Charlotte Observer front page

[nic4us]

You sir are a scholar.

Maybe, but this guy is a poet...from the article..

"It's the management vs. the pilots, then you have the pilots vs. the pilots," Kaplan said. "It's sort of like a love triangle, without the love."

 

[Dog Wonder]

And yes, we all know you're playing games with taxi times, maintenance

How do you decide the validity of a maintenance issue when you are not on the plane?

 

[nic4us]

How do you decide the validity of a maintenance issue when you are not on the plane?

Real time CFDS monitoring.

Ya know a 10 year old Cadillac can tell the OnStar operator exactly which piston is misfiring and the oil quantity, tire pressure, airbag status etc..etc...?

 

[NoYellowNeck]

Ever hear of Airman?

The Bus tells all. MX control knows your fault when you do.

 

[Claxon]

Here are some comments on another forum from pilots and mechanics that don't work for US Airways.....

"The sad thing is that on this issue the west pilots should be backing the east pilots 100 percent."


"I don't think your company has any evidence at all. I think they are hoping to convince a court that skewed statistics are evidence. Conversely, there's plenty of actual evidence of your company pressuring pilots to fly aircraft that the PIC believes to be unsafe. The real hurt to this industry will come from folks like you who aren't BACKING your fellow airman. The fact that you westies can't put aside your disdain for the easties in order to stand tall against managerial abuse is truly sad. "


"People have a short memory. The east pilots have gotten the crap beat out of them ever since 9/11. If I'm not mistaken most will retire soon, so why not burn the place down. If I had five years or less left and had my pension stollen, pay slashed, and so on all in the name of free market capitalism I'd do my part. Labor is getting its arse kicked, and many are asking for the kicking. I believe the east pilots have had enough."



And last but most importantly.........


"The judiciary can "pressure", just as the Chief Pilot's office can. That's reality. Just ask the APA, or United ALPA what judiciary decisions can do.

When did we get to the point that if an employee group follows their contract and refuses to violate the law (ie, violates no company rule nor any law), they are brought to court and accused of doing wrong, a 'work to rule' campaign?

If you refuse to fly open time - that's a personal choice.
If you call in sick when you're sick - that's the law.
If you write up MX items when you discover them - that's the law.
If you call in fatigued when you feel too tired to continue - that's the law.

The only reason management can go to the courts and say 'look at the data, there's a job action going on" is because some pilots routinely break the law and their contract with the company. Yep, I said it.

- Pilots fly sick - they need the $, they determine they're 'not that sick', they're not contagious, etc.
- Pilots discover MX items, but make a decision that 'this item isn't going to compromise the safety of flight', so I'll wait to write it up till I get to a MX base, or till I'm turning over the aircraft to another crew.
- Pilots fly fatigued regularly - sleeping on the flight deck is currently illegal, remember?

And since when did refusing to volunteer to work overtime become something that is actionable in the courts?

If there are USAPA pilots who are calling in sick when they are not, US Airways has the ability to send them to a doctor of US Airway's choosing if they question the authenticity of the assessment.

If there are USAPA pilots writing up items that aren't broken, then simply looking over the MX logs will show this. Are USPA East pilots accused of flying MX items to outstations before writing them up, or breaking items on purpose?

If a pilot does not properly prepare themselves for duty, resulting in a fatigue call, then US Airways has a policy to deal with this. Is USAPA as a union responsible for fatiguing pilots?

To those who are championing the cause of US Airways management - do you have evidence that USPA, as a union, is coercing pilots to use the law to purposefully impede the ability of US Airways to operate as a business? If not, why not at least be neutral, or, heaven forbid, support your fellow pilots?

The precedence here to our profession is more important than the division over a seniority list at US Airways. "

Let the Franke Air management go into the safety arena, they are not very adept at maintenance issues and working with the FAA......




America West cuts flights, cites lag in maintenance
By Chuck Taylor
Seattle Times aerospace reporter
It turns out Alaska Airlines was not alone in managing growth poorly. America West Airlines yesterday said it is immediately cutting 17 flights from its daily schedule, reorganizing its maintenance department and hiring more mechanics because it has grown too fast.

The moves coincide with a sweep of the nation's major airlines by Federal Aviation Administration inspection teams, prompted by findings at Alaska Airlines related to maintenance.

America West said the changes should reduce mechanically related flight cancellations and improve on-time performance. The airline's maintenance operation can't keep up with an expanding schedule.

"Our growth has outpaced our ability to operate at that rate," conceded spokesman Jim Sabourin. With cancellations hovering around 4 percent for the past year, "We have worn thin the patience of many of our employees and customers."

The Phoenix-based airline will keep four of its 129 planes idle, ready in case scheduled ones have unexpected maintenance problems or don't return to service when planned after routine work. That comes at a time when airlines eke out every possible hour of use from every airplane.

The problems at America West are similar to some found recently at Alaska Airlines.

After the January crash of Alaska Flight 261, the FAA in a special audit found that the people fixing and flying planes at Alaska were barely able to keep up with an increasingly aggressive flight schedule. It also found organizational and documentation problems. The Seattle-based airline had grown beyond its means, even if regulators still regarded it as safe.

It's not clear if carriers other than Alaska and America West have increased their route structures and fleets beyond their capacity to maintain planes in a timely fashion. The special FAA audits began July 17.

FAA inspectors are at America West now. The airline insists no feedback from the agency prompted its decision to scale back its operations and revamp maintenance, which will include the opening of two new maintenance bases.

"This is not related to anything or anyone other than our customers and our employees and our knowledge that we are not performing at the levels we should be," Sabourin said.

FAA spokesman Paul Turk in Washington, D.C., conf

 

[Claxon]

How do you decide the validity of a maintenance issue when you are not on the plane?

Maybe that should be left to the FAA.....




America West planes will be grounded unless the airline proves within a week that it has completed maintenance on a quarter of its fleet, federal regulators said Friday.

It was the second time this year in which the nation’s ninth-largest carrier faced disciplinary action over maintenance issues. The Federal Aviation Administration threatened in January to bar the suburban Tempe-based airline from acquiring additional planes until it provided adequate maintenance for the ones it had.

This time, David Gillom of the FAA told the airline by letter that, based on an audit and review, “we have serious concerns about American West’s continuous airworthiness maintenance program.”

Overall, the airline must show it has completed the checks on 35 of its 130 planes.

Airline Says It Can Answer Charges

America West President Douglas Parker and other senior executives were away on a company retreat and couldn’t be reached for comment, but Parker issued a statement saying the airline has completed the required maintenance and can prove it.


However, company spokesman James Sabourin said America West canceled seven flights on Thursday in order to complete maintenance checks on nine aircraft.

The FAA is auditing all nine major carriers in response to a January Alaska Airlines crash that killed 88 people, which lead to a review of Alaska’s maintenance practices. Six of those audits have been completed.

FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitalierie said its audit of America West found no flight safety issues but that the agency nonetheless doesn’t consider proper record-keeping and oversight of major maintenance a minor issue, since those practices represent a way to prevent accidents.

History of Problems

America West has been under FAA scrutiny over maintenance for more than two years. The airline was fined $5 million in July 1998 over maintenance issues that included failing to conduct required inspections. Half of the fine was forgiven, despite local FAA officials’ objections.

This past July, the airline temporarily reduced the number of flights in order to double the number of spare planes available and otherwise to give maintenance increased attention in light of reduced earnings resulting in part from delays and cancellations.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Ever hear of Airman?

The Bus tells all. MX control knows your fault when you do.

Then why do a walkaround?

Does an Airbus really need pilots?

 

[malikie]

Maybe that should be left to the FAA.....




America West planes will be grounded unless the airline proves within a week that it has completed maintenance on a quarter of its fleet, federal regulators said Friday.

It was the second time this year in which the nation’s ninth-largest carrier faced disciplinary action over maintenance issues. The Federal Aviation Administration threatened in January to bar the suburban Tempe-based airline from acquiring additional planes until it provided adequate maintenance for the ones it had.

This time, David Gillom of the FAA told the airline by letter that, based on an audit and review, “we have serious concerns about American West’s continuous airworthiness maintenance program.”

Overall, the airline must show it has completed the checks on 35 of its 130 planes.

Airline Says It Can Answer Charges

America West President Douglas Parker and other senior executives were away on a company retreat and couldn’t be reached for comment, but Parker issued a statement saying the airline has completed the required maintenance and can prove it.


However, company spokesman James Sabourin said America West canceled seven flights on Thursday in order to complete maintenance checks on nine aircraft.

The FAA is auditing all nine major carriers in response to a January Alaska Airlines crash that killed 88 people, which lead to a review of Alaska’s maintenance practices. Six of those audits have been completed.

FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitalierie said its audit of America West found no flight safety issues but that the agency nonetheless doesn’t consider proper record-keeping and oversight of major maintenance a minor issue, since those practices represent a way to prevent accidents.

History of Problems

America West has been under FAA scrutiny over maintenance for more than two years. The airline was fined $5 million in July 1998 over maintenance issues that included failing to conduct required inspections. Half of the fine was forgiven, despite local FAA officials’ objections.

This past July, the airline temporarily reduced the number of flights in order to double the number of spare planes available and otherwise to give maintenance increased attention in light of reduced earnings resulting in part from delays and cancellations.

Come on your an east pilot you can do better than articles that are 11 years old. Oh wait you live in the past so I doubt you can do better.

 

[luvthe9]

Ok. Fair enough.

I'll start cherry-picking OAL forums.

Wait a minute, I don't even need to leave this form. Don't we have a UAL and DAL guy around here I can cite?

Yes, that would be Metroyet. He works for UAL and DAL on the board.

 

[Claxon]

Come on your an east pilot you can do better than articles that are 11 years old. Oh wait you live in the past so I doubt you can do better.

The same leopards are running the western zoo. They don't change their spots, as we see.....



PHOENIX — US Airways chief executive Doug Parker was arrested on a drunken driving charge just hours after his airline’s $9.8 billion bid for Delta Air Lines was rejected last week, Scottsdale police said Friday.
Parker, 45, was pulled over at 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, after leaving a party at the FBR Open golf tournament in Scottsdale, police Sgt. Mark Clark said. Parker was pulled over for driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit of 45 mph.
Results released Friday show Parker had a blood-alcohol level of 0.096, according to Clark. The legal limit in Arizona is 0.08.
According to a police report, Parker told police he had three beers during a two-hour period.
The arresting officer, Ben Roberson, wrote in the police report that Parker had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and alcohol on his breath. Parker refused to take a breathalyzer test, the report shows.
The officer performed roadside sobriety tests and arrested Parker. He then took Parker to a DUI task force post for booking and to have blood drawn for an alcohol-level test. Before the test was given, the report shows Parker asked to speak with a lawyer who also had been a passenger in his black BMW when he was pulled over.

 

[HPearlyretiree]

Come on your an east pilot you can do better than articles that are 11 years old. Oh wait you live in the past so I doubt you can do better.

According to the East bunch, eleven years ago the west pilots were riding their bikes to school!

Yeah pulling 11 year old articles is a dick move, I mean, how many times did UselessAir go chapter 11 during those years?

Typical whining, someone saves their jobs, but they can't help but play the entitlement card. Such chutzpah.

 

[Claxon]

According to the East bunch, eleven years ago the west pilots were riding their bikes to school!

Yeah pulling 11 year old articles is a dick move, I mean, how many times did UselessAir go chapter 11 during those years?

Typical whining, someone saves their jobs, but they can't help but play the entitlement card. Such chutzpah.

You are living proof of the western mantra of when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. 11 year old article. Same western Franke Management, still can't do the right thing. Blame the eastern pilots now when you can't figure out how to maintain schedule and aircraft. Pathetic. Took the bankrupt eastern division to get the ETOPS mess sorted out much later when the paperwork overtook the western whippers.


Jan 24 2005 08:32:31 your local time (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 1711 times:

AmWest says aloha to Hawaii
Airline wants to fly to Honolulu

Dawn Gilbertson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24, 2005 12:00 AM

America West Flight 684 now departing for Honolulu?

That isn't too far-fetched. Company executives said on a conference call with analysts Friday that they are starting the regulatory paperwork this month to get certification for some of America West's planes to fly over water.

The Extended Range Operations of Airplanes (ETOPS) process with the Federal Aviation Administration will take about a year.

"We expect we'll be up and running (with certification) by the beginning of 2006," President Jeff McClelland said.

America West spokeswoman Janice Monahan said the airline has long had Hawaii in its sights. It was one of the reasons, in fact, that the company considered buying ATA Airlines late last year. The carrier offers service from Phoenix and other cities to the Hawaiian Islands.

Continue article:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/a

 

[HPearlyretiree]

You are living proof of the western mantra of when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. 11 year old article. Same western Franke Management, still can't do the right thing. Blame the eastern pilots now when you can't figure out how to maintain schedule and aircraft. Pathetic.

You are living proof of the whiny entitlement culture east union goon who can''t understand that no one at AWA gives a rat's ass about how much you "suffered" before the merger. Too bad, life sucks, its not our problem, get on with your life.

Oh, and when you make a binding agreement, have the huevos to actually be a man and live up to it.

(BTW, nice try to make a new meme "Franke Air" too bad no one is picking it up, because its so lame)

You all are bringing a slingshot into a gun fight.....

 

[malikie]

The same leopards are running the western zoo. They don't change their spots, as we see.....



PHOENIX — US Airways chief executive Doug Parker was arrested on a drunken driving charge just hours after his airline’s $9.8 billion bid for Delta Air Lines was rejected last week, Scottsdale police said Friday.
Parker, 45, was pulled over at 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, after leaving a party at the FBR Open golf tournament in Scottsdale, police Sgt. Mark Clark said. Parker was pulled over for driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit of 45 mph.
Results released Friday show Parker had a blood-alcohol level of 0.096, according to Clark. The legal limit in Arizona is 0.08.
According to a police report, Parker told police he had three beers during a two-hour period.
The arresting officer, Ben Roberson, wrote in the police report that Parker had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and alcohol on his breath. Parker refused to take a breathalyzer test, the report shows.
The officer performed roadside sobriety tests and arrested Parker. He then took Parker to a DUI task force post for booking and to have blood drawn for an alcohol-level test. Before the test was given, the report shows Parker asked to speak with a lawyer who also had been a passenger in his black BMW when he was pulled over.

And this has what to do with airline safety? So Mr. Parker made a mistake, he is human, are you saying that you have not done anything wrong in your life?

 

[Dog Wonder]

What happens to a pilot getting drunk on the job?