Boomer

If KLEX 26 was 400 feet longer, history would be much different.

If an aircraft taxiied onto Twy Mike in ATL, history would be much different.

Lets not make it a Regional vs Major discussion.

contrails

I agree with you but I think it is important to point one thing out (and you surely know most of it, but I'm typing for anyone else to read, too).

Many captains at the top 10% in their seat/base at decent companies like ASA, XJT, Eagle, Horizon, etc. work far less than any mainline pilot that is not flying ultra-long haul.

Any XJT captain with maxed out vacation (there are a bunch) essentially works 8 months a year before sick calls.

7 days of vacation still means trip dropping with pay on both ends and becomes anywhere from 14 to 21 days off.

The remaining 8 months a year they're senior and get a pretty good schedule, 15-19 days off.

Some guys and girls can watch the line for takeoff at EWR grow and realize their out and back is going to run way late, and they get on their PDA and pick up a 150% pay daytrip the following morning, only to have it dropped a few hours later for domicile rest, with pay of course.

These people are very, very far from being furloughed and they do not have a bad QOL at the moment at all. They can easily clear $100K annually, without putting up with any timezone nonsense that they might not want to have on their schedule just to maximize days off or pay.

I am not by any means advocating anyone be a 'lifer' because it is not smart.

But, for someone that is already 40-45 years old at one of these types of companies, it is not a quick no-brainer to give all that up and go to a company where they will be 90-100% total seniority for half a decade, in which many world events and economy changes will happen.

Boomer

She's been repainted and back in service for a week now.

johnso29

Is that ending on CRJ700/900 aircraft? No more plane side pick up? I've ridden on a few lately and they aren't giving pink tags out.

johnso29

I see that all I really missed while flying was a great update by Buzz & some great pics. The rest is well............K-rap.

80ktsClamp

When the fences come down, I'm bidding the whale. Let's get that underboob done.

__________________
- Double Breasted Van Admiral

Boomer

We still have pink tags at Comair. There is some confusion with the Delta/REAS gate agents since we got the "first class" cabins on the 70/90s.

johnso29

May they RIP. I still remember seeing the pictures of scorched tree tops. They almost made it.

80ktsClamp

That and the Colgan accident also illustrate how ridiculous it is that an offline jumpseater can't ride up front unless all seats are taken.... stupid TSA. There were jumpseaters on both flights.

Had there been another set of eyes up front, I would be willing to bet that neither accident would have happened. I believe the Colgan flight had an online guy..but still.

It was before these accidents, but when I was a CA, I always enthusiastically welcomed jumpseaters and encouraged them to sit wherever they want- most certainly including up front for these very reasons. The conversation dynamic is more enjoyable with 3 guys, and the extra set of eyes can save many lives.

__________________
- Double Breasted Van Admiral

contrails

Absolutely.

Not to gloat because it was pure chance, but I prevented two ASAP reports in a single day once.

On the jumpseat of a 757 out of DTW, the crew was flying a single leg back to a southern hub and had already called in fatigued for their subsequent out-and-back due to a fire alarm in the middle of the night at the hotel. It was their first domestic trip in years and first time at DTW, period (other than the flight in the day before). I spotted a wrong turn on the taxi out and they got it swung around going the right way in time and then said, "alright, you're giving us progressive from here to the hold short line!" Joking, but kind of not.

Later that day (didn't get out of the hub as a non-rev) I was on an AirTran jumpseat back to DTW. They were established for one runway, and tower gave them the option of another for a quicker taxi. They took the offer but lined up on a third, incorrect runway which I spotted and they queried ATC and turns out they were about to line up for the wrong one.

As I said, any jumpseater would have done the same, I merely bring it up because it really can help to have someone else watching during the busy times.

Would NW188 have flown by MSP (or even gone out of radio contact at all) if they had a jumpseater or two up there on the way from SAN? That easily could have been another example where it would have helped.