My initial post this morning was a result of several months of looking into this matter. I have taken screen shots of the pairings as they hit open time. Although under a fz status, I followed several to their completion and termination. Almost all of them had numerous revisions that changed the pairings start times, end times, operational layovers. And almost all of them, had legality issues that our folks in CRS handled wonderfully. And almost all of them had Grid Penalties (more on this later). This in my book, is what I call a volatile pairing. Not so much in the form of safety, however, but very unpredictable. Our CBA assures us that we will be well rested, prepared, and ready to adapt to certain changes.
For most of us, this volatility is not welcomed, but expected on these we call Charter flights, and we do our best to make it happen. That is the crew force that I am proud to be a member of. We are professionals and we work as a team, whether it is the group as a whole or with the crew you spend half the month with. Like I said this morning, I do not think the wolf pack exists. If they do, then they are not the people who are manipulating the current system for their own benefit. Let me emphasize that I believe that everything that has happened over the past 5 years is legal, and there are no closed door deals, no gratuities, or no inside information being dealt to the lone wolves. To put it bluntly, we have been outsmarted. Its painful but true. The lone wolves however, thrive on the volatility of the charter system and expect it. It keeps them in “the game”. Without this volatility, the trips would be flown as scheduled, no ability to elect OTP, no recycling, no special treatment. In other words, us!
I offer my opinion and my theories so as to foster a collective effort to rectify these oversights. And I am not in any way a contract specialist, lawyer, computer programmer, and furthermore any smarter than anyone out there (well, maybe some of you, LOL). So, thats why I post tonight. I offer a starting point to bring this to the surface, and I am asking all of you that have been irritated, helpless, angry, and just fed up to offer any insight, information, or inputs on a resolution.
A quick response to some statements read today.
Flightmech
“He's not gonna tell you. He has all the info he needs to join the wolf pack?”
I want no part of their deal! I don’t know how they can show their face to the
rest of the crew force. My apologies for snapping back, but I am sure that most
of us have more integrity.
VSTOLG4
“It's a nice theory but problemo numero uno is how can someone recycle OTP every single month for a year or more and still use that OTP to get 90+ hour trips? There must be some type of swapping within a group of OTP owners....assuming a swap-off retains the original OTP.”
Thats exactly what it is, a theory. Until we prove it to be a fact thats all it is. Now as to swapping with others, no, thats not happening. So with an arbitrary number, say 300. I just pulled it out of my rear, but say 300 hours in your make up bank, an addition to your BLG, and 12 hours per month trade up. If, you become so skilled at this, with no competition for a year, or how about 5. Don't you think you can convert each BLG from regular make up hours to eventually all PMU? I/we can address this later, but keep in mind. You are a lone wolf, for 5 years, with no impediment, no competition, and furthermore, no remorse to do as you will, with any Volatile trip, I can only Imagine the real number of PMU hours that I may own to this date.
Auger In
“How are they recycling their OTP when there is a two month time limit from when you initially receive it? I can see how they are recycling their OTP within that two month period but how do they get that two month limit continuously extended so that they constantly have OTP beyond the two months it was originally issued and seemingly every month?”
Auger, nice screen name, but bad memories of the Auger Inn. Or lack of memories, hell I don't remember. But, the aforementioned response to VSTOL touched on it but I will give you the premise. This is only a theory, right?
Lone wolf gets a PMU trip that he wants to fly, say 60 hours. Ok that is fine, he will fly this pairing at 125%! Then, he has numerous options for other Volatile pairings that he/she has no intent on flying, however, this is just a seed he planted fully expecting the volatile trip to be revised, and ultimately, offered again, substitution. Not to mention, the fact that he/she probably has placed a regular make up trip close to the end of the volatile trip expecting that trip as well to be bumped because of the revisions of the seed trip. Now, in the Lone wolfs perfect world, the volatile trip is revised, he/she elects OTP…clock reset on those hours, the regular make up trip is also conflicted with the same result. The dynamics warrant further looking into. We all need to take a look. As far fetched as this may seem….it happens with great predictability.
Avalanche
“This all sounds very left-wing and socialist to me. "Spread the wealth" and leveling the playing field"...? If I get hired I hope people over there won't continue to be sore losers. Looks to me like they're just working smarter, not harder, than most other pilots”
Just a second, gotta hit the head……………… ok, I’m back …“If I get hired”…LOL..funny
BUSDRIVER12
“This is definitely not a socialist environment, however, some of us do like to cooperate and graduate, and help each other out. I don't think anyone begrudges people working smart, hawking open time, and even playing the system legally. However, if people are constantly getting screwed out of trips because they think the same guys are doing something unethical, that they could get fired for....yeah, that's a problem.”
Ethics is in question. Everyone ask yourself this question. If I was in the same seat as the Lone Wolves , what would I do? Well, I found myself in the same seat as the wolves last night, I had the information, but I could no do it. I could not face my peers, walk the AOC with pride, and enjoy my job. I am sure all of you who are taking the time to read this feel the same.
Hourshore
“So to use this system you have to build a significant otp bank, drop your entire month to be free, be ready to go on a trip at anytime, and submit your general otp request for everyday every month. And pray you can get enough to get paid.”
In summary, yes. Pray you get enough, no. Never failed him/or her yet. He/she/they have been very successful at this…til tonight. I am sure that most have placed a few PMU General Makeup requests in that are showing up on the list “10 pilots requesting make up” there used to be 3.. it will begin to grow and grow and grow. Stress is starting to set in
“If more than a couple guys are doing this it seems like the system would implode since there's not enough charters to fill more than a couple guys schedules.”
There never have been more than a couple of guys. For at least 3 or 4 years there were only 2 or 3. That has changed. That is our intent right? Although I do not write eloquently, enough awareness will eventually yield the truth and future abuse will cease.
Hourshore
“Why delete it? No names. Just a hypothesis. The more people using that system the less likely it is to work. Knowledge is power.”
Because my wife told me to! Hell, at least I am honest! She is watching tv now in the other room. I told her I am watching some basketball, that usually works. Or I need some lovin…usually keeps her away. Been typing for hours. Sports center is on in 15 minutes. Better finish up. Lol
Clutchcargo
“So if I have 75hrs of PMU and put in a general OTP request for every day of the month with NO restrictions will every single trip in open time be frozen? AM out & backs, hub turns, everything that meets my parameters?”
Clutch, there needs to be some BETA testing on the matter. I dont know. I do know, the more restrictive (Intl, DDH, Trip Duration, etc.) the more filtered it is. Needs further investigation. But for right now, I dont know.
Clutchcargo
“I have 0 hours In my OTP bank. The only way you get OTP is if you are eligible for SUB. Correct?”
Clutch, you are correct. I am not aware of any manipulative way of building OTP. One big trip in sub should get you going. But with the new knowledge of the system, the OTP should work as intended. Pay protected until you can fly something you want. Not repetitive abuse.
WildManny
“Holy _ _ _ _!!!!!! I should have been something other than a pilot--clearly I'm not smart enough. Good work and I nominate Simple Jack as dude or dudette of the year”
I accept your nomination. Dude please.
-We all know this has been going on for 4-5 Years.
-We all want to know how/why this is going on.
-The Lone Wolves are raking in the PMU every month at 125% (326/hr)*
*Except for GPE, remember those?
1. Grid Penalties
This paragraph applies to all international trips except for international trips constructed under Section 12.D.1.b. or c.**
a. A grid penalty event (GPE) occurs in the following five
circumstances:
i. A pilot’s duty period exceeds the maximum duty permitted
in the Grid based on his Grid sleep state by more than
1:30.
ii. A pilot’s layover was less than the applicable International
Grid Minimum Layover (i.e., 14 hours or 12 based on the
chart in Section 12.D.2.e.).
iii. A pilot received more than 4 “not adjusted” rests in a row.
Each rest after 4 non-adjusted rests shall be a separate GPE event. An initial GPE occurs when the pilot’s sixth duty period begins without the pilot having received at least 18 hours free from duty preceding the beginning of that duty period. For purposes of Section 12.D.11.a.iii. (this paragraph) only, an unassigned hotel standby period shall be counted as part of the rest periods preceding and/ or following it (e.g., an unassigned 11:30 hotel standby period, followed by a 12:30 rest period will be counted as an adjusted rest).
iv. A pilot exceeds the landing limitations as permitted in the grid in any single duty period.
v. 34-in-168 Nonconformance Penalty
If a pilot’s trip did not conform to 34-in-168 (as set forth in Section 12.D.2.g., except using 34 instead of 36 hours) he shall be paid 3 CH in addition to all other compensation regardless of the 48-hour period as stated in Section 12.D.11.c., and the event shall be additive to the total count of GPEs for the trip.
b. If all GPEs in a trip touch a single 48 hour period, no grid penalty shall be due, except as provided in Section 12.D.11.a.v. (above).
c. If all GPEs do not touch a single 48 hour period, then the following penalties shall apply:
i. If the trip has two or fewer GPEs, the pilot shall be paid 3
CH per violation in addition to all other compensation. A duty period that triggers a payment under this paragraph shall be ineligible for FAR Extension Pay.
ii. If the trip contained more than two GPEs, the pilot’s trip guarantee shall be paid a premium of 50% based on the pilot’s normal rate of pay (i.e., if trip guarantee was at 100%, it pays at 150%; if trip guarantee was at 125% (OTP), it
Sec. 12.D.11.c.ii. (continued)
iii.
pays at 175%; if trip guarantee was at 150%, it pays at 200%). For a reserve pilot, the CH representing the 50% premium shall not be credited toward RLG, but shall be paid in addition to all other compensation, including BLG/ RLG.***
If a trip has multiple GPEs, one of which is a 34-in-168 violation, the GPEs in that trip shall be deemed not to touch a single 48 hour period.
**12.D.1.b. or c (take a look, N/A to the Lone Wolves)
***If a trip guarantee was at 125% (OTP), it pays at 175%; if trip guarantee was at 150%, it pays at 200%). For a reserve pilot, the CH representing the 50% premium shall not be credited toward RLG, but shall be paid in addition to all other compensation, including BLG/ RLG.
-One last note, I did not pull the automated scheduling tool out of thin air. Not sure how the FZ trips are being tagged/reserved for PMU, but they are. Warrants further investigation.
1. Open Time Availability
a. Open time for a bid period shall be available for viewing not
later than 72 hours prior to the beginning of the bid period. Each bid period package will indicate when open time will be released. The release times may be staggered between aircraft types and bases to prevent VIPS overload.
b. A pilot shall be provided access to the Company’s computer systems and data to view information related to available open time as follows:
i. in crew positions where the Company is using automated
systems for trip assignment and trading (currently DReAM and the automated trip trade system), and such systems are functioning, all open time in the current bid period (and
February 28, 2011 25-13
Sec. 25.G.2.b.i. (continued)
3.
in the next bid period after open time is released) shall be visible in “real time,” except during periods when:
. (a) *the daily assignment process is taking place;
. (b) *the system(s) is paused to allow manual processing
functions; or
. (c) *the system(s) affecting open time administration is not
running due to system maintenance, upgrades, etc.
ii. in crew positions where such automated system(s) is not functioning, trip pairings more than 40.5 hours prior to showtime shall be visible to pilots accessing the open time
interface.
iii. a trip(s) may be frozen to allow assignment by CRS. When
a trip is frozen, it will be visible, but displayed in a manner
indicating that it is available only to CR