Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 1457162)

It's on property in Delta paint. Some IOE needs to be conducted. I believe it will start revenue service on Aug 17th. Initial route will be ATL EWR.

Originally Posted by CheapTrick (Post 1457188)

I believe we take possession paperwork-wise around the middle of August with the first DAL 717 airframe in ATL at the end of August. First revenue flights are in the open time for 16 September with all the initial open time being ATL/EWR pairings. Significant OE work has been completed in Airtran aircraft. In addition to OE's on revenue flights, OE's will be completed in Sept on DAL aircraft doing random out and backs out of ATL (no pax).

Originally Posted by AtlCSIP (Post 1457194)

That's great news! Looking forward to seeing it.

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar (Post 1457078)

In exchange for more money for reserves ....

ALPA's just pointing out it is a exchange.

Take a poll of the pilots, and what they are willing to trade so the <1% of senior pilots who bid down to reserve can avoid work ... we know what the answer is going to be.

The most vigorous proponents of the "seniority on reserve" issue are commuters who would really prefer a six figure job they did not have to show up at. It's hard to make that a populist issue in Mecca ( C44 ).

IMHO the current system is not going to change much, if at all. Everyone (except for you and me on reserve) like things the way they are.

Originally Posted by Fly4hire (Post 1457202)

Even with straight seniority on reserve those that think they won't fly will still have 6 short calls a month. When on short call they are only compared against other short calls, with, as always day available matching the rotation length trumping all other factors. Any senior reserve who thinks they won't get called on a short call because of seniority and doesn't show up in base will help staffing as the rest of us might move up a number :p

As long as days available = rotation length as the final modifier the whole seniority on reserve question is largely meaningless as those who game days available to optimize against not matching rotation lengths (a moving target) will be the most successful at not flying on reserve.

As we just agreed to that ROU via the SOT a few years ago I doubt the company will be game to going backwards, and that particular modifier is probably the single biggest efficiency gain for the company with the current reserve system.

So we gave them efficiencies in the SOT that equals less staffing, we gave them TA efficiencies that equals less staffing (offset by mainline gains w. 717) now we want to negotiate inefficiencies with the claim it will increase staffing and that if we don't support it, it will cost us the jobs we already gave away when we gave them increased efficiencies ?!?

Who comes up with this stuff?

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 1457054)

If you want to increasing staffing you could campaign for our co-workers to stop flying 90+ hours every month. I remember my 7er LCA showing me his 130+ hours of credit he was acquiring every month. I know a few ALPA P2P guys, & while they were making calls to survey the pilot group there were multiple people who griped that they couldn't fly to FAR max every month!!! :eek:

I say we go back to the bow wave program. We truly are our own worst enemy.

Originally Posted by PilotFrog (Post 1457148)

Timbo: You been keeping up with the America's Cup? Got to see part of a race the other day. Unreal how fast those boats can accelerate and flying by on foils was impressive.

Originally Posted by Scoop (Post 1457069)

We had this on the C-9 in the Navy a few times (No autopilot) but one time stands out as particularly fun. I was flying as the aircraft Commander and knowing my limitations (a man has got to know his limitations) we asked for, and received, a block altitude for most of the time at cruise. We were flying transcon, San Diego to Norfolk, or perhaps Jacksonville so it was going to be quite tedious.

The other Pilot, also an aircraft commander but flying as a co-pilot that day, was your typical **** hot fighter pilot type, who was generally a better stick and rudder man than myself - so naturally I couldn't pass up this opportunity to humble him a few notches.

We decided to take turns to break up the monotony of hand flying. Unbeknownst to my fellow aviator, I called back to the crew and hatched a devious plan. When ever I was flying everyone would remain seated but when my partner was flying the crew would alternatively move all the way forward wait a few minutes and then move all the way back. We flew with the cockpit door open and our crew chief would pop up see who was flying and then take charge in the back.

It worked like a charm - I was able to trim the aircraft relatively stable, but my buddy was all over the sky. He actually started sweating and was worried he was losing "it." After over an hour of this we finally broke down and told him what was going on - the look on his face was priceless!

Scoop :D