Originally Posted by
Iwa Washi
I would also like to add that a problem I saw on the MD-11 were Captains taking all of the landings and not letting the operating FO have any. This happened to me more than once. Everyone complains about the FO not managing their landings but Captains? Seriously? I expect that issue to get even worse now that MD-11 Captains can bid RFO trips. And before anyone tries to say it, no these weren't personal issues - the Captains needed the extra landings for their currency. Also these guys weren't junior and being forced to sit Reserve...
I think your personal experience is not the norm. You must have just had some bad luck flying with guys coming off extended sick, vacation or some other absence. If they're flying the line regularly, the only way a Captain would be hurting on landings is if they chose to be. I seriously doubt that's a systemic problem. Maybe a few outlier's personal agenda, but probably not something most MD-11 FOs are dealing with on a regular basis. Not letting the FO have any of the landings is usually a symptom of something else, but you already assured us that's not the case.
I did a document search of the new contract using RFO. Other than finding out the word "peRFOrm" appears over 150 times, I could not find anything that indicates a change allowing Captains to "bid RFO trips". Do you have a contract reference for that?