E170 Sims Going To Clt

[BoeingBoy]

US Airways pilots to train in N.C., not here
Doubt cast on airline's plan to have local jet hub

Wednesday, March 17, 2004
By Dan Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

US Airways has decided to place two new regional jet simulators in Charlotte, N.C., instead of Pittsburgh, a move that reflects the uncertainty surrounding the airline's plan to turn Pittsburgh International Airport into a regional jet hub.

Article

Jim

 

[D M G]

I'm surprised that the officials in PIT were surprised. You can't assume anything as long as we have these guys heading up Usairways. Heck, you can't even count on it when it's right in your contract either.

Thanks for the post Jim. Informative, as your posts always are.

 

[Rob]

What with the regular furloughs, the baggage system abandonment, and now the sim transfer, PIT folks must feel like dead men walking. What goes next?

 

[USA320Pilot]

When US Airways abandons the hub this fall, the Company will close the Simulator Building and move B767 and B737 simulator, the last two remaining simulators, two Charlotte as well. The Charlotte Training Facility has four open simulator bays and this move will reduce unit costs and create economies of scale.

The Company also has one of its three A320 simulators up for sale. I understand the company is going to ask ALPA to train in the "E" period (midnight to 4:00 AM), which is not currently used plus off-site contract any training bubble, if necessary. The Flight Training Department conducted a study that indicated using two A320 in-house simulators/off-site training during "bubble" periods is less expensive than operating three in-house A320 simulators.

In addition, I believe the company will close the McCormack (Beaver Grade Road) and Carnot (Beers School Road) training centers to Charlotte too, once the formal decision is made to close the hub, expected this fall.

The challenge for Pittsburgh is the hub is being held hostage to United's on-going inability to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Yesterday Business Travel News wrote, reducing costs, particularly labor costs, is key for all major U.S. carriers. "When the inevitable forces of consolidation kick in, it is important that we have a competitive cost structure," said US Airways president and CEO David Siegel, during a speech last month at the Potomac Officers Club. "Otherwise, we will be the awkward teenager at the school dance, hoping someone will come talk to us, but going home disappointed and lonely."

See Story

Other Pittsburgh off-airport facilities at risk of moving are the RIDC Park West Offices, which could relocate to Charlotte and the Greentree Reservations Center, which could move to Winston-Salem, leaving the company with only one reservations center. Moreover, ACAA is taking over Pittsburgh de-icing and is hiring contractors to conduct this work, which will cause mechanic furloughs. I believe this work could have been kept in-house, but until the mechanics decide to participate in the "Going Forward Plan", in my opinion, the company is going to incrementally increase IAM pain.

These are some of the corporate moves US Airways chief executive officer Dave Siegel recently hinted at in a recent interview with Wall Street Journal Staff Reproter Susan Carey when the CEO would not comment on whether US Airways has been approached by a potential buyer. He says his focus is on fixing the company on a stand-alone basis, "so we're a more attractive partner" when the "necessary, logical and inevitable" consolidation occurs.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[ClueByFour]

The challenge for Pittsburgh is the hub is being held hostage to United's on-going inability to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

No, it's not.

You can shout UCT at the moon until you are blue--US Airways will never see assets at ORD or DEN. The Chicago market is rife with LCCs. The DEN market is home to Frontier. US cannot afford to finance a cheese sandwhich, and it's Chariman is preparing (with ALPA's concurrence) to sell chunks of the airline.

The correct move on the part of the ACAA is to lift the middle finger--US is in doubt as a going concern in any case--there is no point in wasting more taxpayer dollars on US.

But hey, if they pull down PIT and "sell" (and hence close the domiciles in) LGA, it's going to make the commute for PIT based pilots and F/As all but impossible. The irony, from this observer's perch is stunning.

 

[ualobserver]

The challenge for Pittsburgh is the hub is being held hostage to United's on-going inability to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

I have read this a couple of times and don't understand how UA is keeping the hub hostage. Could someone please explain it to me.

 

[ClueByFour]

I have read this a couple of times and don't understand how UA is keeping the hub hostage. Could someone please explain it to me.

It's not happening. It's a figment of a particular poster's overactive imagination.

 

[AP Tech]

Deicing, just another function preformed by mechanics, and written so in their contract that is being violated by Dave and Co. Right 320 another reason to participate in the "Going Foward Plan". Lets revise the contract a 3rd time so more contract violations can occur!!!!!

 

[Bear96]

The challenge for Pittsburgh is the hub is being held hostage to United's on-going inability to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

"Inability?"

Here we go again with your inability to undersand UA's plans.

You are implying UA has actually attempted to come out of Ch.11 already, yet somehow failed.

Please define "inability."

UA entered Ch.11 in Dec. 2002, and predicted it would take approx. 18 months to emerge. That would put emergence roughly in the summer of 2004. (As has been explained to you many, MANY times before, yet you continue to post intentionally deceitful information.)

So in the fall of 2004, around the time you are predicting U will announce its closure of the PIT hub, if UA has still not emerged, I will agree that UA has experienced an "inability" to come out of Ch.11. Until then, I will call it "things are right on schedule."

I hope U management isn't letting themselves be held "hostage" by execting UA to come out of Ch.11 before this summer, which after all is the target UA publicly set for itself for emergence since the day it entered Ch.11. Was U management not aware of these plans by its "business partner," and has U been breathlessly awaiting UA's emergence months before UA said it would emerge?

Seems hard to believe.

Or, more likely, are you just trying to spin things as negatively as possible for UA in a misleading manner, as ususal?

Hmmm. Wonder which one it is.

 

[delldude]

usa320pilot:you forgot to mention the closing of the pit base maintenance when iam most assuredly loses in arbitration as a payback for not negotiating an airbus resolution.

 

[767jetz]

You are implying UA has actually attempted to come out of Ch.11 already, yet somehow failed.

Was U management not aware of these plans by its "business partner," and has U been breathlessly awaiting UA's emergence months before UA said it would emerge?

Bear96,

You are so right!

I'm so tired of this person's blantant LIES. Amazing how replacing one phrase like "hasn't emerged" with the words "unable to emerge" changes the entire meaning of a sentence.

Meanwhile, there have been numerous articles recently written stating that UA WILL EMERGE one way or another. (with or without the ATSB)

This person repeats his lies over and over and over, and then wonders why we come here to correct him... UNBELIEVABLE!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

USA320pliot,

Still waiting for US assets to move westward? (The only assets going anywhere are the ones being sold. Remember the doom you predicted for UA when we sold one or two London slots??? With the shoe on the other foot, you seem to paint a rosey picture when US starts selling MAJOR CORE ASSETS.)

Still wondering "who the surviving entity" will be?

Let me guess... now that you brought us into the discussion with your lies, you will blame us for "hijacking" the thread, and claim to be a victim of the evil UA employees who like to shoot the messenger. How predictable. :down: No sir, we just like to shoot (figuratively) the liars.

 

[BillLumbergh]

OK. We're getting a little TOO personal here.

 

[767jetz]

OK. We're getting a little TOO personal here.

Sorry if it seems personal, but can you honestly say that USA320pilot couldn't have made his point about simulators going to CLT without baiting people with the comment about UA's "on-going inability to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection?"

That comment had nothing to do with this thread. It was an obvious jab, and if anything, I take that personally.

If a person states a lie, misleading info, falsehood, or whatever you want to call it, I will call it like I see it. It's not a personal attack. Just trying to set the record straight.

 

[TheLarkAscending]

OK. We're getting a little TOO personal here.

No disrespect, Mr. Lumbergh, but don't you really mean a little TOO honest?

 

[BillLumbergh]

Sorry if it seems personal, but can you honestly say that USA320pilot couldn't have made his point about simulators going to CLT without baiting people with the comment about UA's "on-going inability to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection?"

So you're freely admitting that you took the bait?

That comment had nothing to do with this thread. It was an obvious jab, and if anything, I take that personally.

This is a message board. Perhaps you should take things a little less personally.

If a person states a lie, misleading info, falsehood, or whatever you want to call it, I will call it like I see it. It's not a personal attack. Just trying to set the record straight.

Mixing responses with personal remarks is not what is appropriate.

End of discussion.