However, I bet you are saying "I told you so" to the "0".

 

MX727, Otis,
Thanks for the kind words. I've been out of my last job for almost a year now and I guess I have as many uninformed opinions as anyone else

Ref. Albief15's comments: Theoretically, there is no barrier to a pilot's return to management after a hiatus on the line. I'm not aware of anyone that has done it, however. As Otis suggested, not many folks would want to.
One of the things I learned is that it is tremendously hard to make a "serious" difference. Even the smallest institutional change requires a ton of effort and after a while, guys get tired. Does that mean I am a proponent of term limits? - you bet it does! I also agree with Albief15's implication that a pilot with a balanced career (line flying, training, mg't) is a stronger player in any situation. Also, in order to be credible, a pilot/manager/instructor must be willing to fly frequently and well. I believe that if a guy won't fly the a.m. flights to the bad wx places, his lack of credibility invariably gets in the way of his other duties.

 

Sorry, Dudes, double post. I'm learning.

 

FWIW....

I got to talk to anonymous ACP (who might be here....) one day on the crew bus, and a little one-liner he told he gave me a huge glimpse into working with any beauracracy....

"I can bump a guy off a week's worth of trips, but I cannot order him catering without a huge headache...."

Haven't forgotten that line, and like the crazy aunt that raised me (the US Air Force) you realize at times there are some pretty funny challenges when it comes to dealing with large organizations...

 

Thanks to you former management guys for sharing your observations and opinions. I have several thoughts ...

1. I would like to think that management does the "right" (as in morally, ethically and professionally) thing for our crew members. From my perspective, flight management is there to help make my job easier. I'm surprised that emails with my personal issues and suggestions for how to "fix the system" frequently go unanswered!*? ***?

2. Several years ago, I called my flight manager with a problem. His response, "I hear you, I agree with you, I've tried to fix it ... I can't, my chain of command has told me to drop the subject." How is that possible? Do these guys have authority to fix anything? Pay? Vacation? Catering? Security issues? And if not ... who would take the job?

3. I have taken the time on several occasions to go to management, training, standards with a suggestion of how I thought a previous airline did something better. To my huge surprise, I was shocked at their response. Short version: They really weren't interested and didn't want to hear it!*? Now that's a problem IMO.

Mark

 

I had a similar experience ... after having failed vacation bidding. I called my flight Manager, explained the problem and asked if he could fix it? His reply, "I don't know if I can fix? I'd like to fix it, I'll try to fix it but I don't know if I can fix it? I know I can fire you but I don't know if I dan fix your vacation?"

(At least he laughed about the firing part?)

 

As a member of management I really thought I made a difference on a number of occasions. If you are persistent enough(read a pain in the a$$) you can be pretty effective. It also meant a lot to have Jack in the ofice when I went to him. He was like an old OpsO I had in the MC that you could go in and scream and hollar and fight for something without it becoming a personal issue between him and me. At the end of the discussion you set a time to meet for happy hour. But in the big scheme of things, as I have told more than 1 person since I left, if you just go to work, do your job and never need anything form anybody in the back office it really doesn't matter who is there. But if you happen to step on your d1ck, or if your kid gets sick, or your wife has issues with her pregnancy, you really need someone with some empathy that will help. I used to live in the gray when I was in the job. If it didn't say you couldn't do it, and it made sense, than let's see if we can get it done. But if you ask a question and the answer you're given is "does it say you can in the contract" then we're in trouble.

And no, as you all know, I'm too much of a gentleman to say "I told you so.....

 

"And no, as you all know, I'm too much of a gentleman to say "I told you so....."

Hmmmmm...........what was it you just said?