Originally Posted by
A320Flyer
I heard that we lost the "Special Project" arbitration a couple of weeks ago. The one about having delivery flights and certain ferries posted on Flica for line pilot bidding. Anyone have any insight on that? If that is the case, why has nothing been communicated to the membership? Seems like they'll continue to be flown by management and select check airman.
"Subject to the Company’s rights to use management pilots as described in Section 25, special projects that involve any flying of the aircraft shall be placed into open time for bid by all pilots and awarded in accordance with Section 25. Open time bids on special project flying from pilots not yet qualified for the special project will be rejected. If special project flying requires additional qualification, such qualification training shall be placed for bid by all pilots in accordance with Section 24."
You're right. It's too much trouble. Any pilot who wins such a bid would have to receive training and then simulator - then a pond crossing with a check airman so qualified before being able to fly one over. Can you imagine the logistical nightmare for the company? I agree - it's in the contract - but until such time the company exhausts all such means to use management flying for these projects (which won't happen) - we are all stuck with normal line flying.
Besides, do you really want to be deadheaded over in business class, stay in French chalets drinking red wine and eating stinky cheese? Followed by being wooed by the Airbus staff, dining on Chateaubriand, champagne, foie gras, and snails, then to be told the plane will not be ready for a while? Only to rinse and repeat for a week while you tour Europe with your wife or girlfriend and wait? I mean, who wants to wait like this? What a disaster.