Originally Posted by
R57 relay
Seriously?
There are a lot of reasons folks apply to be a CKA, just like there are for those that bid captain, don't bid captain etc. The name tag BS is getting old.
There are a lot of new CKA that have been in the pipeline for a while. They enjoy the job, and for them the upside is better than the downside. There will always be a few that do it for poor reasons, but most do it for the right reasons.
I find it funny that a few months ago many pilots at AA thought CKA were management and not union members. Then the CKA committee chair highlighted issues with the CKA part of the agreement and CKA leaving and...ding!...someone figured out that it could be leverage for all pilots. Fair enough, and it might be. But in the mean time, what are the line pilots doing? Are trips being left uncovered? Are folks dropping trips and not picking up premium? Are union reps taking it on the chin? I don't think so.
Here's a scheme-all pilots bid a lower paying position. All G4 CA's bid G2 F/O seats. The amount of training would be impossible-ultimate leverage.
Please don't make assumptions of new CKA. I've worked with two this month and they are excellent. The whole "CKA to save the day" thought process was flawed and there will always be those that will take the job for the wrong reasons. We will live with the training department we are currently staffing for a long time.
Well, hope all those new check airmen enjoy working more days as a practical reserve pilot and making a lot less than a line holder, who works the same number of days. They don't even get Avg credit day like a line holder. Such a joke of an agreement they work under. All I could do is laugh at a junior check airman I saw doing OE on a 777 getting paid 15 hours for a LOOONNGG 3 day trip, at a320/b737 pay rates, while the pilot he was training was getting paid much more in pay rate and hours.
Every one of them should turn in their letters of resignation. But they don't, because too many of them just enjoy being a super awesome check airman. Jokes on them now, they won't have a new contract for years to come.