Uh oh, LeGreaseMan,

You said the "U" word. Heeere we go...

I promised RI that I wouldn't turn this into a Pro-""U" versus Against "U" thread, so I'm not saying the word.

I just want to see Dayjet's, then Avantair's failed Astro program die its deserved death. EAS pilots getting dreaded PBS would seem like a winning lottery ticket compared to the morass of getting "Astro'd", or "A$$-throwed" as the VNR pilots called it. Even the Avantair Owners and card members were said to hate Astro, because the Optomizer, nicknamed the "*********omizer, ended up causing unforeseen delays hurting customer confidence. For example, Astro allowed only a 9 minute block between TEB and LGA and a 45 minute block between LAS and LAX!?! This resulted in unrealistic schedules and angry passengers... And David Fitzgerald and the other Astro's programmers were unwilling to fix it, so guess who gets blamed by the pax for the late delay? 6 minute taxi times in EWR and LGA?!?! EAS buying and implementing Astro would be like another steamship company hiring White Star Lines' former Director of Safety (if there was one) to implement safe practices at their company, after his lax safety attitudes oversaw TWO Titanic disasters.

And Grease, sometimes a "U" is not necessary..... Just the threat of it, with a well-managed card drive (Don't keep it a secret and be sure to send everyone in Management and their minions a card including all the way up to Plumb and Taylor themselves), can be very effective in opening up Management's mind to your plight. Get a serious drive going and I promise you that there will be free pizza and hot wing parties, sponsored by Management (and maybe even the Koch brothers, LOL), so they can tell you what a dreadful mistake you pilots are about to make. When they get the card in the mail, they will put Ford and Harrison anti-labor Law firm on retainer for $500,000, though, just in case the cards go to a vote and you will be costing EAS half a million just by that card drive. After that, they'll offer you some kind of student-government, non-binding type of advisory "Pilot Action" committee or something that they will meet with you and choose to listen to your concerns, or not listen. But at least you gave them a fair shake and a chance to make things right. They seem like good, smart people, so maybe they'll listen to you. But they will be mad at you about costing them the $500,000 Ford and Harrison retainer fee, so be careful. One of my former CEO's said publicly that he'd rather pay Ford and Harrison 5 million to keep from having to pay us pilots 5 extra cents. I know EAS management is better and smarter than that, but their dalliances with David Fitzgerald, http://www.linkedin.com/pub/david-fitzgerald/3b/447/829 , and the other Astro programmers should have every EAS employee and customer worried.

Good luck to all and have a Happy and Safe New Year.