Originally Posted by brakechatter (Post 1668435)

My hope when the NW pilots came on board was that we would stiffen our spines just a bit, but the contrary has happened. The results are starting to show. Schedule quality has gone downhill, schedule flexibility going downhill, rerouting out of control, no real progress made on scope recapture--because it will take care of itself. In short, we have made QOL trades for.

Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp (Post 1668327)

Any word on the A350 order?

Originally Posted by Purple Drank (Post 1668180)

I view our situation as being a team that's currently #1 after a handful of games. You want us to be satisfied with that, without finishing the season. I think it's nowhere near our potential. Simply put: you are complacent. I am not. You hit the panic switch. You didn't think there was more money on the table. You got swayed by the sales job of "fleeting opportunities" and the "time value of money."

The attitude of someone demanding to know "what contract would you rather have" in our present circumstances reeks of self-defeat and, frankly, laziness. We've got to take advantage of this NOW...before our circumstances change.

We have enabled a "union" that generally takes the path of least resistance. That falls squarely on our shoulders. Results: the past couple of agreements have been a pathetic joke given the company's success. It's going to be damn hard to boot the entrenched bureaucrats out of there, but it must be done. Leadership. Where is it?

If we want it, we've got to be ready to depart our comfort zone. For goodness' sake, MD doesn't even have the "engagement" juice to keep us out of an unsuitable hotel for two months! Two months! Be honest: that's some weak sauce.

Our complacent mindset (as personified by you) as a pilot group needs changed if we expect to cash in on the company's success (which we in no small part make possible).

Originally Posted by TenYearsGone (Post 1668735)

Looks like a nightmare if you get hit by birds. Yikes..Hopefully the engineers calculated for the bird scenario. Those probes are in the wrong spot.

TEN

Attachment 1428

Originally Posted by Hillbilly (Post 1668780)

I heard we have a guy going to test fly the 350 XWB next week in Toulouse. I think they are going fly the 787-9 in the coming weeks as well.

Originally Posted by forgot to bid (Post 1668612)

Well, let's mess with some heads and maybe the end result is you and I are flying a C-130... no wait... LM-100J.

I heard on guard the other night United Airlines is evidently looking into purchasing a civil version of the C-130. The LM-100J offers them significant margin improvements over current, boring, jet liners.

The C-130s allow them to do remote loading. People will be loaded onto pods that are then trucked to an awaiting airplane. Significantly improving the speed of boarding and reducing costs of gates. You can now board people away from the main airline terminals.

The pods will allow United to make a passenger airplane into a cargo airplane when margin opportunities present themselves. Such as SEA-Juno. They will also be able to own Texas to Mexico out of Houston.

The airplanes don't need to be pressurized, as they will cruise at 1000'. Saves significant maintenance.

They are built for unimproved short fields, such as Chicago Midway, Houston Hobby, Newark runway 29, LaGuardia, Boston and Chicago Meigs (does not require repaving).

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/g...x?itemid=54265

These will be made out of Marietta GA. Where there is a triangle of doom. Once you go to Marietta, you never leave. Beware of the big chicken folks. It also cruises at 355 kts. What is not to love people?

Originally Posted by RockyBoy (Post 1668794)

???

Do airlines really test fly airplanes?

Originally Posted by RockyBoy (Post 1668794)

How's that help them make any decisions on whether or not to buy it?

Originally Posted by Scoop (Post 1668819)

Just got a robo-call for an IA - the flight leaves in 1 hour. I can't do it so I looked to see who got it - still in open time.

OK - here is what I don't understand, it is a turn back tonight - we have two pilots on SC that have the crew day to do the turn - so why have they not assigned the trip?

Scoop :confused: