i see where youre coming from. but still it comes off as a very arrogant (not singling out UPS/FDX pilots at all) thing to do. everyone of us at some point along the way has gotten some help from someone. A large segment of my squadron flies for UPS, and everyone helped each other get on. even a couple mgt guys in there. all are great guys. i just dont know about writing a negative letter. "not inviting to a party" would be the same as not writing a letter. however, this is saying "im not inviting you to the party, and im going to make sure you never get invited to any of our parties." if the guy truly is a dirtbag, dont write him a letter and its done.

 

Wow, did you feel this guy/gal was a dangerous pilot or did you just not like him/her? Comments like that will pretty much derail career progression at most airlines, pretty hard core. I've flown with good guys and I've also flown with "less than good" guys. I've recommended a few, I've also declined to recommend a few; I've 'black-balled' none. I'll change that statistic only if I run into a pilot I find unsafe. Just my worthless ½ ¢ on the subject.

 

I think, "the squadron would NEVER let this guy sign for an airplane by himself ", pretty much speaks for itself.

 

letters are really more for character reference arent they? If the guy is a bad pilot, it will show in his checkride/PC history etc. theres no way he passed every checkride and has no blemishes on his record, yet the squadron wont let him sign for the jet. come on now, every unit has had guys go off the runway, ding wingtips, blow tires, etc etc and they lose their qual, come back in the sim and get rechecked, and theyre back out on the line signing for airplanes.

if theres guys out there that are truly horrible pilots, just dont write them a letter. their flying history will speak for itself and they wont make it through.

 

I can't really think of anyone that I would write a negative recommendation for. I just think that's wrong.....let them sabotage their own career. If they are bad enough to write a bad rec., they will screw themselves at some point. I just don't believe in doing that.

I've been pretty lucky in that most of the people that have asked me for a rec. have been people I had no problem with recommending. The few that I really didn't want to do one for, I just told them to write their own and send it to me. Most of the reason I don't really want to write them a rec. is because they are unmotivated and lazy anyways....so guess what? They never send me back the completed rec........problem solved. The few that I know that I would NEVER in a million years write a rec. for know better than to ask me for one. They are the non standard cocky ones that I've had to chew out when I was a regional captain. I think if they called, I would laugh.

 

I have many old buds from the Navy that I didn't stay in touch. After a several squadrons, would be tough too do. I have no problem with them looking me up 15 years later as they retire or are furloughed, etc looking for the gouge and a possible rec. I have the brass to tell someone I won't write one. When I do write one, I send a copy of what I wrote to the individual so they know what I wrote. If they choose for me not to turn it in, I don't. It's fair.

 

Actually being a civilian guy myself - what exactly does that mean? Are you saying that the commander AND the squadron sign for an airplane?

'Signing' is sort of like a dispatch release that the commander, pic or whatever you call it has to approve, correct? If so, are you saying his squadron would refuse to fly with him/her or what does that mean? Sorry, I'm mil-ignoramous.

 

There are at least a couple of large airlines out there that post the names of potential recruits (up for an interview)to the pilot group, or allow pilot's on the line to see who's resumes are in the drawer. Personally, I think it's a great idea, if the recruitment team knows how to vet, which, if they are on the recruitment team, they likely do.

After spending fourteen hours with a guy/gal, then multiple day's in foreign cities, then another fourteen hours back home, it's safe to say that the airline I fly for takes recommendations very seriously; good and bad. So should they. If someone in my company knows that there is a problem with a potential candidate and doesn't speak up, well I would have a very big problem with that. Did they sewer that persons career; I think the person in question was the one who handled that.

I find it a bit off putting in this day and age of CRM, PDM and the like that there is a problem with those who want to make sure their airlines good, or very good in my employers case, culture remains that way. It's like the guy's who know there is a looming problem (immediate or long term)on the flight deck and don't speak up.

 

Wannabe,

If a squadron CO (Commanding Officer) says that a certain pilot will never sign for an aircraft in his squadron, he means that the pilot in question will never act as the aircraft commander (Captain/PIC, in civilian terminology). It's a pretty harsh thing to say about someone, and it speaks loud and clear as to what the command thinks about a pilot's leadership and flight skills. It basically means that the command doesn't trust the guy.

Clear as mud?

 

Got you, thanks. I guess it'd be a tough call. IF I had flown with an individual I personally found to be unsafe I'd probably do the same. However only if I'd flown with him/her myself.