Originally Posted by
DogWhisperer
Sailing...how can that be....? Had Dave Bushy(sp?) on the jumpseat two weeks after he stepped down as flight ops big wig back in late '01 or '02ish. He claimed those EXACT same numbers to my captain (actually claimed 49 hour average) when he made the statement that the pilots needed to be more productive. The same number was told to me by Mike Hanson prior to our latest agreement. How is this number possible? We are flying more hours with fewer pilots... I am challenged being a product of the Louisiana edumication sistem but something just doesn't smell right...DW
Just a WAG but we are doing a lot more long-haul/international flying than we did in 01-02. That means we need more reserves for those planes if they have a return to the gate or mechanical. If a 747 is delayed at the gate for a mechanical, it doesn't take too long before the crew goes illegal and they have to replace the whole 4 man crew. Having 4 pilots sit around on reserve drives down the average hours per pilot.
Not our issue - the company should be factoring that into the 747 operation - it's a cost of doing business with a long haul airplane.