Heyas F4H,

I've been doing some researching on this very topic. And here are some bits and pieces that I have put together:

First: The ONLY way to access the mainframe, outside of Deltanet, is through an account with Flightline Data Systems. They do exactly what Compuserve used to do for NWA back in the day, and that is provide what is essentially a VPN. The JAVA and HTML interfaces that Deltanet provdes to the mainframe (eCrew/iCrew) are not really compatible with the relatively simple data mining/scripting that Crew Control, EZOpenboard and the others use.

You cannot sign up through the internet. You must either use of of the programs to sign up with FDS, or call them on the phone.

Second, there are NO programs that interface with Travelnet. From what I gathered, DAL pulled the plug on direct RES (reservations access) some time ago, so there aren't any programs that provide non-rev stuff like Crew Control or JetBook did. Even if you had direct access, there was no way to book jumpseats, so again, there is no way to have an automated setup.

So far, the only programs that are designed to actually data mine the DAL mainframes is WidgetWorks (for general schedule stuff) and Easybid (for PBS). They can both be downloaded from the FDS site and are free...but you need to pay for an account to access the mainframe. These programs appear to be written for dial-up use, but they are fairly functional. WW will access the mainframe, and create a logbook and a pretty schedule, and you can actually get it to email a PDF schedule to someone.

Oh yea, you have to have a PC or a Intel Mac. There is a program for OS X called CrewDog, but it isn't free, and all it seems to provide is a direct line to DBMS through a simplified interface.

But taking a closer look at things, I am confident that some of our fNWA bright computer guys will come up with something.

If you don't want to pay FDS for an account, Bid Assist (bid assistant home page) has been modded to work with the DAL bid packets. The folks at Softmica.com have modded BidBuddy into BidCentral, which also does bid analysis and calendar stuff, and will convert/print the DAL rotations in the old NWA format.

Nu

That is exactly what I was told. They want the base but they do not want to move guys there only to close it in a year or so when marketing changes their mind. If they can get a commitment I am sure they will do a base.

I am sure the union will be involved in some the extraordinary items with a base 1/2 way around the world. It would only make sense that they would do what CAL-Mikes does. There is a base line to it.

ACL, I hope the computers and software you're talking about are more advanced then the current Commadore 64s:rolleyes:

They seem to be. I know their ultimate desire is to determine the size jet that flies a route two days prior to departure. A pipe dream for sure, but something that many would love to do .

As for how they do it, yes, they have good computers. What we have is just enough to get the job done. There is no ROI on new homegrown software.

WWW crap! Stay away!

I guess they could run a bid and see who puts in an AE for it. If they don't get enough guys to put in an AE they could cancel it and staff it with other bases doing long trips. The cost of paying for all the MD's to move to a Guam base would be kinda costly. CAL-MIC also starts any newhire on 2nd year pay and pays for their initial move to Guam. If we open a base there, I kinda think any newhires in 2010 will have the luxury of a Guam tour making it costly for the company if they do what CAL-MIC does.

Yep but they do a two year commitment on it. Add to that that per our PWA a new base will have moves paid for either way.

Heyas ACL,

This actually came up at NWA a few years back...NWA IT, always a sharp bunch, developed set of programs that would dynamically schedule the airline on a day to day basis.

One catch, of course, were the crews. They wanted it set up where you would basically have a report time, a number of duty days, and a release time, and that's it. I'm not sure if this hurdle was ever jumped, but I heard there were talks with the unions about it.

The other catch was the seat assignment issue. Right about this time, the charging for the "premium seats" came into vogue, and you can't sell something 30 days out when that seat might not even exist at departure.

If NWA IT people really did come over with the merger and that same expertise is still there, not just on the programming side, but on the conceptual side, then it CAN happen. These guys were using self check-in and had agents in line with PDPs way before anyone else.

Nu

Nu, bring them on! If I have one criticism of DAL it is the slow integration of IT advancements. As the world's largest (and best) carrier, we deserve the best computer professionals. I think, historically, DAL has placed their priorities in other areas. Now, with you guys, we need to make the leap into the 21st century.

Nu, I'm pretty sure it was figured out with the crews...on the reasignment.

Does this mean we can get rid of the early 1990s clip art on icrew? And get rid of taking 4-5 pages of OK, date DDMMM type Y or N if you really want to abandon this request, type Y or N again in the tiniest little box that you can't find to signfy you really meant it plus now type date MMMDDYYYY. On the next page its YYMDMDMYY.

And could we get rid of INVALID END DATE, DID YOU DO AN AUTOLAND YES OR NO OTHERWISE HIT CANCEL AS IF YOU'RE CANCELING EVERYTHING YOU JUST TYPED and USE PREF KEYS (@#%@) and having to pull out our sheet of paper to write down pairing numbers so that 10 pages later when we get to PCS we remember what it was we were asking for in the first place.

We are in the age of the mouse you know. And I think we're done with the decade we never could name, I think. Or is 2010 the last year?

:D

Its always enjoyable to have 18 different passwords...all unique, probably part of the security.:D

We need to hire some of the IT guys from Skywest. When I worked there, the computer system they had was very user friendly.

Has anybody ever encountered this when calling the Crew Line?

"Welcome to Delta's crew operations system. We are currently experiencing system problems. Please call again later."

What the heck is that? Does that mean I can go home?

It happened a couple of months ago, the system went down and you could not call. It wouldn't accept your employee number and password as valid. I thought it was because I was fired but it was because the system was down.

Just log on to icrew and if you got a 23K then it will say this:

http://divyanovel.files.wordpress.co...y_clip_art.jpg

You Have Been Assigned 0300 SC

Acknowledge by entering your DBMS Password: *********

Enter your employee Number: ******

Select Y or N to acknowledge you entered your employee number: *

Enter the start date of the rotation you were originally assigned: DDMMMY

:D Its all in fun.

I'm on reserve, ftb, so no birthday cake for me!!! :)

For reserve pilots you have to look for this clip art... if you're only looking for clip art instead of words.

http://images.clipartof.com/small/71...Expression.jpg

Holy crap!! The 29th is right around the corner. I'm scared. :D


No serious. Another question.

Let's say I don't want to fall below 80% in DTW and would rather be at 60% in MSP, is there a way I can bid for that?

I really am scared. :confused: :)

We're all scared new, the screaming inside of my head is so loud lately I can't hear the other voices.

Are you asking this?

1. DTW DC9 A 80% (if you end up DTW DC9 A 80.1% then go to 2)
2. MSP DC9 A 60% (if you end up MSP DC9 A 60.1% then go to 3)
3. DTW DC9 A

I think I'm saying that right. If you can't be 80% or better in DTW then you want to go to MSP but only if you're 60% or better or go to your next choice.

Hummm. Thanks Forgot!! And that goes on my AE??

I think you answered two questions for me.

1.) How I am supposed to bid if I fall below a certain percentage.

2.) Why there seem to be so many people bidding my crappy DC-9 seat that are senior to me.

The senior pilots in my position who put a similar bid in would show up on that senior pilots bidding a position thing, wouldn't they? Eureka!!!

Oh you newly weds!! I do ANYTHING the voices in MY WIFE'S head say to do:D

Ferd

Oh dear, you believed me. Crap.

Well, to answer question 1 from DALPA:
Q-6. I am not sure I understand how to use the bid qualifiers. Can you explain how they work?

A-6. You may specify a minimum position by entering either a number or percentage. For example, by entering a “Low Nbr” of 80, you would only be awarded a category if you would be number 80 or higher in the category. If you entered a Low % of 80, you would only be awarded the position if you would be in the top 80 percent of the category.

And question 2 from DALPA:
Q-7. What information is actually available on the “Count Pilots Holding A Preference For A Specific Category” page?

A-7. This page only counts pilots senior to you that have an AE bid preference in for that specific category. It does not look at VD or MD bids into that category, and it also does not indicate whether pilots senior to you have used bid qualifiers (number, percentage, or regular line only) with their AE bid preferences. Further, it also does not recognize whether a pilot senior to you is a pre-merger Northwest pilot or pre-merger Delta pilot bidding for a category that is only available to him if there are insufficient bidders to that category. (See question # 2 above).

Anotherwords new, when it comes to bid qualifiers don't be concerned about what you see because you don't know what they've bid really and more importantly you don't know what someone might have put on a MD or VD from that site. What we're finding is that option to see what senior pilots have bid works "okay" or "good" when we have an AE with vacancies and hiring. With surpluses abounding on the DC9, 767s, 765s and a whole fleet swap between bases then that thing is rather worthless. You don't know how many guys are bidding "choice 2) DC9 A ">" 50% 3) 330 B 80%..." you can't tell.

I did however find this question interesting:
Q-8. It looks like I may be mandatorily displaced (MD) as a result of this Advanced Entitlement Bid, and I am interested in bidding one of the new categories (DTW 777 A/B, MSP M88 A/B, NYC 765 A/B, and SLC 320 A/B). Do I have to bid an AE to be awarded one of these positions or can I use my MD to get the award?

A-8. If mandatorily displaced, you can be awarded one of these categories if your seniority will allow you to hold the position. You need not place an AE bid to get the award. These new category vacancies will be awarded in seniority order regardless of the award type (AE, VD, or MD).

There seems to be a misunderstanding about a new category and MDs as in you can't MD yourself into a new category but the way I read that above you can. So new, if you can MD then you don't know what the cascading effect of 744 B pilots being MD'd and then MD'd others til someone MD's into the 9 A spot above you. Not to say that is happening, just saying that "count pilots above you" thing isn't considering that and therefore can be tossed on this AE.

And one I ran into the other day with a DALN pilot was about the 777 DTW in that its not a fenced aircraft if its a new category. I'm 90% positive that a 744 and 777 are fenced until the fences are dropped regardless of there being new categories like DTW 777 or say 747 NYC. But I'm already past my bed time and won't look it up, but I think I am right about it. I can't stay up tonight and wait for 80, he doesn't usually show up until midnight. ;)

New, keep that seat warm next to you, you're about to get a guy who doesn't know how to handle the lack of a magenta line but no worries, I'm fine with descents, I'm a VS kind of guy.

I can't see where he got that idea - here's what the SLI award said:

4. For the period of five (5) years beginning with the first bid period after the issuance of the Single Operating Certificate (SOC), no pre-merger Northwest pilot may be awarded or displaced to a vacancy on a B777 aircraft or category and no pre-merger Delta pilot may be awarded or displaced to a B787 or B747 vacancy.

and the explanation of the conditions and restrictions says:

Paragraph 4 (Position Fences): This paragraph contains the description of what is commonly referred to as a “fence.” The Panel stated on page 26 of the Award that it decided only to apply a fence to “premium flying” and defined that term as all flying performed on the NWA 747/787 and the DAL 777. The language states that position vacancies on these aircraft must be awarded to pilots from the appropriate pre-merger pilot group. During the processing of vacancies and surpluses and the award of AE/MD/VDs in accordance with Section 22 of the PWA, all positions on these aircraft must remain “within” the pre-merger pilot group unless an insufficient number of pilots in that group have bids for, or are eligible for, an award (we will discuss insufficient bidders in Paragraph 7). This paragraph applies until the first bid period that occurs five years after the issuance of an SOC to the Company.

He is so wrong about that. In fact, I don't think the fences have even started yet. SOC + 5 years. He can bid it and get it after every other S-DAL pilot.


Oh, forgot. Radar vectors my man, headings and radar vectors. :D


Oh, wait. I do believe you about the bidding your position at the % that you think is your minimum preference. Does it matter if it is AE or VD?

Sorry if it has been discussed before but does anyone know what it means when after you enter your AE bids it says "Bid down selection **".
I think it has to do with a certain percentage you want in a category/base but just want to make sure

When I got my current seat there were about a 100 guys senior to me bidding it with only a few vacancies.

Everyone senior to you who has a bid in for it shows up, no matter what restictions they have, and even if it is their 20th bid choice.

Plus, what I'm gathering, and correct me if I'm wrong, but if the #1 DC9A put a AE in that said:

1.) DTW DC9A low number 2
(as in he can't stand being any lower than number 2 on the bidlist)
2.) MSP DC9A low percentage 20%
(as in he doesn't want to have any less than a 80% cushion in MSP IF he gets displaced to MSP)
3. DTW 320A

He would show up as a senior bidder to me in all three categories or any other category he put in there even though he is already on the DC-9. right?

So, when I look to see that 50 guys senior to me have DTW DC9A as an AE, it includes the guys who are already on the airplane, but are bidding to go elsewhere if they fall below a minimum percentage or number. Right?

If not, I think I have about 24 hours to decide if I want to be a 7erB out of ATL, DTW, NYC, or if I should try to decide if I can learn French on the 330. :eek:

AE closes in 24 hours and I still have no idea where I will end up...... Here is to everyone getting what they want and if they don't being recalled back soon!

Whats an "AE"? Should I concern myself with such acronyms?




























;)

You're fine. I'll worry about it for you.

Just PM me your DBMS password.

NYCM88 for me. ;)

Fwiw, he said he wants a base where he could learn to snorkel and dive.

MSP, the land of 10,000 lakes!

Actually, there is 11,842 lakes in MN ;) Don't know exactly how many at MSP :confused: , but who is counting???? :D

So can we estimate SOC on the 31st, Bid Results on 3-4th ish??

You can estimate anything. I think we will see an SOC announcement shortly.

Can scheduling give you consecutive short calls without a rest period between them? I am on SC from 1500 today to 1500 on the 29th. My schedule has another SC scheduled at 1500 tomorrow. Can't see how that is legal.

I don't think they can - what category are you in?

Delta, Northwest one step closer to becoming one | ajc.com

Atlanta Journal Article

Steve Gorman said: “‘We’ve had a lot of great work done by our operational teams,” said Delta's chief operating officer, Steve Gorman, in recent comments to financial analysts. On Jan. 1, the ‘invisible curtain between the two certificates’ in flight control, aircraft routing and crew tracking will disappear, he said.”

And another thing, why are guys with higher raw scores in my bucket being assigned trips before me? In the words of the immortal Vince Lombardi, "What the heck's going on out there?"!!!

NYC 7ER B. I am really starting to get aggravated. If I was sitting reserve from home, it would be fine.