Will Spirit Survive if they WalK?

[Jet41]

Aviation Week article may be of interest to some.....

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...n&channel=comm&?WT.mc_id=twitter_aviationweek

They might have to shutdown, so the reverse they might not have to shut down

 

[nyboilermaker]

SOP for management. Get the word to the press, the other employees...shutdown is coming...blah, blah. Contract negotiation 101.

Manage by using fear and intimidation.

Hold the line guys...you deserve it.


NYB

 

[DC8Driver]

I missed this post the first time I read the thread.

It's not the fault of the tng dept unless you lump the FAA and upper management, and SAFETY into "tng". No, I am not in tng or checking or safety - nor mgt for that matter.

Upper mgt has changed tng methods and SOP about once every nine months for the last five years. The FAA signed off on all of it. The fact that we have NOT had a serious incident these last five years is a testament to the overall aviation skill and knowledge of the Spirit pilot corps. Not only has the tng methods and SOP changed often, the overall philosophy regarding the proper way to fly an airbus has flipped 180 degrees at least twice. Additionally, management decided some years ago to allow us to fly into mountainous terrain third world airports WITHOUT specific route qualification. That is, we received tng on one int dest, and that served for all other international destinations. Not until we started Bogata did we get anything other than a read file memo regarding places such as Honduras, Costa Rica, and overflying the Andes enroute to Peru. Again, the FAA signed off on all of this.

Where was safety in all of this you ask? Safety was busy searching for incriminating data hidden within the FOQA data. FOQA data is protected by the CBA of course, but that doesn't stop the company from looking at it, seeing something they don't like, and trying to find the identifying data from other sources. (As an aside, FOQA data is intentionally scrambled and can't be totally trusted like a true DFDR can be trusted. It is close, but not exact) So Safety finds incidents that look bad, they do some searching in crew trac, put two and two together and some crew ends up on some super secret double secret probation list. Unfairly so, it should go without saying but I'll say it anyway. Again, the FAA is part of the lynching. They too look at the FOQA data and jump to the same conclusions and therefore are happy to join in the high tech lynching.

All of that, combined with increased scrutiny because of Colgan's incompetent pilots from Buffalo,(and some internal politics) result in the FAA knee jerking every time some Spirit pilot gets near the edge of the envelope. Or looks like he/she got near the edge of the envelope. If the data seems to be ugly, or if the offending pilot in some little incident happens to be on double secret probation, 709 baby. The union/mgt relationship doesn't do anything to help either. In the past, union reps found a way to maintain enough positive company contact to make some of this stuff go away, but in the current contract negotiations, that ability is obviously gone.

Gotta go, so I'll end with this. The problem goes much deeper than a bad tng dept. Issues like these are a significant contributor to the overall "Shut it down" pilot mindset.

Call AFS 230 in Washington, if what your saying is true they will shut your FOQA program down tomorrow.

 

[:-)]

It appears that Vision Aire in Miami has contracted with Spirit Airlines to fly some of their routes in sub service durring the strike. Sadly all of their pilots would be flying struck work and will become famous for being scabs. i cant wait to see their pictures online.

 

[CX880]

It appears that Vision Aire in Miami has contracted with Spirit Airlines to fly some of their routes in sub service durring the strike. Sadly all of their pilots would be flying struck work and will become famous for being scabs. i cant wait to see their pictures online.

You are a class A moron. They haven't even flown struck work yet, and why can't you wait to see their faces online??

 

[okcplt]

You are a class A moron. They haven't even flown struck work yet, and why can't you wait to see their faces online??

He flys for Spirit...what do you expect? He can't be the sharpest tool in the shed.

A buddy told me ten years ago their Seniority #1 guy was an FO who had failed Captain upgrade three times. The company gave him the option of permanent FO, or he could try and upgrade one last time and if he failed he would be terminated...

The guy had frickin tape holding his glasses together!

That was in a direct-cable, steam-gauge 9. I can't imagine that rocket scientist on the nerd bird!

 

[Mike man]

He flys for Spirit...what do you expect? He can't be the sharpest tool in the shed.

A buddy told me ten years ago their Seniority #1 guy was an FO who had failed Captain upgrade three times. The company gave him the option of permanent FO, or he could try and upgrade one last time and if he failed he would be terminated...

The guy had frickin tape holding his glasses together!

That was in a direct-cable, steam-gauge 9. I can't imagine that rocket scientist on the nerd bird!

wtf guy?

Who pooped in you Wheaties this morning?

Did you mess up an interview with Spirit? And were not offered a job?

What is with the anger?

 

[satpak77]

I seem to recall reading that Spirits CEO (in Airliners mag?) came out and proudly announced Spririt is "Wal Mart" of the skies and that "unhappy pax can go somewhere else"

Nice

 

[Sandhawk]

Everybody except William Franke is getting nervous. He would be too if he understood that the average Spirit pilot no longer gives a #$%^&*

He was a major-league dooshbag at AWA, and it sounds like nothing has changed.......



Good luck guys - we're pulling for you!

:beer:

 

[okcplt]

wtf guy?

Who pooped in you Wheaties this morning?

Did you mess up an interview with Spirit? And were not offered a job?

What is with the anger?

No anger. I actually support you guys and your effort.

BUT...expecting the Vision Airlines guys (who are a non-union shop and have NO protection) to fall on their swords is total BS...

You guys knew what Spirit paid when you hired on. It's not the same as wanting a concessionary give-back PAID BACK like NW in 1998.

The writing was on the wall when you walked though the front door at Spirit. And that's fine ...but don't expect other pilots to lose their jobs over it...