I've known Jack for over 20 years. I'll always cross a crowded room to greet him and he the same to me. We agree on how the world works and how things should be no more than 50% of the time. Sometimes he loses his cool and pops off like he did this time.

But I think we have to give him credit for doing a thankless job for 5 years. I can't think of a job I'd want less than chief pilot and especially chief pilot during contract negotiations. He's the first real CP that's sat in that office since Fato was there. He didn't apply for the job: Cheever twisted his arm and enlisted all his old Navy buds to tell him he had to do it. He's not afraid to tell the VP he's full of cr@p and he's not afraid to tell the crew force when he thinks we're getting off course.

Criticize him all you want, but I'd much rather have a guy like him in the front office than:

• A non-seniority chief pilot
• An egoist who really wanted the job

I think Jack was shootin' from the hip on this one. I just don't think he cleared leather.