The first thing I'm buying (if I get a real flying job) is a big house with a '69 GT500 in the driveway. So I'll have that covered just in case I get furloughed after a year or two.

Part of me can understand where SD is coming from. He saw how DALPA rolled over and accepted the company mandate that pilots perform duties outside the PWA in the form of gate PAs.

We perform duties outside the PWA all the time, like helping with strollers or wheelchairs. The memo clearly disregards specific wording in the contract. Glad to see the union finally stepping up to hold the company's feet to the fire.

Wanna buy a 1970 Road Runner instead? :D

www.1970roadrunner.com

It's my dad's car. I'm not done with the website yet, though.

Hmmmm... I see only two pedals.........

The company did not add helping with strollers and wheelchairs in the FOM like it did gate house PAs. We did those PAs before the mandate as well. My point is, show weakness and don't pushback on unilateral mandates like the gatehouse PA bulletin and it can add to the mindset that you can bully your pilot group.

Ya... 3 speed auto.

"Stepping up" how? So far, I've seen nothing but words. I'm trying to get a handle on whether or not any action has been taken by DALPA.

We need a warm fuzzy that DALPA is actually doing something other than crafting not-quite-strongly-worded letters.

Make sure you're underwater on the car, that way you can tell people it would be financially irresponsible to get rid of it after a furlough.

Always think two steps ahead.

I've had 2 cases so far that I was going to "test" the waters with the new reserve 117 rules. One was a SC they assigned at 10AM on day one after a non-fly day and the other was a LC trip placed on my schedule about 12:45 before report.

In both cases if I followed the PWA then I would be illegal for the SC and trip. I called DALPA and informed them of what was happening and what I planned on doing. They agreed with my interpretation of the contract and I was advised to do what I wanted and that if I chose to follow the contract I would be defended by them.

In the SC scenario you are required to acknowledge it no later than 2AM base time. When I checked my schedule about 10:30 local the night before the SC was moved to 12PM which was legal. So in that case they realized I was not going to acknowledge early and they moved it. Never heard a thing from anyone and did the 12PM SC as per the contract.

In the trip scenario I did not acknowledge it. About 9 hours prior to report the trip disappeared from my line, went out as a GS and I was placed back on LC reserve and not used for the day. Never heard a word from anyone.

The guys at the ALPA 117 "bunker" are VERY helpful when you have something you think is not legal per the PWA. I would recommend calling them and running everything by them. They did tell me that in most cases once scheduling notices you are not going to acknowledge the trip they have just been pulling them off and placing you back on LC.