airline pilot career. I feel like I should be doing something. Like I should be updating a resume, sending applications, prepping for interviews. I had done that so often in the past that NOT looking for that next interview leaves me feeling as though I should be.

Sometimes I miss the flying. I miss LaGuardia and National... deicing for dollars... bidding schedules or working the AIL to trip improve. It's been so long now that I am probably forgetting all of the things I didn't enjoy so much.

Today is the 18th. On January 18th, 1999 I started class as a newhire at US Airways. 9 years ago today. Despite my choice not to return I think I will always look at this date fondly. To me it signifies success in the first part of my aviation career. I did reach that goal that I had set for myself in the beginning ... even if I chose to abandon it later.

Grabbing the brass ring was tough. Giving it back was much, much tougher.

 

[AA717driver]

FA--Nice update. I think you're in a position that a lot of people were/are/will be in.

You like the airline life but it's not what it was--there's not pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow (it's in the senior management's bank account now...). But, other areas (seemingly more secure) just aren't doing it for you.

It's tough to choose one over the other. Enjoy the time you have at home--something you can't get back. TC

 

[Linedriver]

FurloughedAgain,

You probably felt like you were making a lose - lose decision. Either way you felt like you were leaving something good behind. I think you made the right decision. You have been there and tried it - now you have other responsibilities and little ones that depend on you. My hunch is that when your kids are grown you will be glad you were there for the important times.

In the end we all work for money. Some people like the airline lifestyle and others don't. It's just a matter of preference.

Get something going on the side to keep you busy; buy a daycare or other small business and you will be making airline pay again plus you have a built in plan B.

Good job!

 

[G4G5]

My guess is that for most guys at DAL, NWA and UAL, they will need to purchase a new uniform before you need to buy a new suit

I just finished reading your post and agree with you. I am constantly having this discussion with the old man over a beer (retired DAL), the airline profession is not what most of us who got into it pre 9/11 signed up for. I am furloughed AA (passed on recall) and have my doubts about going back.

Like you I enjoy my family and spending time with my 2 and 4 year old (they are great and they actually like me). Airline pilots are kidding themselves, QOL is not there unless you live in base and bid in the top 30% of your equipment. I can remember sitting with my brother and sister as a kid waiting until 12/26 or 27 until dad got home before we could celebrate X-mas or the fact that I would be eating turkey at a friends house because T-giving for us was always on next Sunday. I tried to avoid this, by moving to an airline where I could live in base and put off up grades in order to preserve Q of L, ahhh the best laid plans.

What I have found with most airline pilots is, family secondary, they would chose to go to 777 training in Nov or Dec Vs waiting. Or if their CA up grade comes they would sooner cancel the family vacaton and spend the summer in Dallas. No thanks.

Corporate is not nirvana, (ask TC, AA717), like I have always said a good corporate job blows away any airline job (UPS and Fedex included) and a bad corporate job will have you wishing you were the night shift mop up boy at a porno theatre (I've had both) . What I have discovered is that most fall some where in between. The one thing for certain is that their will be rich people and that once they have gone corporate they don't go back. If you look at the back log of orders for corporate jets, they far out pace what Boeing has, people can't get their hands on them fast enough (spoke to a friend last week who's boss was just told by Gulfstream that he would have to wait until 2011 for his new aircraft and if he didn't want to pay the LIST price, he could go somewhere else).

I would have more reservations about that airline career being their when you retire, vs the corporate job being their. I would have more concern about my health care being their with Delta then with corporate or your retirement at AA. The beauty of corporate is, have type rating will travel, their are nearly 800 G4's alone, countless Lear's, Falcon's, Cessna's and Hawkers where your type rating will guarantee that you can put food on the table, a lot more valuable then any 737 or 777 rating. The days of defined bennies are gone and working for just one company your entire career are over. Put the investment in yourself.

The days of the union are over, I agree with you ALPA and the APA are out to protect the senior pilot not the jr folks. I can actually remember the day I told my wife not to worry (pregnant with our first) because I just got back from the union meeting and they tell me that "I am furlough protected"

Enjoy your family, your decision and don't look back.

 

[spitfire1500]

Everything about ALPA you said hit it right on the head!!! Sorry Obama!!

 

[ratherfish]

Wow, it doesn't seem like that much time has gone by since "class".

I didn't land the straight corporate gig. I'm at that small frictional ownership operation. QOL is pretty good. ALL (to the man) of my buds who left this company and are at airlines, wish they were back.

QOL took some big hits for me personally with our latest deal. It really improved life for our newbies though. It has been fantastic flying with guys who can now afford life. Everyone I've been paired with has been top shelf.

Once I bid out of my plane, down to a more junior plane, I will gain control of my life again. It kind of feels like airline-new-hire all over again. It should be a fixable, short term problem though. I need to get back to the point where I feel like a playa and not like I'm bein played. Perception is reality.

Who knows, I may fall in love w/ my new reserve schedule but at first glance it seems like a big hit to my personal life away from airplanes. Pagers and I don't mix. I'm at my best in places where cell phones don't reach.

For me, at my point in life, going back to USAir wasn't even close to an option. Reasons for this decision have been hashed out and posted previously. I'm done looking back.

I have nearly all of February off. Doing week of skiing in Whistler and a couple weeks of nothing in Cabo. Lodging covered by Hilton, some of the airline tickets covered by FF points...it's all good.

Buyer be ware: rapid accumulation of hilton pts is an old contract thing. I'll still be collecting the pts, but not like before. Not complainin just esplainin. I won't engage in a pissing match over the new deal. I'm happy and thankful for our union.

I too still get a little pang when I see a dark blue bus go by. I think that means your human. That was the prize after all. It's not the prize for me anymore.

Best of luck to all.

The right job is the one that works for you.

 

[PHXFLYR]

[quote,.

Grabbing the brass ring was tough. Giving it back was much, much tougher.[/quote]
Really??? Dare you to look your 2 year old in the eye and say that.....

PHXFLYR

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Really??? Dare you to look your 2 year old in the eye and say that....

Good point. But as much as this little fella likes airplanes (poor guy) I think he'd understand.