Thanks to everybody who answered my questions about Sec 23 Recovery Flying yesterday. I still think that recovery flying needs to be changed, at least for removal from a trip for purposes of OE. You should be off, period. And you should be able to pick up open time on those days for extra pay. I'm adding that to my next contract wish list.

We started with a system where you did not get any pay protection for trips prior to the 24th of each month. If they took your trip you had to find something to pick up or face a low hour month. Eventually we got to the point where you were pay protected for the entire month. What quickly happened is that senior FO's figured out how to sharpshoot the system especially on the international. I had a friend who took a 5 year vacation from Delta. He bid great trips and simply swapped to the senior position on any trips with line checks. The junior FO who was going to have to work the trip anyway so would always swap for a better trip. The company got tired of paying guys for years who never worked. The other thing to keep in mind is that when we had the system junior guys never got removed. Line check trips were highly sought after and swapped for as I mentioned. I don't like our current system and it needs to change. I am not however in favor of a system that allows pilots to never work and draw full pay. In effect the flying pilots have to subsidize that pilots salary. Recovery needs to be cleaned up and it will be in the next contract. Recovery pilots should come after all reserves have been used. I don't mind working for my pay but the rules should be reasonable.

12-02-2010 | 03:52 PM

#53892

sailingfun

Gets Weekends Off

Joined: Feb 2008

Posts: 20,877

Likes: 193

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyallnite

What it amounts to is that Crew Skeds can assign any trip to anyone for that day or the next day, based on a "list" that only they can produce and see, of the people who had white/yellow slips in. Gone are the days when they would help you out and give out a white slip to a guy who wants to fly over a guy on reserve. They have way too much leeway in how they assign open time over a two day window. They claim that it's because they need a list to go off of, but the FA's have been able to do swaps and drops and pickups in real time for years. You can bet the company has the absolute best software for tracking pilots, but when it comes to us being able to pick up trips and make money... well, they just don't have the resources

Of course, the ALPA guys can pick up using special rules. But for the rest of us, you are at the mercy of a scheduler who will give out open time more than a day in advance to a reserve instead of awarding a white slip. Total B.S. and needs to be addressed in the next contract.

Your understanding of the contract is way off. I wont even go into the reserve part but Whiteslips always go ahead of reserves. They must award you the WS. They have no discretion. If they fail to award it then call DALPA and get paid for it. The only exception is a out of base white slip.

12-02-2010 | 03:55 PM

#53893

Dakota Kid

Gets Weekends Off

Joined: Jul 2010

Posts: 168

Likes: 0

From: Left Seat

With all of the pilots looking for work now days would it be beneficial to get the FE written done in hopes of getting picked up by DAL? I know that Delta has a modern fleet so is there any chance of it helping or would it be a waste of time. Thanks!

12-02-2010 | 03:57 PM

#53894

forgot to bid

veut gagner à la loterie

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 23,286

Likes: 0

From: Light Chop

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnso29

WAIT!! You're working!!

I'd use that term lightly. Day 3 of a 4 day, flown 2 legs. Lots of reroutes. 13 hour overnight became 815, 18 became 8 but that got changed when the deadhead failed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzpat

Hey, don't knock it. That movie resulted in me marrying a hot, much younger, wife. The guys in my wedding party even serenaded her like Charlie gets serenaded in the bar. Cheesy? Yes. Effective? Most definitely.

Hey, Right Stuff is on. I can't watch football here not even the ESPN game so Right Stuff is good. That Chuck Yeager, he reminds me of me. We both have pilots licenses. I didn't know Chuck Yeager was in the movie??

12-02-2010 | 04:22 PM

#53895

scambo1

The Brown Dot +1

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 7,775

Likes: 0

From: 777B

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota Kid

I dont see how that would be helpful. Get your ATP. Delta hires captains, not square fillers.

12-02-2010 | 04:22 PM

#53896

RockyBoy

Doesn't Get Weekends Off

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 2,599

Likes: 2

I want to know the secret behind dropping reserve days when the numbers are below the minimums. I've watched the numbers drop by three to five between the 23-26th of December. The 23rd is now 0 and it started out at 5 required 5 available. Either guys are getting the month long flu, using mil leave, or know some secret trick that I haven't figured out yet.

12-02-2010 | 04:23 PM

#53897

80ktsClamp

Da Hudge

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 17,473

Likes: 0

From: Poodle Whisperer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota Kid

Nope. No airplanes left that require that. The only companies that want an FE written are FedEx and UPS.... not even sure if UPS wants it anymore.

12-02-2010 | 04:26 PM

#53898

scambo1

The Brown Dot +1

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 7,775

Likes: 0

From: 777B

Quote:

Originally Posted by forgot to bid

I'd use that term lightly. Day 3 of a 4 day, flown 2 legs. Lots of reroutes. 13 hour overnight became 815, 18 became 8 but that got changed when the deadhead failed.

Hey, Right Stuff is on. I can't watch football here not even the ESPN game so Right Stuff is good. That Chuck Yeager, he reminds me of me. We both have pilots licenses. I didn't know Chuck Yeager was in the movie??

What channel?

"then they built a small plane"
"and men came to the high desert to ride it"
"they called them test pilots. and noone knew their names."

"Hey Trudy, have I ever let you down? ... who's the best pilot you ever saw."

"What gus is sayin..."