DFW AA hangars

[1AA]

The best thing the TWU did for the line was shut down all the out locals and made one line local. Now 591 has numbers to challenge 514's conceded ways that Tulsa is the best thing that happened to aircraft overhaul. You don't hear guys saying if you don't like it transfer to Tulsa. Guys are now transferring out of Tulsa. I guess the lies of 514's days have finally caught up to them. Now before you might think I'm anti Tulsa.....DON'T! We need to work together. Somehow the guys in Tulsa need to tell the 514 officers to get with the program. Work with the rest of us including the IAM guys at USAir. If we allow the unions to keep dividing us up we will never get anything done. Vote YES to save jobs is an outright proven lie. What new lie or false hope are you guys in Tulsa going to believe? Let's all start with page ONE and work together from there.

 

[Buck]

The best thing the TWU did for the line was shut down all the out locals and made one line local. Now 591 has numbers to challenge 514's conceded ways that Tulsa is the best thing that happened to aircraft overhaul. You don't hear guys saying if you don't like it transfer to Tulsa. Guys are now transferring out of Tulsa. I guess the lies of 514's days have finally caught up to them. Now before you might think I'm anti Tulsa.....DON'T! We need to work together. Somehow the guys in Tulsa need to tell the 514 officers to get with the program. Work with the rest of us including the IAM guys at USAir. If we allow the unions to keep dividing us up we will never get anything done. Vote YES to save jobs is an outright proven lie. What new lie or false hope are you guys in Tulsa going to believe? Let's all start with page ONE and work together from there.

Agree,except the unions are not splitting us, we are splitting ourselves. The unions and the company like it. It creates turmoil, that the union thinks they can play the company with. The sad truth is that the company has been playing the union as long as I have been here.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

Now you Tule boys maybe start thinking about other stations other then your own, now that your place is getting leaner. 12 years ago you couldn't have cared less about DFW thinking your gravy train up there would continue forever.

All you have done is bad mouth Tulsa with all your griping.  Yeah we know you are God's gift to aircraft maintenance because you work the line and the overhaul guys like me are hacks.  That's why when stuff is broken on the line they send Tulsa guys on field trips right?  Your opinion of yourself is very inflated.  i feel really bad for your coworkers.  You make them all look bad.  Keep up the bad work and keep driving that wedge between overhaul and line like a good TWU koolaid drinker.  I know lots of guys who work the line and none of them share your opinion.  There is not any overhaul mechanic in Tulsa who couldn't do your job and there is no line mechanic that couldn't do overhaul's job.  Grow up.  They can replace you just as easily as they can me or anyone else.  But go ahead and keep telling yourself that you are important.  

 

[Buck]

 As a TULE Mechanic I can say that perhaps a majority of the TULE mechanics deserve the label and Old Guy if the description does not identify you then just let it go. The Line has some rights as to be vocal about how they feel they have been treated. Can you say he is not right? 

 

[Shafted]

The supply department is hearing that they are getting a whole new whse facility. A few temporary buildings to start but are supposedly in talks with DFW to eventually have a new whse built that would be supporting the whole AA supply system the way AFW and Tulsa did. Not sure what that means for the boys in Tulsa.
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[Buck]

The supply department is hearing that they are getting a whole new whse facility. A few temporary buildings to start but are supposedly in talks with DFW to eventually have a new whse built that would be supporting the whole AA supply system the way AFW and Tulsa did. Not sure what that means for the boys in Tulsa.
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SO you are saying that if they adjust the Stores to a more DFW heavy system that TULE maintenance is doomed?

 

[Shafted]

SO you are saying that if they adjust the Stores to a more DFW heavy system that TULE maintenance is doomed?

No, im not saying that. Im just saying that DFW stores is being told that the whse/supply operation is expanding and they are being told that they are going to be supplying the system, like a main distribution center.

 

[MetalMover]

All you have done is bad mouth Tulsa with all your griping.  Yeah we know you are God's gift to aircraft maintenance because you work the line and the overhaul guys like me are hacks.  That's why when stuff is broken on the line they send Tulsa guys on field trips right?  Your opinion of yourself is very inflated.  i feel really bad for your coworkers.  You make them all look bad.  Keep up the bad work and keep driving that wedge between overhaul and line like a good TWU koolaid drinker.  I know lots of guys who work the line and none of them share your opinion.  There is not any overhaul mechanic in Tulsa who couldn't do your job and there is no line mechanic that couldn't do overhaul's job.  Grow up.  They can replace you just as easily as they can me or anyone else.  But go ahead and keep telling yourself that you are important.  

OldGuy, what you are saying is true. A mechanic is a mechanic and can do whatever job he/she is assigned provided the testing and training is there. 
But think for a minute as to WHY this conversation and/or debate always comes up!!!! You have to admit that for DECADES the TWU has used the voting power of TULE to get their agenda voted in time after time after time.
And you have to admit that the general feeling from the TULE based workers has been, "if you don't like it, move to Tulsa." You or anyone else can not deny this fact. We are ALL important as far as aircraft maintenance goes. But the line as a somewhat different importance as daily flight schedules are affected as opposed to heavier maintenance where aircraft are taken out of service for longer intervals. But this is all semantics. 
AA is revamping the entire fleet and the need for the heaviest of checks is diminishing which each new aircraft delivered and each older aircraft retired. Look at the trend of all the airlines that have emerged from BK. Look at the trend of the successful low cost carriers, namely JetBlue and Southwest..... Southwest does some heavy work while JetBlue does none. In both cases OH has been affected MORE than line maintenance.
This is the TREND.
And I believe that for the first time in the AA/TWU relationship.......No, correction, PARTNERSHIP....The new AA is not interested in business as usual when it comes to negotiations where TULE will be able to sell the line out once again in exchange for job preservation.
 
Just view any town hall meeting whether the audience is flight or cabin crew, or mechanics. The emphasis is on time performance and aircraft ready to go when the question comes up. 

 

[DallasConehead]

All you have done is bad mouth Tulsa with all your griping.  Yeah we know you are God's gift to aircraft maintenance because you work the line and the overhaul guys like me are hacks.  That's why when stuff is broken on the line they send Tulsa guys on field trips right?  Your opinion of yourself is very inflated.  i feel really bad for your coworkers.  You make them all look bad.  Keep up the bad work and keep driving that wedge between overhaul and line like a good TWU koolaid drinker.  I know lots of guys who work the line and none of them share your opinion.  There is not any overhaul mechanic in Tulsa who couldn't do your job and there is no line mechanic that couldn't do overhaul's job.  Grow up.  They can replace you just as easily as they can me or anyone else.  But go ahead and keep telling yourself that you are important.  

You guys up there have been bringing in bad agreements since day 1. Your leadership and your membership have held all of us back since the beginning. Additionally, in all the amfa drives over the years the major stumbling block of votes has been tulsa. I for one don't care what you think, I can never forgive or forget the hardships people from that station have imposed upon my family and my coworkers.
 
If you took the time to watch the video you would see that the "Airport Board" (not AA) has a long range plan for the west side. There is a large cargo operation already in existence.The area just north of AAs hangar complex is completely under utilized. Also there is ramp space to the west of AAs north hangar that is also sitting there for the most part and growing weeds. Both of these areas could easily be torn down and rebuilt into major cargo areas in the short term, easily within 5 years.
 
AAs hangars hangar complex it another thing, there is no replacement. Stores is busting out and has many parts on hangar 1 floor and stored in derelict warehouses all the way to the north.  There is lots of work being done in the hangars despite what people say and I would say they are still being under utilized. I think management is trying to figure out just what place these hangars should serve in the maintenance world and will eventually come to a decision and go with it. Right now it seems to serve as a good line maintenance complex while the east side hangar gets some of the heavier stuff or overflow.  I think they are planning 787 engine changes on the east side since that's where the spare engine is, but all the dollies and stands for that job are on the west side.   Now, moving to the east side presents some problems and for this to happen AA is going to have to make a deal with the Airport or move out completely. Also there are tax and regulatory issues involved since the west side is in Tarrant and the east is Dallas counties.
 
Bottom line is, who knows what these guys have planned for the area, 370 guys still at afw,  over a 150 at dwh and more the 800 at dfw, there is plenty of highly skilled people to do what ever work they want to do here. Most of us in the last 3rd of our careers, so what ever they decide to do they better decide quick, or most of us will never be a part of any of it.

 

[eolesen]

FWIW, Buck, expanding TUL places too many eggs in one basket. One direct hit from a F4 or greater tornado or an earthquake could destroy all of AA's overhaul maintenance capabilities in one shot.

Splitting the operation between a couple locations does have its advantages, and having it colocated with a major operational point is even better.

It makes perfect sense to have a centralized Stores at DFW. From an AOG perspective, parts are only a flight away from just about every location, and having room for all the fleets would require some expansion regardless. May as well start with a greenfield location and put in current SOTA storage & retrieval capability.

 

[bigjets]

It makes perfect sense to have stores at DFW, DFW feeds the system, should have been done years ago.

Oldguy I don't recall anybody saying that TUL mechs were not good mechs. I have heard them being called a bunch of IGM, if you don't like it move to tulsa one ways. Let's face it the contracts that were voted passed because they were TULSA friendly. Now the next contract has every indication of being line friendly, and since the line has the numbers and management seems to want to get out of the OH business, with Isom saying a scope of 100% line and 50% OH. I don't see any line mech saying let's take less to preserve Tulsa work. Funny how tulsa mechs now want to talk about sticking together for all of us.

Hey if you don't like it, move to Chicago!!!!!!

Thanks for the scoop about DFW HGRs and stores, very interesting. I should have looked at TWU website, but the twu isnt known for having good info.

 

[700UW]

AA is adopting the way US does stores.

CLT supplies the whole PMUS System basically and AA will be doing that with DFW and the PMAA System.
 
My Son's Mother is on the committee steering and developing this for the AA side, as AA runs too many trucks from TUL to DFW with parts to feed the around the system.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

 As a TULE Mechanic I can say that perhaps a majority of the TULE mechanics deserve the label and Old Guy if the description does not identify you then just let it go. The Line has some rights as to be vocal about how they feel they have been treated. Can you say he is not right? 

I have fought hard against the local for these lousy contracts over the years.  I have also stood outside the front gate and held Vote No signs.  I'd like to think I had a little to do with the 2010 TA failing.  I stood outside in 2012 too and held my sign and was even joined by DFW line guys one day out there.  I take exception to being labeled with the koolaid drinkers by a narrow minded moron with a superiority complex.  This idiot wants to keep the line and overhaul divided.  You wanna let it go then fine, I'm not going to.  There are too many guys here in Tulsa fighting.  Many have worked harder at it than I have.  These guys do not deserve to be grouped with the ignorant people who vote yes on anything.  Conehead knows this but does it because he is a jerk.  You want to give him a pass because he is partially right?  If he has the right to falsely accuse me then I have the right to defend myself. 

 

[OldGuy@AA]

Oldguy I don't recall anybody saying that TUL mechs were not good mechs. I have heard them being called a bunch of IGM, if you don't like it move to tulsa one ways. Let's face it the contracts that were voted passed because they were TULSA friendly. Now the next contract has every indication of being line friendly, and since the line has the numbers and management seems to want to get out of the OH business, with Isom saying a scope of 100% line and 50% OH. I don't see any line mech saying let's take less to preserve Tulsa work. Funny how tulsa mechs now want to talk about sticking together for all of us.

Hey if you don't like it, move to Chicago!!!!!!

 

Bigjets every group has their "Conehead" moron representatives.  Yes there are usually lots of yes votes in Tulsa but that has always been the case because of weak leadership in the local in my opinion.  As far as these deals being Tulsa friendly I must disagree.  OSMs are not AMT friendly.  If you are referring to "TWU Friendly" then yes these keep the dues membership high by lowering wages for all of us.  There is also a misconception that the only maint. that will be outsourced is overhaul.  Ken Durst told a friend of mine in Denver a few years back that AA had every intent on outsourcing line maint. as well.  This was after he got angry withe the negative response he got when trying to sell the 2010 TA to the Denver line guys.  I would also like to point out that AA had Timco do a few 757s and that turned out to be a disaster.  Remember the seats coming loose?  Remember our management blamed us?  Yes I have seen the "If you don't like it move to Tulsa." crap and that is just as stupid as what Conehead keeps spewing.  Just sick and tired of the whole thing.  Looks like I need to take time off from this blog.    

 

[bigjets]

Who cares what Durst says the guy was a goof, he was part of a management team that ran a great airline into bankruptcy, you might as well quote Carl Icahn.
Even Spirit airlines has line Maint, so when durst says I'll do away with line Maint, forgive me when I don't give a crap.

He came to ord with redding trying to build good will, as usual we asked good pointed questions durst was distracted watching the baseball game. The Denver guys probably made him feel stupid so he got mad.