I believe this is an anti-icing question. There's visible moisture, but doesn't look cold enough to activate the system.

If that's the case, then I'm fine with that. That being said, if we ARE included vis-a-vis some kind of side letter, I would like that to be at each individual pilot's option.

Let each individual pilot decide what's best for them, not the company, not ALPA.

In a Boeing, it doesn't even take any peripheral vision. You don't have to "look" over at the other guy's inputs to see what he is doing. Airbus was designed to be single piloted. That's the only way that setup makes any sense. You are forced to look at things in order to see what is happening to your craft. In a Boeing, where things move physically, your peripheral vision will catch any configuration changes with which you aren't directly in your line of sight. I don't have to look at the EICAS... ECAM.. whatever the french term is to know that power has been pulled back. As to your contention that the sidestick is safer, I think exhibit A (this discussion) would argue otherwise. If the yoke is in my lap, I KNOW what the other guy is doing. No guessing... no having to figure it out...

That is what Sullenberger thinks also ...

It always seems that those who have no actual experience flying an Airbus are the ones that dis it (not meant as a putdown T :D). Having thousands of hours in both Boeing and Airbus I can say they both have their pros and cons.

Just got an email back from our retirement lady at ALPA and we WILL be getting the early profit sharing payout.

Oh I didn't take any offense whatsoever. You are right, I have zero time in anything other than a jumpseat. The funny thing is that most of the "pros" I hear about the Airbus have to do with the tray table and size of the "office". I''m old school. I like needles that point to things. It was very hard for me to take the GPS navigation leap to fly the approach into Quito (which I have not done yet for real) with nothing but a pink line to follow. And really, I am not trying to get into an airplane versus bus argument. Personally, I feel that it was the design of the thing that led to the AF crash. I realize that it is a different way of thinking and "flying"... but I still challenge the bus drivers to convince me otherwise.

orvil,

On second thought, this language only addresses who is "eligible" for the Delta Profit Sharing Plan. We already know with 100% certainty that pilots are "eligible." It's written in our contract.

The above language doesn't address who is "eligible" as it relates to the timing of the early profit sharing, only whether you get it or not at all. The only question is, as Ragtop Day alluded to, is whether our contract overrides the company's decision to make an early payment. My guess is probably not.

Thanks for making the call.

Is it the collectives' opinion that this is going to be a guesstimate of 50% of the total?

This may explain a few things....
 

Maybe THIS is the real reason for the early profit sharing payout and pay raise announcement....hmmmmm:cool:


Delta Faces Labor Push as Machinists Eye Flight Attendants

Forbes September 24, 2014


The International Association of Machinists (IAM) said it began working nearly two years ago to organize Delta’s 20,000 flight attendants, staging meetings at domestic bases and in Europe.

“Delta made a lot of promises during the merger with Northwest,” said IAM spokesman Joe Tiberi. “Now, several years later, people have seen that those promises were not kept.” For example, Tiberi said, Delta boosted flight attendant salaries, but also raised the cost of employee health care.

“It was a good sound bite to say wages went up, but in the end take-home pay went down,” Tiberi said. He declined to specify a date when IAM will file for an election.

Delta has historically been non-union except for pilots and dispatchers. Following the 2010 merger with Northwest, which historically had strong representation, unions sought to retain their spots. But Delta staged an aggressive anti-union campaign.

In three elections late in 2010, about 51% of flight attendants turned down the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), about 52% of fleet service workers rejected IAM representation, and about 69% of customer service workers also rejected the IAM.

Earlier, AFA failed to organize Delta flight attendants in 2002 and 2008, although the union got closer in each of three elections.
“Unions have failed to organize Delta flight attendants because the direct relationship Delta has developed with our flight attendants works and is valued as an important part of the truly unique Delta culture,” said Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo.

“We get that organizing attempts may continue because, let’s face it, dues from 20,000 people would be attractive to any union,” Modolo said. “But the IAM has a poor record in our industry and has been rejected by every work group it sought to represent following the Delta-Northwest merger.”

The United Auto Workers’ (UAW) initial failure to organize Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., in February led some to conclude that the last nail had been driven into the labor movement’s coffin in the South, but the diagnosis now seems premature.

UAW said this week that it has support from about half the plant’s 1,500 workers. It asked VW to let it negotiate for those workers.

Two weeks ago, 14,500 American agents — many based in the South — voted to join a Communication Workers of America/Teamsters coalition, which got 86% of the vote. Three-quarters of voters work in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Arizona.

The new bargaining unit includes 9,000 agents from American, previously unrepresented, and 5,500 US Airways agents, already represented by the coalition. Teamsters represents former America West agents.

“It should not be lost on the pundits that most of the nearly 14,500 new union members work in southern states,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, in a prepared statement. “The right to a voice at work doesn’t have a geographic predisposition, and this victory will energize ongoing organizing efforts in the South.”