Rhino Driver

After reading the post regarding sick time available, made me think about checking to see if I was ever reimbursed for my yearly medical. I expire in Jan, and looked at both my pay statement and time card for JAN, FEB, MAR, trying to find the reimbursement. Didn't see anything. Am I looking in the right place? Obviously, I never look at this stuff.

DAL 88 Driver

Having had experience with Dr. Faulkner on two occasions (one when I was hired and he did my interview medical, and two when I had an issue last year), I would not be the least bit worried about the concern you bring up.

And just to make sure I'm understanding you correctly... You are suggesting that someone with a medically grounding condition should violate the FAR's by attempting to hide it and continuing to fly with a medically grounding condition??

Mike Hancho

88 driver and manager:

Have used AMAS more times than I wish I'd had to. As far as expidited service, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say your statements are not reliable.

Elvis90

I would prefer that our affiliation with regionals be like our JV's, so that SkyWest, for example, has its own paint scheme and uses its own callsign in passenger announcements.

When I fly on our DCI carriers, it's "Delta XXXX". When people ask me who I work for, I say Delta. They ask, "Which one? Oh, big Delta?". Sigh....

DAL 88 Driver

Glad your experience was better than mine. But I promise... I'm not making up what I wrote. It is exactly what I experienced and was told by AMAS. Your mileage may vary...

iaflyer

You'll see it in the misc deduction column top right of the pay stub. (above/below the ALPA deduction) It will be a negative number, because it's not a deduction but money going into your paycheck, not out. Get it?

TheManager

Not reliable. How so? Would you like to see my internet/fax records? Actually was 46 mins.

Better yet, I unfortunately find myself having to use his services now.

Should we do like they did in Zoolander? Have a walk-off? See who gets it back sooner?

Surprise

I would prefer that, too. I think many of my co-workers feel the same way. We used to have SkyWest signage all over the place until Delta made us take it out. In fact, we still have it on planes dedicated to our other partners. SkyWest is painted real big on the Alaska planes.

Here's another thought: I can't tell you how many times I've heard flight attendants say "Welcome aboard United Express, um.... excuse me, Delta Connection flight XXX..." or any other combination of screw ups. Since we have four different partners, it can be difficult to keep all the announcements straight and I've seen them butchered many times. The company tries to keep the rotations separate for all the different carriers, but Chicago-based FA's who primarily work UAX get TDY'd or reflowed onto DCI flights all the time, and vice versa. Mistakes happen. I've seen FA's show up for DCI trips wearing their United lapel pins, too.

And I think the CRJ-900 is an ok airplane on its own merits. It has good performance, it's pretty efficient, and it's reasonably comfortable. It's just being flown by the wrong operators.

I have the opposite problem. My friends and others ask who I work for and I say SkyWest. "Southwest?" No, SkyWest. We fly the little airplanes as Delta Connection. "Oh, so you work for Delta?" No.

This whole thing is a mess. Good luck to you all with your negotiations. I really mean that.

Timbo

But have you ever used Dr. Faulkner? If not, how would you know?

I too had an issue several years ago. I called the ALPA guys first, they told me to call them back... in 12 MONTHS! They said, "The FAA will want you to sit for at least 12mo, maybe 24..."

I was very depressed, because I felt physically fine, but had to sit for 12 mo...until I called DPMA as I was going onto Disability pay, and the gal there asked if I had spoken with Dr. Faulkner yet. "He's the guy you will have to get by to come back to work anyway, and he's been very good about getting pilot back to work MUCH Sooner than the ALPA guys..." is what she told me. So figuring I had nothing to lose and lots of time on my hands, and I was going to have to talk to him anyway to come back I called him up.

Long story short, he hooked me up with the FAA Specialist (a consultant, not a Fed.) who approved my return after only 6 months, not 12, certainly not 24.

When I had asked the ALPA guys about this, they said "NO WAY, Really?" Yes, there is a way, but you go right to the source, the FAA Consultant who has to approve it, whom Dr. Falkner knew and got me an appointment with. The ALPA guys didn't know him so they gave me the stock 12-24 mo. answer.

Dr. Faulkner knows people, he's a former Navy flight doc., he was at one time on the Delta Payroll but in bankrupcty they cut him loose, so now he is their Consultant, but he works for YOU. If you WANT to come back to work, call him. If instead, you would like to stay out on Disability as long as possible, do NOT call him.

I have never heard a bad word about him, only great stuff from lots of other Delta pilots who have used him. He has my full trust when it comes to any serious medical issues.

acl65pilot

Industry standard!

I will not argue the whole outsourcing point since you did it so well below. Point is these are the same guys, and there is a reason they were spun off. It is all about legalities and layers of protection. In the end the result was to protect the membership from a lawsuit, but that really does not matter.

As for Aeromed, they do everything they can, which is significant.

Dr Faulkner can and does work wonders every day for our pilots. A "anonymous" call is just that, and guys are wrapping their heads around his fiduciary duty. Simply put, it is the law to report these things to the FAA. Many are not caught, but if you ever are and it can be proven though medical records that you were aware and failed to report, it comes not just with a fine, but revocation and a possible prison term. He is the least of your concerns. He is quite possibly one of your few allies.

This whole change to the application on ever arrested or convicted of a DUI/DWI has gotten a lot of ppl that failed to report while they were pleading out. There are others too. If you get a medical issue that is reportable, call ALPA Aeromed, and if Dr Faulkner is the best solution, they will direct you to him very quickly. In this business it is not just what you know, but who you know, and he knows everyone in the FAA that matters.