WSJ article on looming flight/duty time changes

[whymeworry?]

This is what happens when you forget what flying the line is like. Clearly Babbitt stopped flying years ago. He only has 14,000 hrs. IN a 35+ year career, that shows he spent a lot of time out of the cockpit.

As far as ALPA, what did y'all expect? Old-timers running ALPA are salavating, this will just increase the productivity for the most senior pilots. Screw the junior ones. Why should they have a say in anything? Staffing? What is that? Fatigue? Huh? Is that even a factor these days? THIS IS GREAT!uke:

 

[OurMoney1]

I've said it on this board before and I will say it again. The last person you want scheduling your productivity is a suit from Washington.

I can't imagine a more damaging scenario to our careers than letting these idiots take control of our daily flight schedules. I dont trust Washington to protect the pilot, all this equates to is a group of individuals caving to the ATA with lots a window dressing.

 

[whymeworry?]

The other problem with this is sometimes we're our own worst enemies. Sure a transcon sounds like a productive idea to the average line puke. But they are fantasizing. On a blue sky CAVOK day it may work, now throw in poor sleep the night before, MEL issues that added to your workload all and bad wx on the back end of the trip. Now you're suddenly making poor decisions cause you're... yep FATIGUED! Isn't that why we're re-writing the rules in the first place?

Another accident waiting to happen.

 

[Flopgut]

"It takes a Pilot"

Quite the cover shot for ALPA magazine this issue? Captains Babbitt and Prater. Something worth pointing out: Both fought Lorenzo early in their careers. Compare the kind of aid ALPA National was to both of them then to how they are now helping members who are in their early years of career. Both had strike pay available to them. Funded by assessments ALPA National directed the entire membership to pay. (huge sums in fact, largely covered by senior captains paychecks) When adversity presents itself again late in John's career, what does he do? He assesses the membership again via a retirement age change!! He's the senior captain now but he doesn't intend to tow the line like the senior captains did for him. No, he makes sure the fiscal burden of the rule change get's picked up by the junior pilots! Now the next monumental issue presents itself in flight/duty time changes. If these two can't manage this to be a good thing for all pilots, and only benefit the senior, we better make sure they hear from us.

 

[Turtle21]

Yeah, if ALPA is involved you can be sure it will increase incoming dues and it will further separate the haves and haves not, senior vs. junior, majors vs. express.

 

[Flopgut]

I'm less sure about Babbitt, but Prater walked out on a better deal than most legacy furloughs can expect out of this job if/when they come back. Unbelievable as it is, Lorenzo treated Prater better than he treats junior members.

 

[densoo]

From Cleveland Ohio Business News

"Instead of 16 hours' duty time, with eight hours off for rest and sleep, the airlines propose that maximum duty time range between nine and 13 hours. The exact amount -- detailed in a table attached to the airlines' letter to the FAA -- would depend on how many legs pilots fly in a shift and the time of day they start work.

At the same time, the airlines want to increase the maximum number of flight hours that pilots are allowed at the controls of the plane - it's now eight. Maximums instead would range from seven to 11 hours per shift, depending on legs flown and start times.

Pilot Russ Leighton, who flew for Airborne Express in Wilmington, Ohio, sat on the rule-making committee that met at the FAA's offices in Washington and a nearby hotel.

"None of the 20 people there thought that a pilot should be on duty for 16 hours a day," he said.

But Leighton said there was disagreement about allowing longer flight hours.

"We didn't think the reason we were there was to increase the pilots' workload," he said. "That seems counterproductive to limiting fatigue.""

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2009/09/airlines_want_to_shorten_pilot.html

This is a lot like the Table 13.3 in the CAP 371 regulation. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP371.PDF

 

[densoo]

Geez. Read the letter ATA letter to FAA regarding fatigue rules. While their recommendation concurs the CAP 371 reg, even mentioning it by name, and they have charts for duty day limits (vice flight hour limits), they caved on the rest issue. 10 hours block to block, waivable to 9 hours. That's no different than we have now nearly!! CAP 371 reg requires min of 12 hours scheduled, no less than 10 hours behind the door on the waive.