overhaul

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E, is there some reason why AA would choose to dump the OH like they are doing? My thinking is they should come up with a separate contract for OH and even turn it into a separate company from AA but underneath AMR kind of like Eagle. MRO is a big industry AAR, Timco, Luftansa technik can make money at it, why couldn't a AMRMRO? They have an experienced work force and infrastructure already setup.

What don't I know that is keeping AMR from doing that? There has got to be a reasonable explanation.





http://www.lufthansa-technik.com/applications/portal/lhtportal/index2.jsp?action=initial&requestednode=home
 
E, is there some reason why AA would choose to dump the OH like they are doing? My thinking is they should come up with a separate contract for OH and even turn it into a separate company from AA but underneath AMR kind of like Eagle. MRO is a big industry AAR, Timco, Luftansa technik can make money at it, why couldn't a AMRMRO? They have an experienced work force and infrastructure already setup.

What don't I know that is keeping AMR from doing that? There has got to be a reasonable explanation.





http://www.lufthansa-technik.com/applications/portal/lhtportal/index2.jsp?action=initial&requestednode=home
Duke ask yourself if you are willing to accomplish more work than you're doing now for less than $20 an hour, no benefits, no retirement, no protections, no nothing, just a flat 18-20 bucks an hour. Oh ya, and if we don't like you or your production today, get your #### and get out you're fired. Now ask for your seperate contract for OH. Obviously you have never experienced the world of contract MX. LMAO
 
What don't I know that is keeping AMR from doing that? There has got to be a reasonable explanation.
I don't know - so I'm just guessing. Delta runs a huge MRO but still outsources much of its heavy airframe overhaul, and DL is nonunion. AFAIK, the stateside MROs are all nonunion. Dunno about Central America, but if the stories of Salvadorans working for $5/hr (with licenses) and $2/hr (helpers) are true, nobody can compete with that.

Bob Owens has posted about the low numbers of A&P licenses issued by the FAA over the past few years - would you want to own a domestic MRO if the future supply of workers (who know what they're doing) appeared to be drying up? All the domestic MROs are short people and have been hiring for a while.

Unless a lot more people seek education in aircraft maintenance, AAR, Timco and the other domestic MROs are going to face a labor crunch in the future. There's often a lot more money in fixing things without wings. The attraction of MROs to airlines include low prices (made possible by low wages). As the supply of A&P AMTs dries up, they will be forced to raise their wages (or not attract any new employees). At some point, their wage structure will make them as unattractive (to the airline customers) as insourced heavy overhauls became last decade.

And as TT mentioned, how many mechanics in Tulsa would be willing to decertify their union and then get paid what Timco or AAR pay their employees? That's a complete nonstarter.
 
E, is there some reason why AA would choose to dump the OH like they are doing?

Dunno. Nobody in the US has successfully spun out an in-house maintenance shop into their own MRO. DL increased their 3P work at the expense of shipping out their own airplanes. AC did the same thing.

Could it be done? Maybe. Does AA have the breathing room to be able to pull it right now? I don't think so, but I've been surprised before.
 
All it would really take is to begin the transistion now, while the union is up against the wall.

Best case would be to transition to less licensed AMT work, no pension, less medical.

If AA were to offer an early out option, then allow current left in employees to keep what they have in exchange for climbing on board the transistion, then most would be happy.

The alternative is to keep shafting the current employees, creating less enthusiasm for helping and therefore losing total control of overhaul.

Allowing current employees the way out without losing everything would create a win/win for everyone.

However, given the hard headed fools that cannot see the writing on the wall would require alot of communication about the entire plan, the reason for the plan, and why it is in everyone's best interest both short term and long term to embrace the plan.

NOW is the opening to begin.

Or we would could keep pretending to save the profession and shoot ourselves and those of the future.

Just my opinion, now let the bashing of this idea by the brain dead begin.

I wonder if we are collectively capable of understanding what we are really up against and how we could get ourselves and the future of overhaul out of this jam?
 
Funny you would mention an early out. I keep hearing that 2000-3000 TWU employees in TUL are going to go. On top of that it has been confirmed that 880 have asked to retire.
 
When you say "ready to go" are you saying go on their own? If so, wouldn't it be just a bit ironic if AA wound up having to hire off the street after all this?...
 
Dunno. Nobody in the US has successfully spun out an in-house maintenance shop into their own MRO.
From the 737 managers communications you would think we are an MRO. He indicated he "bid" on the 73 work and expects to get it. As has been mentioned before, if manAAgement had any leadership skills this whole base would be a money maker.

....., wouldn't it be just a bit ironic if AA wound up having to hire off the street after all this?...
Isn't that what they want? Just enough turnover to keep enough skill to train the new hires while keeping the average wage down. In 03 all their AMT's were topped out creating a non-sustainable wage scenario. To bad few of us had the foresight to leave at that time as opposed to now, being well into our 50's.
 
I wonder if we are collectively capable of understanding what we are really up against and how we could get ourselves and the future of overhaul out of this jam?
Most of us know what we're up against and have seen it coming for years. I said years ago the TWU has nothing to bargain with, since by nature they harbor and promote a membership disrespectful of authority with low ethics in regard to productivity, accountability, and attendance habits. There are exceptions so don't flame out if you hold yourself to a higher standard. The blame lies at the feet of an inept and undisciplined manAAgement team and I fear without the sheer will of the membership to turn things around there will be no getting out of this jam.
 
Most of us know what we're up against and have seen it coming for years. I said years ago the TWU has nothing to bargain with, since by nature they harbor and promote a membership disrespectful of authority with low ethics in regard to productivity, accountability, and attendance habits. There are exceptions so don't flame out if you hold yourself to a higher standard. The blame lies at the feet of an inept and undisciplined manAAgement team and I fear without the sheer will of the membership to turn things around there will be no getting out of this jam.

Is the TWU part of that management team?
 

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