Airline Pilot Central Forums - Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by acl65pilot (Post 535007)

From what I can tell you. The 90's are very real. ...

Thanks for the good news.

Do you think this bid's vacancies on the MD88 are just enough to bring staffing to normal or are they gearing up for extra 90's? I.e. are they more real than we think?

Also, is LAX 777 base a possibility or one SYD flight is not enough? Do you ever hear about more 777 flying out of LAX?

Thanks.

See my post above.

184-142= your domestic 14% reduction in revenue seat miles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar (Post 535659)

The merger brought over both airlines' lousy, bankruptcy, scope language intact. The plan was to replace the DC9's with the 90/76/70 seat RJ's. That plan is still valid if fuel prices return to a more normal range. The third generation of RJ's is a better, cheaper (ASM & trip) and more flexible airplane than the DC9 and its derivative airplanes.

What is happening now is that the DC9's and MD88's are being used to reduce capacity on flights that would have been served by 757's (at least on the Delta side). This a move most of us did not anticipate even six months ago and is the direct result of Spring and Summer bookings scaring Delta's planners into executing longer term capacity reductions than they originally planned.

I want the 100 seat flying to remain with mainline, but we need to be aware our contract does not currently ensure that protection. What we see now is a momentary blip.

We also have 737 flying outsourced to Alaska and 717 flying outsourced to MidWest. Management has not optimized this situation and I do no know that they will.

Bottom line - if we are serious about retaining the 100 seat flying we need to get Compass and Mesaba stapled ASAP to one list and work on closing the codeshare loopholes at our next Section 6 opportunity.

To do this we will have to convince the senior half of our lists that selling scope is not the yellow brick road to higher pay rates. They've been voting to sell scope for a decade now, changing their minds will not be easy.

Very good post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii50 (Post 535645)

All Navy C-9s are retired and replaced by 737s (C-40).

Really? Then what have I been flying for the Navy during the past year and a half?:D This is NOT a true statement. The C-9 is currently flown by the Navy at Oceana, Atlanta, Willow Grove, and Widbey. Probably 16-20 or so C-9's still flying. All have been converted to glass except Widbey aircraft. I would not want the system the Navy has to be installed in the DC-9 aircraft acquired by DAL. Very user intensive, marginal autopilot, and still no VNAV capability FWIW.:eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii50 (Post 535668)

Very good post.

I agree, good post. The Alaska folks may be the next to join the Delta Family, so that could help control some outsourced flying. In regards to Midwest, they're now operating only 9 717s, barely a shell of their former self.

The DC9s provide us with the opportunity to retain 100 seat flying at Mainline. I too feel we should put the E175s/CRJ900s on the Mainline Certificate, and bring the pilots with them. I don't think we would get any gripes from the Compass guys, but some of the career Mesaba guys might try to cause a stink. Either way, those RJs belong at Mainline.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhino Driver (Post 535672)

I thought they were still flying them. They just recently put that glass in so I had a hard time imagining they would have retired them already. I think the Air Force 932nd Reserve Unit at Scott AFB is still flying 3 DC9s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 535674)

Either way, those RJs belong at Mainline.

Such a very true statement! Those RJ's aren't really RJ's, and they're definitely not flying an RJ route! Bring'em on over.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 535675)

I thought they were still flying them. They just recently put that glass in so I had a hard time imagining they would have retired them already.

We are phasing them out, but the 9 will fly in the Navy for another 10 years...at least with one or two squadrons anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhino Driver (Post 535672)

Sorry for the bad info. I knew they were gone out at North Island. Didn't know there were some units still waiting for replacements.

I believe the IS&S upgrade of the 767 costs around $250K-$270K, not too far off what a major upgrade is for most business jets. So I'd suspect a Rockwell upgrade of the DC-9 would be about the same. I don't think engine upgrades are possible though. I think AA looked at that for their 80s and it was prohibitive.

But if you do an eyeball test on it, even if you could buy the engines for the 9, I think its too expensive to be viable as you can buy a late 1970s Citation I, upgrade it with new engines and avionics and you have a "new" airplane that costs the same as a 5 year old Citation CJ. So sometimes its not worth it to do that to airplanes. But for our jobs sake, go for it DAL! Hell, do it to the 88 and fly all of the models from the little 9 to the 90. But while you're at it, put GPS in the 767ERs.