The problem is that they have done away with the AFML (Aircraft Flight and Maintenance Log) and it is now an AML (Aircraft Maintenance Log). No flight times are recorded in the new AML so we have no paper document of the times, except our logbooks!

Every time I have seen times recorded on CrewTrac in error I have gone through the pilot lounge "Correct CrewTrac Times" form and submitted my change. It has always been accepted. However in these tough times and with the company interest in reducing block or better I can see it getting harder to change these times.

ALPA has asked that every time the company has changed times that we should submit discrepancies to the union, which I have done, so they can log the data for any future grievance. I email a screen shot of the CrewTrac page, a scan of my logbook and copy of the change request form that I have submitted.

On the whole I am scepticle about our managements ethics. It is funny that prior to block or better about 40% (est.) of my flights were over published segment times and since block or better I've only had a handful of flights go over the segment times. I'm sure the company manipulates the published segment times for their benefit but we have no way to police this. The NEXT contract should have some union input and oversight of segment times.

To fully police this new contract wrt pay will take a lot of effort by each individual pilot. I'm still trying to work out the easiest way to just track and compare awarded block to actual block. There is not enough room in the little red log book.

At some point the amount of effort to police the company gives diminishing returns in error correction. I need to find a balance but the point is none of us should have to police the company.

I remember in the sales pitch the union gave us, one of their reasons for not having water tight language in the contract is that there have been so many changes in our management that these new managers are "good guys" and are working with the union and we all agree on the intent! Yeah right!

With regard to the furloughs, even if hell freezes over, the people that voted in this contract will never ever vote out PBS and lose block or better just to get some anonymous junior people their jobs back. Its a fact of life with this predominantely selfish pilot group. The rest of us just have to deal the best we can with the hand we have been dealt and try to improve things for the people that come after us.