I flew DC-9s several years ago. Great airplanes, built like bridges, but man did they burn gas. Plus they left soot trails that zig-zagged across the sky, that corresponded to the noncommittal wandering of our antique VOR needles. I'm actually excited by the advance of technology, even if 787s and C-series jets are likely to make everything else obsolete.

Unfortunately this thread has drifted into an ideological battle. I've read Ayn Rand, but I've also been in this business for twenty-two years. The people who are being called communists here are the very people that I trust to walk the line with me. For those who haven't figured it out yet, effort is required from all of us, every one of us, regardless of what uniform you wear, in order to keep management from tearing everything down around us. Do you really think Bedford wants to pay you $37 to fly this new airplane? No way; he knows people will do it for $20.

Depending on seniority integration, I might get to fly these new airplanes, but I will retain my dignity, dignity for the entire profession. I won't come back just to help lower the bar for everyone. There's more to life than shiny jets.