Is that an EOTech? Looks like it's mounted backwards :eek:

its not a EOTech and its not mounted backwards, unless the laser is supposed to shine in my face instead of at the target ;)

Data point is three months old but in May there were no discussions ongoing or otherwise about raising the age limit at the FAA or ICAO. The only place it was being discussed were Internet forums posted by the usual grenade throwers.

Can't say I've heard anything about age related rulemaking solutions, but a lot of activity has been ongoing this summer to resolve percieved staffing issues. Management is mostly interested in the cheap (inexperienced) pilots rather than we older more experienced and expensive meat servos. Here is the list of data points which suggested that more research is needed.

On Friday the 30th of May the Delta MEC Communications Committee published "Delta Connection Carrier Working Group meeting this week to discuss ab-initio training programs and input to the FAA Air Carrier Training ARC/Working Group."

Coincidentally this story ran in the news on the date of the MEC Communications Committee's published notice:

Delta passengers upset because pilot doesn't show

Suffice to say ... Delta is starting to have a labor problem at DCI.

In February this year a similar meeting was held with the FAA Advisory Rulemaking Committee (hereinafter ARC) which involved subject matter experts from the Delta MEC. At that meeting Airlines for America made an Ab - Initio proposal which was not well received by the FAA. Feedback from that meeting included the statement that there is, "....absolutely no appetite from Congress or FAA to provide any relief to the new changes in ATP certification brought about by PL 111-216. The Families of Continental Flight 3407 is a well-organized and influential lobby. There are currently no members of Congress willing to challenge them."

This feedback suggests a lot about what was discussed.

The Delta Connection Working Group is a curious structure. After all, why would Delta Connection have regulatory concerns any different than any other express carrier, or Delta Air Lines' pilots? On the face of the title, the group appears exclusionary. As you are well aware, Delta pilots are concerned when Delta Connection Carrier who perform flying permitted by our contract engage in ex-partied actions whether it be with our management, or in this case the FAA. Certainly there are no regulatory or administrative issues which concern Delta Connection pilots any differently than pilots at other airlines, unless ...

The "ab - inito" proposal suggests these actions involve Delta pilot jobs.

It's great you did that Bar, but isn't it sad you have to do that for the ALPA submissions? In a bottom-up organization, shouldn't we already know what ALPA's submissions were...because we gave them the direction?

Carl

Carl,

The work ALPA does requires subject matter experts (just as DPA or any representative entity would). As smart as we are, we can't be the expert on everything.

I am not against some of the proposed solutions. But, I can only support Delta pilot mentorship to reduce ATP requirements if that mentorship is actually provided by a Delta pilot.

Yeah I couldn't believe it when that trip went to a reserve.
I think they must have broke it out of a four day at the last minute because the original captain didn't have the 100 hours for a Key West landing.

Of course, none of that is the point now is it. The point is that we have to file a FOIA request to obtain the submissions by the organization (ALPA) that is supposed to be representing us per our direction to them. If that was happening, we wouldn't need to file FOIA requests...we'd already know.

Carl

Well I'd love to bid but since all we have for us up here in DTW-land is A-A periods, not much use in putting an Avoid in for them...

I feel your pain. When I was based in BOS, they always put us in the A period sims too. The story I was told was, they did that so they could send us home earlier (noon) and avoid paying us more in per-diem! :rolleyes:

Your fleet may be undergoing a bunch of initial training events, and those guys probably got all the B+C periods, that's because the IP's usually prefer those.

My fleet isn't doing much initial training, certainly not for Capts. (the incredible shrinking machine!) so both boxes are open nearly every period.