Well, today was the day

[N2264J]

TSA's purpose with uniformed crew members is not to find out if have anything illegal or dangerous, it is to find out if you are submissive to their authority.

What TSA does in regard to security is all show business.

The fact is that we are further down the road to fascism than any of us care to believe.

 

[inline]

Your best bet for fighting it would be the ACLU, obviously. But even they aren't taking on this one from what I can tell.

It's hard to accept the new reality of how much "civil liberty" we give up at airports in the post 9-11 world. I don't blame you for drawing a line, but my gut tells me you're eventually going to have to decide between your career and your civil liberty principles.

Call me "Brainwashed", but if the AITs stop one terrorist act in my lifetime, then all the screenings were worth it.

The "where will the line be drawn" argument is moot. We can fight new technologies as they emerge, and if a true consensus agrees it's gone too far, it can be halted right then and there. (the robot anal probe machine). The consensus agrees (at least tacitly) that this is not too great a breach of our liberties based on the benefit we receive.

Good luck to you though, that sounded like a really crappy day.

The ACLU? You're kidding right?

 

[islandhoper]

It is obvious that CrewPass is the only answer to this situation. Maybe another solution would be the implementation of a Standard National ID. We can't really train the TSA guys into recognizing the 30something airline IDs around the country. Maybe that way we can avoid having to wear the uniform just to save our tooth paste...

Until then, say no to the scanner but comply with the secondary... And tell the Fa's not to f*ck up by bringing illegal substances through. It just fuels the opposition against us...

 

[Monster Buck]

I'm really sad that Delta hired you. And a little surprised.

However, they did hire a bunch of pretty questionable people in 07/08. Around your time, maybe?

Its really sad that Delta wouldn't hire you. Not surprised. However you got on anyway with the merger right?

 

[crxpilot]

Well while we are being distracted with the smurfs and their new toy, the real thing we should be concerned about is Obama's desire for his own private army:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1947736/why_does_obama_need_a_private_army.html

And yes, watch the video link on the article provided, it comes out of Obamas mouth, not some nut job.

 

[crxpilot]

Next time you want to get past the Smurf, just offer them a smurfberry. Works every time!

 

[AeroDork]

Dude quit causing trouble, we have grunt people just trying to do what they are told. This is the best we have right now to keep us alive. Who gives a shat, go through the scanner. You are barking up the wrong tree. If you really care talk to your congressman and write the TSA. Don't take it out on the airport workers, they didn't write the rules. As a pilot you should know that better than anyone.
I'm betting if you were on the Delta flight on Christmas you would feel different about the inconvenience. If it helps keep the people who are trying to kill everyone off our flights, giddy up. Go through the motions and quit causing trouble for the rest of us. Or you all can continue with your change the world, naive, childish rants.

Ditto!!

I'm thinkin' you had a really crappy trip that you didn't want to commute to anyway and you were out of sick leave.

Get over yourself.

There are battles to fight, and then there are battles not worth fighting... TSA is one not worth fighting... Their rules change faster than a wardrobe line at a fashion show. Submit to their requests and go fly... You should see how they treat our customers let alone crewmembers.

Take off your f'n shoes and go through the scanner. Done.

Monster Buck, Fox-Tree, Blue Bayou, and Dirty Sanchez should all run for ALPA National office. With nutless wonders like them in charge, there's no limit to what ALPA wouldn't have the balls to try to accomplish!

My emotional side says that ALPA should come out with this directive: "As of Jan 1st, 2011 CrewPass will be implemented at all airports with 121 service, otherwise we will invoke a national S.O.S. and no 121 airline will fly that day."

Unfortunately the above will never happen because we dont have the balls to do it...

I agree. It won't happen not just because we don't have balls, it will happen because we're Pilots. And what do good little pilots do? We follow the rules. No faster than 250kts below 10,000', no busting minimums; which is great for everyone's safety. Then there's the other side of the coin: "Well, a loophole in the law let the company raid our pensions, I guess the rules were in their favor so we can't do anything about it but whine.", when any other group with anything dangling between their legs would have ground the schedule to a screeching halt. "But some ALPA officers would have been arrested for calling an illegal work stoppage" is what someone will say. I guess then you can just go back to following the rules and eat your cake then, and don't forget to walk through the scanner and show the TSA gangsta your wang. Them's the rules, ya' know.

 

[rfa]

I'm not sure about the new proceedures with the body scanners, but have one deal I stricktly refuse to comply with. I WILL NOT remove any item from my uniform. If this intails a screening in a privacy room outside the view of the public eye, then that is what it takes. I ran into this a while back in Detroit. I don't want to be in the security line, and I want TSA to not want me there either. Whatever I can do to use up their available resources, I do. Also, it would be wise to have the direct number to Washington DC's TSA office on your cell phone for quick reference. Follow the rules, but follow the TSA rules- not those made up on the fly by some clown with a GED.

Very well said!

 

[Auburn_CFI]

Did you read up on the possible health risks that those bodyscanner pose? You may want to think twice about stepping through it.

I thought that UNIFORMED crew members are still exempt from being strip-searched even if they decline the new virtual strip search scanner?

You mean like this?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60553920100106

 

[Dornier 335]

Read the 2nd comment as a starter. There are plenty of experts who dispute the claim of low risk, and I certainly won't be a guinea pig ...

 

[152SIC]

Made the front page of reddit.

http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/dscxn/airline_pilots_rejects_tsa_tyranny_expressjet/

 

[stall022]

Radiation exposure is cumulative, so it doesn't leave your body after you are exposed it.

Body scanners are low risk to the normal passenger, who usually travels only once or twice a year, that's 4 exposures per year.

Now take your normal crew member working half the month so that's 15 exposures per month, 180 per year, 1800 every 10 years, 5400 exposures in a 30 year career. Ask any doctor on this planet if 5400 exposures to ever "low" radiation is healthy and I guarantee they will all say tell you no.

Follow the rules and use the metal detector and a pat down, You can also ask for a private area for the pat down, Inform all members in your crew to also use the metal detector and pat down.

That is unless you like the idea of your future children having 3 eyes and a tail.

 

[inline]

If you were a muslim pilot, the ACLU would be breaking down your door to represent you, MSNBC would have you on 24/7 and pres Barry Hussein Obama would have you over for a beer summit ( of course, you being muslim would not consume alcohol, just a root beer) and you WOULD NEVER EVER LOSE YOUR JOB!

 

[75M]

The lack of consistency from airport to airport and from week to week is frustrating. If your concerned about radiation, I like the idea of politely opting out of the "whatever its called - machine" and accepting the pat down.

Keep in mind, getting into a urinating contest on site is counter productive, as it will justify (in the minds of the TSA officials) the need to screen crew members.

The venue to fight this battle is through your union reps, ALPA, SWAPA, APA, etc. and demand action on CrewPass.

As an aside, if a passenger complains when I cut in front of them, I politely inform them that the 9-11 Commission recommended that flight crews have a seperate screening mechanism. If they have an issue with me cutting the line, they should write their Senator/Congressman.

 

[BoilerUP]

All this talk about scanner radiation and "5400 scans in a 30-year career", and not ONE person has mentioned just how much cosmic radiation pilots are exposed to flying around in the flight levels?

Averaging 4 legs per day, 4 days worked per week, 4 weeks worked per month = 64 "low radiation exposures" per MONTH, which is 768 per YEAR, 7680 per DECADE, and over 23,000 exposures in a 30 year career.

I can understand a reluctance for even more exposure...but really, if one's primary concern with security screening is radiation exposure and they fly jets above FL300 for a living, its kinda like getting mad at spit hitting you in the face when you stick your head out a car window doing 60mph - in a driving rain.