Wings Air @ LZU

[G-force]

To Amish & Groundloop

G-force, sounds like you're airing grievances after being fired; not before. If you were so concerned about the way things were being operated, you should've resigned rather than wait to get canned (justified or not) and spout off negatively about their operations.

So why were you let go. At this point Wings is well aware of who you are at this point. Perhaps you could fill us in with an honest play-by-play of what really transpired. You might even garner some support.

You two dudes are reading too much into the tirades and empty rhetoric of others on this thread,notably mr.wildbill at Wings Air.

My specific gripe is this,when a captain has to execute 3 MAP's at AHN and then returns to LZU since all 3 approaches went to minimums(200 & 1/2),then 3 weeks later that captain is fired for not BUSTING MINIMUMS.Then 3 weeks after that,the chief pilot is fired for trying to back up the captain.What does this tell you about Wings Air?? I'll tell you what tells me,this place is an ACCIDENT waiting to happen!!! Some un-suspecting ticket holder/pax is going to LOSE his /her life if this continues,not to mention the CREW!!! This is as UN-PRESSIONAL and UN-ETHICAL as it gets and busting minimums is ILLEGAL!!! You got a problem with that???

So now you can see the diatribes of persons on here like wildbill, do not have a leg to stand on,but wildbill drinks the Wings Air Kool-Aid and is going to spout the company line as the spin-mgr.
So lets face some more facts,if I did not have anything on these bums at Wings Air,then why is wildbill,a mgmt person so upset???? Go figure!

Yes,on the day in question at AHN,about 8 to 10 other aircraft went MAP after failing to see anything during an ILS app runway 27!!!

 

[Amish RakeFight]

G-force,

What were the specific reasons provided by management for being terminated? Like what shows up on your PRIA.

Why did it take 3 weeks after this incident. What took place after your return that day and the weeks leading up to the dismissal.

From what you've stated, you made the right decision not to bust minimums if indeed you couldn't see the lights. If there were nearly a dozen of AC going missed, then it wouldn't seem that unusual. There seems to be more to the story than whats been told. Otherwise, you might have a lawsuit on your hands potentially.

 

[acpilot]

A scumbag operator is a scumbag operator. Having worked for one, I can say it's better to up and leave rather than risk violation...or worse. I remember all the rhetoric regarding their "professional" behavior; we still joke about it. They actually told us that we had an FAA waiver for duty times!

I don't know the operator that G-Force is referring to, but I am not inclined to believe that any 135 cargo op. flying beater Navajos is a 100% FAR abiding outfit. The cargo biz is a cutthroat sector; every cost needs to be minimized. Based on what I've seen at other companies, I would believe the pilots are told to "make it work" or face some sort of punishment. I've seen genuinely good pilots fired for skidding a plane off of an icy runway...and then I've seen "company men" do much, much worse, get it swept under the rug, and then get promoted! If you fold to mgmt's demands, ignore regulations when they "get in the way," never EVER question mgmt, and rarely write anything up, you'll do well in a 135 cargo op. If you stand up to mgmt and follow the the FAR's to the letter, you'll be sold down the river to the FAA as soon as you screw up.

Don't get me wrong, 135 cargo serves a purpose. It teaches pilots a lot about flying airplanes very quickly. My hat is off to those who choose to do it.

I don't know what kind of pilot G-Force really is, but I generally believe that 135 cargo ops. leave A LOT to be desired in terms of FAR adherance and aircraft MX. You should already know that going into a 135 cargo job, though.

 

[climbhappy]

if the chief pilot did get fired for backing him as he says , then the problem is bigger than G force. I think these guys must compete with the caravan operator and , if customers think, "well these guys seem to get job done all the time (which is why they'll come back) then they may never know how dangerous it was and how easily their lives could have been snubbed out.

last year, some lousy pilot from georgia brought a king air full of politicians and rich guys up to Mayberry, NC (MT Airy.)

flew a GPS approach in weather than was below mins for the GPS. went missed then tried a VFR pattern to landing and crashed all iced up on 030 heading ( RY36 was in use.)

that's a case of a 600 hour wonder being way over his head.

 

[captainv]

G-Force,

I would hope you've taken your story to the ATL FSDO with half the effort you've expended here.

If the place is as bad as you say, getting fired could be the best thing that's happened to you, and you can explain it in a future interview, especially if the fired CP backs you up.

I would suggest that your mission to warn other pilots has been completed. Shrug off the personal attacks and put your energies elsewhere, you've done your part. Let it go.

One other thing, Wings Air is a regional?

 

[Amish RakeFight]

One other thing, Wings Air is a regional?

http://www.flywingsair.com/

Small op doing Navajo hops around the ATL area.

 

[BWatz]

I think they have FO's and don't actually pay them anything. I have been told that by multiple people. I hope that's not true.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I think they have FO's and don't actually pay them anything. I have been told that by multiple people. I hope that's not true.

It probably is. They don't need one with an AP. Most of these ops charge the PAX extra for a second pilot, which under the regs. isn't needed. The guys who end up sitting for free gain time and experience out of it instead of monetary compensation. I don't say this is a fair practice, but it is what it is in these type of ops. When I got my minimum certificates, I used to do these 135 Baron trips for $50 a day. The outfit charged the passenger $150-$200 unbeknownst, for a guy with a wet commerical. Rarely got to touch the controls unless the leg was empty. At the time, I thought it a big deal flying paying passengers around in a Baron, even though I wasn't flying!

 

[BWatz]

It probably is. They don't need one with an AP. Most of these ops charge the PAX extra for a second pilot, which under the regs. isn't needed. The guys who end up sitting for free gain time and experience out of it instead of monetary compensation. I don't say this is a fair practice, but it is what it is in these type of ops. When I got my minimum certificates, I used to do these 135 Baron trips for $50 a day. The outfit charged the passenger $150-$200 unbeknownst, for a guy with a wet commerical. Rarely got to touch the controls unless the leg was empty. At the time, I thought it a big deal flying paying passengers around in a Baron, even though I wasn't flying!

I can't believe someone would actually do that for free...

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I can't believe someone would actually do that for free...

I'm sure you've been around long enough to believe it. There's no shortage of operations that CHARGE YOU (Gulfstream, for example) for the privilege of flying right seat. Given the opportunity, most inexperienced pilots will be more than glad to ride along for free. These are NOT FO's. They're not qualified to do anything other than learn with passengers onboard. It's a sham for the customer who thinks they're getting an equally competant pilot by paying extra, when in reality its a time-building seat warmer.