Originally Posted by
JungleBus
Hold up there, you're putting a few words in my mouth based on one throwaway comment. I'm not saying "RJ pilots got screwed". Every one of us knew exactly what we were getting into when we took the job. Mind you, we made that decision because it had become a defacto requirement for a civilian pilot who wanted to fly for the majors, but that's no excuse. I take responsibility for my actions and don't claim to be a victim whatsoever. Neither do I consider 10 years at the regionals "winning the lottery," though it certainly beats what you had to go through.
It seems like you've made the connection between outsourcing of narrowbody flying and your furlough and subsequent stagnation; don't you want that flying to be recaptured? That's what I want (and have for 10 years), and with the pilot shortage getting underway there may very well be a good chance to do exactly that in the near future. I don't want you to recapture it because RJ guys got screwed...we didn't, we got exactly what we were looking for (a chance at the majors) and no more. I want you to recapture it because junior guys like yourself got screwed, royally. I want you to recapture it because there is presently an enormous schism across this profession, and the lack of unity is going to hurt us going forward.
I've been trying to avoid "mainline guys are to blame for giving up scope!" arguments lately because *everyone* has a share of the blame, it's hypocritical to blame someone for a choice that I subsequently took advantage of, and because blaming people makes enemies out of needed allies. My throwaway comment about profit checks partially financed by RJ flying probably sounded accusatory, when I was mostly saying "Look, everything in this industry is connected. You can't biatch about Pt 117 that much when your wages, profit sharing etc were partially financed by contract decisions that eventually led to the conditions that brought about Pt 117." It's an argument for taking back scope: outsourcing 50% of your narrowbody flying will inevitably affect the 50% you keep.
No. It was a far cry from "
enjoy nice profit sharing checks partially earned off the backs of regional FOs on foot stamps" As you well know, your entire job and agreement to walk over interview free came from the NWA pilots backs as a results of their fight against NEWCO and the bankruptcy that took HUGE amounts of their checks. Maybe if you would have added that in as one of your qualifiers for the profits that we now have(not even close to a pay back), I would have taken it differently.
Since you are an expert blogger and writer for flying magazines I was taken back by your comment. Looking back at your post history I don't think you are one of those guys that feel wronged.