Rickair777,

I might been more precise in my post. JB and FDX called about two former pilots of mine and, as we kept records, I offered and was only asked for FAA check rides and presented the pilots in question they’re rating ride results. Another former pilot of mine went to FDX later (funny how that happened), they never contacted me. As we were not 135, technically, the recurrents didn’t matter and those airlines didn’t want them.

Yes, my company (large) had specific rules on what to offer on former employees. I didn’t have anyone where I would have had to give a negative reference; I probably would have done so for a corporate operator. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in the position of having a future dealing with an operator where my “glowing” reference for someone who didn’t deserve it came back to haunt me. I was in a somewhat unique place where that was not unlikely.

I did get a “glowing” reference for a F/A that didn’t reflect my reality, to my regret. OTOH, I did get the facts, good and bad, on a pilot who later replaced me. It’s unfortunate that lawsuits have pretty much eliminated honest references, but I understand. Like a lot things, abuse occurred resulting in good people being punished.


GF