Originally Posted by TANSTAAFL (Post 913586)

Seriously - why not?

Originally Posted by TANSTAAFL (Post 913593)

Urban myth. Most are hanging around for:

a) they have waited 20 yrs for the ability to fly the 744, and many are getting it just prior to 60 and want to fly it for a few years.

b) more significantly the break even on working for "free" vs. retiring got seriously biased towards 65 with the DAL cost of retiree medical prior to medicare/SS eligibilty.

The "screw the RB guys" is just good BS talk for why they are really hanging around. As to ATL 744 I'm guessing they are staying in DTW because RA has stated that it will be the primary Asia gateway.

Originally Posted by NuGuy (Post 913658)

If you took the two lists the day after the merger announcement, and added them together, how many pilots is that? How many do we have now?

More, or less? That is the measure of how well we're doing. Anything else is fluff and cover. My bet is that number will only go down.

Originally Posted by Delta1067 (Post 913666)

Does anybody know how often you can change who you designate as your "travel companion"? I have 2 people I want to share the benefit with and was wondering how frequently I can switch them back and forth? I'm guessing once per year. Anyone know for sure?

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by tsquare (Post 913667)

I don't wanna work in the sim. Don't wanna have anything to do with it.

Originally Posted by iaflyer (Post 913669)

Not really a fair comparison, as the economy has cratered since 2008.

Originally Posted by NuGuy (Post 913658)

Heyas,

I'm all for bringing the IP jobs back to line pilots.

For every IP doing training, you have to hire a guy to replace him. This equals more pilots, which is good.

At any one time, NWA had about 350 instructors of all stripes...CA/FO/SO. These guys did all training in a motion device and all checking events (except the SV, which was electronic), as well as LCA functions. It was also required that a line pilot, IP or otherwise, peform seat support (also good).

Most, if not all IPs, worked 6 months in the box and 6 on the line, broken up into different blocks. A lot did 2in/2out, but it varied. The crux was that in any given month, you probably had around 150 guys off line, which is a drop in the bucket if you're worried about costs (which, last time I checked, was a management job).

But anyway, you guys hopeful of waves of hiring are delusional. Airframes will continue to attrit out of the fleet, pilots will continue to retire and my guess is that you won't see any hiring other than to cover the absolute baseline. Any aircraft orders will be strictly on a replacement basis, and it won't be 1:1.

Any hopes of waves of retirements is also delusional. You guys, of all people, should know that pilots LOVE to say one thing, but do something else. When it comes time for guys to sign on the line, grab their crap, and walk out the door, you can better believe most will NOT do it. They have too good a deal going, and they know it.

If you took the two lists the day after the merger announcement, and added them together, how many pilots is that? How many do we have now?

More, or less? That is the measure of how well we're doing. Anything else is fluff and cover. My bet is that number will only go down.

Nu

Originally Posted by NuGuy (Post 913671)

Then don't put in for it. It's not like they're going to force you.

However, LOTS of guys happen to like the duty, expecially when it's broken up.

It's a challenging job that breaks up the ho-hum of every day line flying, especially if its a 2sim/2line schedule. Some guys like the interaction, some guys like the schedule, and some guys like the technical aspects of it. I did it for a few years, and it was a great job. When flying the line got old, you'd hop in the sim for two months, and when that got old, you went back and flew the line for two.

Nu

Originally Posted by NuGuy (Post 913673)

Irrelevant. You can be sure the company will use this as an excuse until time immortal, just like 9/11.

Originally Posted by NuGuy (Post 913663)

By the time you delete all of the extraneous admin overhead that goes with it, I bet Ice is pretty close.


Nu