US Pilots Labor Discussion

[Pi brat]

"Finally I would like to a reaffirm my opinion that the Chairman Nicolau
demonstrated exceptional judgment and wisdom working through many very difficult and
challenging issues including the disparate aircraft types, routes, compensation systems,
and pilot staffing formulas to mention just a few. It has been a privilege to work together
with Chairman Nicolau and Captain Gillen on this Opinion and Award."

Yeah, isn't that something. I quoted the whole post, not just the section that supported my POV. Seems clear doesn't want to admit his mistakes though. Kind of like you. Integrity.

 

[luvthe9]

Home> U.S.
FAA May Ground America West
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P H O E N I X, Aug. 26

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.

In February, a computer glitch led to cancellation of 160 flights and left about 1,000 passengers stranded. Maintenance problems then led to flight cancellations during the Memorial Day weekend in May.

The airline had laid off 500 maintenance workers in 1995 in favor of having an outside firm handle much of the work. Many of the mechanics were rehired in late 1998.

In the current warning, the FAA expressed concern about deferred maintenance and poor oversight of heavy maintenance overhauls conducted by outside vendors.

ANY QUESTIONS WHY WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS TODAY?

 

[cleardirect]

Yeah, isn't that something. I quoted the whole post, not just the section that supported my POV. Seems clear doesn't want to admit his mistakes though. Kind of like you. Integrity.

What "mistake" do you think I made? My point was that Brucia only objected to the 300 recalled furloughed pilots that had returned POST merger.

At a minimum, it is my opinion that the US Airways pilots, who had already
received notice of their opportunity to return to work from furlough, should have received
some consideration for the substantial time they have already invested in their airline. In
the event that the "new" company again decided to furlough pilots in the near future,

conditions and restrictions could have been used to insure a measure of protection for the
junior America West pilots to protect them from furlough for some period of time. In
fact such a restriction was part of the US Airways Pilot's integration proposal in this case.

So only the furloughed pilots recalled POST merger would have gotten SOME consideration and would have been put back on the street before active AWA pilots. But as you all point out so often. He was in the minority so therefore in your opinion his opinion does not count. According to east pilots the only opinion that counts is the majority.

 

[Pi brat]

What "mistake" do you think I made? My point was that Brucia only objected to the 300 recalled furloughed pilots that had returned POST merger.



So only the furloughed pilots recalled POST merger would have gotten SOME consideration and would have been put back on the street before active AWA pilots. But as you all point out so often. He was in the minority so therefore in your opinion his opinion does not count. According to east pilots the only opinion that counts is the majority.

Man, take the blinders off and READ. He said at a MINIMUM. That does not mean ONLY!

How about my other questions, going to answer them?

 

[nic4us]

If the PID is what matters, why did Nicolau use our fleet from 2007 instead of 2005?

Since this is not discussed in the award, any guess would be pure speculation, however, it seems very logical to me, here is why.

The PID is the baseline for pilot status pre-merger. The PID is the last measurement of position and status from the individual companies. Therefore it is the last known quantity not effected by the merger.

Now the fleet numbers in 2007 is a product of the merger and reflect how the company is responding to the merger, and can either support or disprove one sides proposal.

In other words the PID is a measurement of the pilots position and status. The fleet numbers in 2007 are what was the current measurement of the companies position and status into which you have to decide how to meter the pilots position and status.

Lets say by 2007 all the widebodies had gone away. Do you Nic would have still given the east the top 517? or just the opposite, what if the combined company grew by 50 airplanes and there were 500 newhires, do you think maybe then Brucia's concerns may have been given a little more weight, and some of the longer tenured furlough recalls would have been placed above Odell since Odell would have had some furlough protection?

The point being, why would you use the company's status on the PID, when you have the benefit of two years factual history. But, you have to use the PID for the pilots status, because any post-merger speculation of what would have happened stand alone is purely hypothetical.

 

[Pi brat]

Since this is not discussed in the award, any guess would be pure speculation, however, it seems very logical to me, here is why.

The PID is the baseline for pilot status pre-merger. The PID is the last measurement of position and status from the individual companies. Therefore it is the last known quantity not effected by the merger.

Now the fleet numbers in 2007 is a product of the merger and reflect how the company is responding to the merger, and can either support or disprove one sides proposal.

In other words the PID is a measurement of the pilots position and status. The fleet numbers in 2007 are what was the current measurement of the companies position and status into which you have to decide how to meter the pilots position and status.

Lets say by 2007 all the widebodies had gone away. Do you Nic would have still given the east the top 517? or just the opposite, what if the combined company grew by 50 airplanes and there were 500 newhires, do you think maybe then Brucia's concerns may have been given a little more weight, and some of the longer tenured furlough recalls would have been placed above Odell since Odell would have had some furlough protection?

The point being, why would you use the company's status on the PID, when you have the benefit of two years factual history. But, you have to use the PID for the pilots status, because any post-merger speculation of what would have happened stand alone is purely hypothetical.

Thanks for answering and you may be right. As you said, he didn't address that in the opinion. Funny thing is that the way he did it was the most damaging to the east. It totally gave up the attrition that happened, forcing the long term furloughed pilots to be stapled while they had actually returned. It was a mixture of pre and post merger that, IMHO and Brucia's, that was not fair. He used POST merger slots, with PRE merger status, giving a huge advantage to the west guy that had little invested in this airline. An advantage that would grow every year as his relative position on the Nic far outpaced what he could have achieved AWA standalone.

The two years of factual history that you bring up is point I've raised before. Nicolau had the benefit of those two years to see what the attrition on the east was doing. I was told by westies it didn't matter, that was post merger and anything post merger didn't count, you had to look at May 19,2005. Look at it now. Bottom east 737 captain is beside a westie on the Nic that is in the bottom 15% or so of the west standalone list!

 

[Black Swan]

Here is the latest rumor. The CLT chief pilot office SUPPOSEDLY stated to a visiting pilot the east and west certificates are being separated.

 

[cleardirect]

Here is the latest rumor. The CLT chief pilot office SUPPOSEDLY stated to a visiting pilot the east and west certificates are being separated.

Do you think this rumor even makes sense? Think about it!

There are no east and west certificates. There is only one certificate so there is no way to "separate" them. Why even bother to bring garbage like that here.

 

[cleardirect]

Wonder what other people think about usapa? Look they won another award.

http://crankyflier.com/2011/07/28/us-airways-pilots-union-earns-a-long-overdue-cranky-jackass-award-for-using-safety-as-a-negotiation-tactic/

 

[Black Swan]

Do you think this rumor even makes sense? Think about it!

There are no east and west certificates. There is only one certificate so there is no way to "separate" them. Why even bother to bring garbage like that here.

The rumor is the certificate is being split. East, west. Let s hope it is possible, and true.

 

[767one]

Here is the latest rumor. The CLT chief pilot office SUPPOSEDLY stated to a visiting pilot the east and west certificates are being separated.

Black Swann,

Have you seen who the new ass. chief pilot is in PHL? Is he an additional ass. cp or did someone leave?

Regards,

Bob

 

[cleardirect]

The rumor is the certificate is being split. East, west. Let s hope it is possible, and true.

How do you split a certificate?

You said you hope it is possible. So you don't know.

I come back to my same question when this subject comes up. Why would you east guy want to split the company if you think you are winning the seniority battle? Would you not want 1500 west pilots below you? Could it be that you all know that the Nicolau is the list and the only way you are going to avoid living with that is to split?

You can finally admit it. The first step to recovery is admitting it. Then you can get the help that you need.

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

Wonder what other people think about usapa? Look they won another award.

http://crankyflier.com/2011/07/28/us-airways-pilots-union-earns-a-long-overdue-cranky-jackass-award-for-using-safety-as-a-negotiation-tactic/

You mean the artcle written by BRETT an EX AWA EMPLOYEE! http://crankyflier.com/about/

 

[Black Swan]

Black Swann,

Have you seen who the new ass. chief pilot is in PHL? Is he an additional ass. cp or did someone leave?

Regards,

Bob

They added Pollock to either piss off the east pilots, repay him for tanking the pension and all the other transgressions he did on the east pilots, and prepare for someone leaving, ie Yarko or all of the above. All I know is the message they sent. You take care!

 

[Pi brat]

You can finally admit it. The first step to recovery is admitting it. Then you can get the help that you need.

Good advice, why don't you take it. Be a man and at least acknowledge my questions, I know you have no answer for them.