Originally Posted by
JoeMerchant
I'm trying to justify anything...Simply trying to get you folks to stay over there and fly the heavy iron....Leave the bugsmashers to us scooter trash.
I just find it interesting that more and more Delta pilots want to fly my little airplane.
This industry is a gamble. I haven't met any Delta pilots who regret leaving ASA for Delta. I do know United and USAir pilots who do regret the move. I also know an ASA pilot who left for Eastern and PanAm....and now is back at ASA. He regrets his move and has much less seniority and longevity.
The point isn't to try and tell anyone they made the right decision or not. The point is that we are either all in this together and all of this flying should be done by on cohesive group, or we are separate, and you fly the big airplanes while we fly the little airplanes....I sense some are question the future at Delta and want a security net that involves SJ flying at the expense of those of us who chose not to move on.
Joe;
You are correct. There are some that may regret it but they are not at DAL.
As you refer to the bug smashers, that is the problem. They are no longer bug smashers like the 110 and the 120 that we flew up to a decade ago. They are Large turbo jets that in some instances can go up to five plus hours en route. That is the issue. Those jets et al used to mainline jets (732 and DC-9's). That is where the heart burn is coming from.
As you state many mainline pilots would love to fly those jets. That is correct, because everyone that is in this industry started their primary flight training or UPT with the understanding that the 70+ (DC-9 or the like) seat segment would be their first CA seat. Now the first CA seat will be in a 130, 142 and possibly a 150 seat jet.
It is not the DCI/Commuter pilots who agreed to this. You are just doing the flying that has been contracted to you. A comprehensive E and A that takes in to account more than just dollars needs to be done to re-asses if this is truly the best course of action to take.
There are many reasons not to outsource. There are also reasons to outsource as well. The question comes down to how much of a good thing is too much. As the Delta pilots on this board have overwhelmingly stated, in their minds we are way beyond this level of outsourcing being a good thing. That is why many state, I was my CA seat back. I want my career expectations back.
You are a smart guy and do not take these attacks personally. It is just a bunch of guys that are frustrated and fatigued with the way the boat is steaming. They want a course change. Many realize that it will take time, patience, lack of ego, and humility to have any positive change in the careers of Delta pilots. To do this, we need a long term strategy. I believe that there are people running for office here at DAL that see the need for this type of thinking. They will do whats best for Delta pilots, as that would be their job. In the end what is best for the Delta pilots will have a trickle down effect to 90% of the DCI pilots who hope and pray that DCI is but a stopover.