Especially when much of what is "masked" couldn't be prevented by any program (short of complete aircraft inspection at every station with full spare parts invetory) at any cost with any MX system.

IMO this is 10% inquisitive in nature trying to get to the bottom of some key delay metrics and 90% about permanantly reducing block hours for the same amount of flights flown. I'm sure someone knows the number of pilot jobs we gain/lose for every minute per flight of more or less block hours. They mentioned an average 5 minute latency reduction target. How many pilot block hours does that equate to? How many pilot jobs does that equate to? That's what this is about. We will shrink as a result of this, probably by several hundred pilots when its all said and done, all things being equal.

Even if we never learn a thing about the operation doing this, the worst thing that will happen is D-0 takes a hit but A-14 (infinitely more important) remains about the same and at the end of the day we've eliminated probably at least a couple hundred pilot jobs. If we unearth a little nugget here or there (like jetway movement with 1 chock set instead of 3, etc) then great, but gate latency is merely the rebranding of the age old "wheel spin up" fantasy 'legislate by memo' for pilot pay and out times that pilot groups have been fighting off for many years all over the industry.

Memo from Ken S. is going to build pilot unity. Read and enjoy. All these plans have proven to work in a most excellent manner in the cubicle.

Laser printed flt plans in mid May! Yeah

I wonder how much new laser printers at every single gate cost, vs. a tablet computer with paperless flight plans via wifi?

Retired Delta Pilots Want Pensions Back


A former Delta Air Lines senior captain has launched a petition trying to convince the reorganized company to reinstate pensions that were terminated when the airline first filed for bankruptcy eight years ago. Robert Moser was among about 3,500 retired pilots whose pensions were cut by 80 percent or more when they were assumed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Northwest Airlines filed for bankruptcy on the same day as Delta but the company did not ask for the pension plan to be terminated. Now that the two airlines have merged, Moser says there's a terrible injustice in that the reorganized airline continues to fund the pensions of the Northwest retirees while the long-term employees who were at Delta long before the merger are left without. "The very pilot group that helped place Delta in an extraordinary business position to capitalize on recent big moves, are the same ones that have disproportionately suffered the biggest hit during and after the re-organization," Moser says in the petition preamble.
Moser noted that pensions are not a "gift" from the company to retirees but include years of deferred income paid by the employees to provide income in retirement. Moser said those most affected by the situation retired between 2002 and 2007 when the retirement age for pilots went to 65 from 60. Like many of the others, Moser has taken jobs at foreign airlines to support himself and his family in the absence of the pension. He's currently a Boeing 777 instructor for an Asian airline. "My workdays are long, my commute is 15 hours each way, and I subject my body to 14 time zones every three weeks," Moser said. "And, I am better off than most of the 3500 retirees because I am still working and earning a few dollars."

It would be nice but it will be a cold day in HE double hockey sticks before it happens.....

Denny

What if the ALV is 80 hours?

Go fast from d-7 to OFF. Fast fast fast. Remember taxi checks on taxiway not ramp, btw min taxi speeds in ATL on the 10-9 is 20+MPH.

It'd be a lot easier to be fast if the planes had Embraer styled cockpits and auto starts. And maybe a better system than the archaic wdr via acars.

Ya know, when I read that memo I thought... It's a lot easier to fly the plane from the cockpit than a desk. :rolleyes:

over/under on the percentage of position reports including "tci" info: 0.72%. It's the new Attila.

How about this, mom: if the position report mach # is less than flight planned, we slowed down.

I would guess 7 crews per jet during initial training cycle. Once things slow down after a couple of years, maybe 5-5/12 crews per jet.