Why is AT&T losing its pilots?

[Turtledriver]

The original question of why so many AT&T pilots leaving, was asked because nobody just quit that department in the past. People retired, but they just didn't quit. Once asked, a lot of info about the department came out. None of it sounds good. When pilots go looking for jobs, maybe they want a great place, maybe they just need to put food on the table. They should hopefully have an idea of what they're getting into.

It seems at least a few posters here were part of the layoffs a few years back. This was not reopen any old wounds.

We all meet other pilots on the road, NBAA, etc. This asst chief pilot, GD, is about the worst I have ever met. He doesn't just shoot the crap, he holds court, as a court jester would. Unfortunately he has weaseled his way into a position of management simply through tenure. By all accounts he is a marginal pilot, and a micro manager. My friend of many years, former director DY could not stomach the man. Unfortunately, GD, may get his wish and become director, though there are apparently some much more talented people there.

Pilots looking for work should also know some of the hiring practices of a department. AT&T had to fill these empty slots from pilots leaving. They will be hiring another very soon as two pilots are down, possibly for good. There will be one qualification, besides the requisite minimum hours. Be a woman. Just like the last we hire. The Director's bonus is tied to diversity numbers, and he is hell bent on maximizing his bonus. That little tidbit comes from a hiring board member. They will hold the interviews and take up your time, but they already have two women "in the pool".

So who cares? Maybe nobody. Hopefully somebody that can sidestep this turd on the sidewalk.

 

[LegacyDriver]

DY couldn't stomach Nator...???

If that is true it serves as a perfect example of the absentee landlord that DY was. Failure of leadership. Failure to lead.

DY was concerned with image and style not substance. Subordinates with good ideas were ignored while Nator and the Pope ran wild. DY did not care as long as *he* could hold court at dinner when you wound up on the road in the same town (another voluntarily mandatory bs thing you had to show up to...even if you had more important stuff to do like sleep or study...and by gawd you better wear the right clothes) and waste a little Uverse revenue on some expensive wine.

The move was an opportunity to cut some dead weight. Three guys come to mind. But DY used selective loyalty to protect incompetent legacy SBC piots at the expense of good SBC and Cingular pilots. Failure of leadership. Failure to lead.

By all appearances Nator was DY's pet. His Mini Me. His golden boy. If the guy was a problem then the Emperor shoulda smacked him down. Failure of leadership. Failure to lead.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Oh and there were people who quit the department in the past, though perhaps at a lower rate than at present. One particular female SWA Captain comes to mind. Everyone thought she was crazy to do it. Look who is laughing now.

 

[jonjuan]

u sound like a bitter guy who has been canned a few times.

 

[semperfido]

If you guys come back in a few years and reread this stuff- you'll have a good laugh.

 

[LegacyDriver]

If you guys come back in a few years and reread this stuff- you'll have a good laugh.

I see what you are saying but....a lot of people I care about got hurt...badly. I see no humor in it.

To the previous poster...not bitter. Have no reason to be--aside from an epidemic of poor leadership and self-interest that is bringing our nation to its knees that is. But will call it as I see it. Nobody is forcing you to read this. The O.P. asked a question. I responded. Take it or leave it.

 

[rumrnr78]

If you guys come back in a few years and reread this stuff- you'll have a good laugh.

Not sure your interest in AT&T. I was a surplus pilot and I still like to know what's going on.

I got a great gig two months after my last day at "T". I Might break 100 hours this year in the G550. Great trips, working with CRJCA, pay, tips and a G650 is confirmed in the queue. Living overseas away from the financial/social unrest of the States, life is good. I thank God for getting the boot!

Cheers- Rum

P.S. I do remember being new and dressed up in my Brooks Brother's thinking that I was the lowest paid Falcon pilot at the FBO. I rationalized this with the thought AT&T brought security. Obviously, I was wrong.

I even know a pilot who left a good corporate job (privatly owned and it sounded great) for the lure of AT&T and he knew how the surplus pilots were treated. I gave him the good and bad and how our promise of a return was a lie. Anyway, I think he got caught up going back to DFW, whatever. i still can't believe he took the job knowing how we were treated. But, once again, the name trumps.

 

[CRJCA]

Well said Rum and thanks!! And great avatar by the way.

 

[LegacyDriver]

I do remember being new and dressed up in my Brooks Brothers

The amount of waste in that area alone boggles the mind. $600+ a year per pilot just on ties... (That's when they were $55 a pop, not $75 like now.) *Gasp*

Glad you guys landed on your feet, finally...

 

[LegacyDriver]

Well said Rum and thanks!! And great avatar by the way.

+1

America sure could use him right now.

 

[say again]

In a he said/she said cluster F of disgruntled corp pilot banter, not so much.

So why do you keep coming back to this thread? They have 1st hand experience, which I find to be helpful.

 

[semperfido]

Not sure your interest in AT&T. .

I have no interest in ATT flight dept other than I remember them from the mid 80's when they were in Morristown and I was flying out of HPN. Different time.

 

[semperfido]

So why do you keep coming back to this thread? They have 1st hand experience, which I find to be helpful.

Helpful?, in what way, pray tell.

 

[Turtledriver]

The morristown dept is not the dept we are discussing. That's was clarified much earlier in the thread. To help connect the dots for someone, SWBell, SBC, AT&T . Along the way they swallowed PAC Bell, Ameritech, and Morristown AT&T. Pretty sure the only guys to stick were a few Ameitech pilots. Morristown AT&T was completely dismantled save 2 pilots that were axed with the others

One was a well known evil, extremely poor woman well known in the northeast. CF

 

[LegacyDriver]

2 pilots that were axed with the others

One was a well known evil, extremely poor woman well known in the northeast. CF

She was called "CFIT" with the emphasis on "fit" (i.e. hissy fit, tantrum, etc.). It was appropriate.

She bus threw one of the guys big time. He's an excellent pilot and all around good guy, too... Poor dude initially got the chop by DY before the Dallas move (no doubt because of CFIT causing CRM problems...then dragging his name through the mud UNFAIRLY....and of course DY not having enough sense to see through the BS) but managed to stay on when one of the guys senior said, "No thanks" to the move. I think everyone was relieved that a good guy didn't get hosed.

Of all the people DY cut the only two that I can think of who earned it were Digits and CFIT.

 

[ultrarunner]

This has been an interesting thread...

And at the end of the day, it really underscores what happens in these super-massive corporate flight departments that essentially have no oversight or interaction by CEO's. And are left to the troops under the hangar roof.

As opposed to a CEO (who is writing the checks by the way) who gets somewhat involved other than just getting on and getting off...

Gezz, if even half the stories in this thread are true, my family wouldn't be getting on those planes....can't imagine a CEO would send his loved ones out either....

Classic corporate disfunction.

Pretty sad....

 

[LegacyDriver]

This has been an interesting thread...

And at the end of the day, it really underscores what happens in these super-massive corporate flight departments that essentially have no oversight or interaction by CEO's. And are left to the troops under the hangar roof.

It also shows what happens when the leadership under the hangar roof is either immoral, inept, detached, stagnant, or any combination of the above.

The bottom line is that good leadership requires people to do what is right for their superiors *and* their subordinates.

- Lead by example.
- Be a good steward of resources.
- Solicit input from others.
- Be willing to accept new ideas.
- Don't be afraid to admit mistakes and work hard to correct them.

There was a HUGE lack of these traits there, and unfortunately, a lot of people suffered for it.

 

[ultrarunner]

It also shows what happens when the leadership under the hangar roof is either immoral, inept, detached, stagnant, or any combination of the above.

Agreed....


You hire that type, that's what you get...


It's all about the hire! A lousy hire at the top of the hangar-heap will result in the same as it rolls down hill....

 

[Choppy]

I'm kind of bothered by the amount of what seems to me to be confidential issues being discussed. We are all interested but this isn't doing any good venting your issues with your FD on this board.

 

[Turtledriver]

I'm not sure which issue is confidential. I am not a part of that flight department, thankfully. It sounds as if a couple members are formerly with that flight department.

it simply sounds as if this flight department has fallen on hard times, due to poor management.

That should definitely interest anyone interested in a position there. And as I mentioned it will be a very small segment, that they will be interested in.