forgot to bid

FTB has been busy this past week...

forgot to bid

The rumors from within Delta and from within the SWA pilot group is 717s to DAL. I get messages about it all of the time via the SWA threads. The SWA guys are hearing it on their end from their management folks and we're hearing it from ours. Hence, the rumor. Now, what is not a rumor that we have presented to the board a MD88/90 cockpit retrofit. What is a strong rumor is that it will allow a single category with the current fleet and the Saudi MD90s and AirTran 717s with the advanced cockpits.

The only thing is I was told specifically that the board wants every MD90 built and they want 717s. I just cannot for the life of me remember if it was "every" 717 or just 717s. However, it is our management pilots talking about AAI 717s.

Nosmo King

Well here is how it used to work at fNW. No idea how it happens at DL because we are treated like mushrooms.

A deadline is set for submitting Resolutions to the MEC meeting. It was usually five days to two weeks prior to the start of the meeting. THis gave the MEC Chairman time to manipulate the membership of the subcommittes and the items each subcommittee would handle.

LEC Meetings - agenda items passed are then automatically added to MEC meeting agenda. You would see these Resolutions in the LEC minutes. Exempt from MEC deadline if the LEC meeting is held after the deadline.

MEC Chairman - can add Agenda items at his discretion prior to deadline for MEC meeting. Would not see this in any minutes.

LEC Rep - can submit resolutions prior to the deadline for the MEC meeting. Note that this can happen after the last LEC meeting but prior to the MEC meeting.

Late Agenda Items - Can be added by MEC vote during the meeting. These would be Agenda items submitted after the deadline for the MEC meeting.

So if my sole source of information are LEC minutes from 8 councils, I could get an incomplete list of the proposed resolutions for the next MEC meeting by scouring the ALPA web boards for these minutes. I would not know about any resolutions added after any of those meetings or any added by the MEC Chairman prior to the deadline

OR

The MEC could publish an advance agenda with the known resolutions as of the deadline. I would see a vast majority of them and I would only have to read one document. The only things I wouldn't see are late agenda items and items to be discussed in closed session.

Which do you think makes it easier for a pilot to provide useful feedback to his LEC reps PRIOR to an MEC meeting that isn't colored by slanted survey questions?

RCD73

I suppose only time will tell.

It's a great jet. Burn is around 2800 per engine at max weight in the cruise. They do seem to shred engines with a disturbing regularity. Last one was about 10 days ago during the takeoff roll. Sparks and pieces dropping off etc ... RR/BMW are on fix 2.2 and climbing.


.

Jabberwock

That's because Bar's a pilot. If he was a manager, worried about Cap Ex, he'd not care about their numerous quirks.

The 717's problem has been its engines which have nearly no aftermarket support. The competition for CFM56 rotables and overhaul services have driven that engine to unheard of levels of efficiency. The thing just runs for 30,000 hours, then gets an overhaul that probably costs a third of what a a BR715 costs.

Here's some Boeing rah rah for the 717, FWIW:

Aero 19 - 717 Maintenance Costs

Jabberwock

Cool Good news!

LeineLodge

Saw you got a line for December. Christmas come early this year!

Many thanks to all the DTW320B's that bid down to reserve for December. Sure gonna be nice to not be commuting to reserve.

forgot to bid

I've heard. FWIW, JT8Ds like to blow out too but of course they're not as young. Are you guys using less power than before on climb out? If so, is that to save the engine wear and tear? I ask because given the size of the engines I'd figure they'd climb like a bat out of hell but I've caught a few lately in the climb and it made me think that it might be a reduced power procedure for fuel or engine life.

It may be one of the reasons why SWA is like "you really want em'? Have em'. We can get 737s." I think for DAL they'd like to work through those problems if they can get young 117 seaters for a very good price.

Of course DAL getting the 717s from AAI as AAI becomes SWA is ironic given the 9s that went to Valujet from Delta. Maybe the only reason Delta wants to do this is to complete the circle? The circle of life? Hakuna Matata.

forgot to bid

88 ATL lines went way junior as well, especially compared to November.

iaflyer

I can see the new commercials now:

Amtrak: We won't touch your junk.

Ride Amtrak: We won't feel you up.