One of the interesting things in the last few years has been the testing of various "legal theories" by the loudest and most "aggressive" pilots. We saw in the numerous bankruptcies how these supposed tough guy tactics got body slammed when they were taken off the web boards and then brought into the real world.

We now have seen another set of "legal theories" from the East pilots, dissatisfied with the "wimpy" ALPA, that have been put to the test and failed miserably.

Maybe now, we can move past these "tough guy" arguments and get down to real strategies that can move us forward. The internet is nice in that it lets everyone publish their ideas, but it can be bad if only a small range of opinions gets expressed. What you find is the "aggressive" voice often takes over the boards while the more thoughtful responses get lost in the bickering and name calling. At times, it can then appear that the "aggressive" voice is the majority or even the only opinion.

I think that it is important for a variety of voices to be heard in all of these forums. It is tough to sit out the personal attacks when you are called wimpy, or lacking testicles, or called a company stooge by these other pilots that have found that their intimidation tactics often work.

As a profession, we have gotten kicked around a lot lately, and if we are going to recover, it is going to be through solid business sense and steady progress back to where we should be. I hope that at some time, we can drown out the crowd that is that too willing to use the pilot group as a test bed for their cockamamie theories.

As for the LCC pilots, all of them, they need to really sit down and figure out what they want to do. The easiest course will be to fall back into the yelling mode and go back to the same tired arguments and insults that have filled the last three years.

I hope that there are some leaders on both sides, leaders that have to courage to stand up and say "Enough". Leaders that have the courage to turn the other cheek and do what is right and not what is convenient. It is easy for each side to continue the hatred and bickering and come back to their side and preach their grievances both real and imagined. It is hard to say, "what's done is done" let's move forward.

The Nicolau list is the seniority list at LCC. The East pilots have to accept that. The West pilots should realize that it might be useful to make some nod to the extreme hardships and bad luck that have been endured by the East pilots as their company was run into the ground by incompetent management. Making some concessions to help their pilots recover a little is not weakness, it is strength of character and the right thing to do. Everyone should be looking to get their contract up to industry standard if not industry leading.

Whether it is USAPA or ALPA or any other union, there needs to be real leaders from both sides to drown out the loudest voices demanding retribution after retribution. You will be insulted and attacked on the web boards but in the end you will live with either doing the right thing or doing the wrong thing. All my prayers are going with ALL LCC pilots and I hope they can move forward. Good luck.