Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Airline Pilot Forums > Major > Delta
Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta? >

Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?

Search

Notices

Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:02 AM
  #62251  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by forgot to bid
I enjoy bar rants.

and i am always fascinated with bombing runs in the middle east from Missouri.
Out of Whitman?
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:04 AM
  #62252  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by acl65pilot
Frankly, pilots are always sitting at home on full pay waiting for TOE. Sometimes it is a few weeks and other times it is a few months. We will constantly have a large training footprint with an airline this large. We as a company just need to learn to accept it. What we have not is small potatoes compared to what we will see when the retirements kick in.
Perhaps thats why they are considering a monthly APA system...no more waiting around.
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:09 AM
  #62253  
capncrunch's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,355
Likes: 34
Default

The newest John Travolta I'm an airline pilot video. This will make you throw up in your mouth.

Captain Travolta's video angers flight crew | The Daily Telegraph
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:15 AM
  #62254  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,530
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by capncrunch
The newest John Travolta I'm an airline pilot video. This will make you throw up in your mouth.

Captain Travolta's video angers flight crew | The Daily Telegraph
I like it. Also, those seat belt buckles are kinda neat. The Aussie accent certainly doesn't hurt.
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:26 AM
  #62255  
Fly4hire's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 911
Likes: 0
From: Left, left, left right left....
Default

Originally Posted by iceman49
Perhaps thats why they are considering a monthly APA system...no more waiting around.
Who is they?

The APA was a good system, and allowed for monthly bids, as well as the company to respond more quickly to market conditions. The current 270/365 conversion cycle is simply not responsive enough to adjust for market forces that can move well within a 6 month cycle. The down side is it allows for position sharpshooting by the company, and if you are near the bottom of any list expect to be bouncing back and forth between requals on any given aircraft on a sometimes semi-annual basis. The good is that bids come out monthly, albeit smaller, that allows to easily shift between bases, as well as the requirement to be trained 3.5 months from the bid award. Freezes mitigated too much movement, but we also had unlimited reinstatement rights if bumped from a position.

All in all it was some good, some bad, but pilots preferred it over the previous system, similar to the current AE. that was abandoned in 98'. It allowed the company to be more nimble both in responding to market conditions as well as metering training loads.

FWIW, the old PWA language that covered it:

24. E. Awarding of Permanent Position Vacancies

E.1. The bid of each pilot for a permanent position shall be that indicated on his EPL.

E.2. Awarding of all permanent positions shall be made in accordance with system seniority from the EPLs and shall be published no later than the 20th calendar day of each month.

E.2.a. The effective date of the award to a permanent position vacancy shall be the first day of the fourth ensuing bid period (e.g., awards made in July will be effective on the first day of the November flying month). A pilot shall hold the permanent position as of the effective date of the permanent position award.

E.2.b. When an award is made requiring initial qualification training, the pilot shall commence flying in such category as of the completion of training (see Section 25 A.6.a., Section 24 J.1.a. Exception and Section 24 E.2.c). However, a pilot who:

(i) has not completed initial qualification training within one month after the effective date of the award, or

(ii) has not completed initial qualification training by the effective date of the award when such pilot is involuntarily displaced pursuant to Section 24 G. from a position in which he was not initially qualified,
for a reason other than the unavailability of the pilot (including his unavailability because he does not hold the required FAA medical certificate or because he has not successfully completed the written portion of the FAA flight engineer examination or the written portion of the FAA air transport rating examination), or act of nature, or withdrawal of an aircraft type from service or work stoppage directly affecting training or other circumstance agreed to between the Vice President of Flight Operations and the MEC Chairman as being beyond the Company’s control:

E.2.b.(1) Shall not fly in any other position as a temporary or call-out/down pilot until his initial qualification training is completed. If the first day of the second month falls during a pilot’s trip hour period, he will be paid in the awarded category effective on such day, but he will not be assigned to the awarded position until completion of his trip and will not be rescheduled to return to his base later than originally scheduled.

E.2.b.(2) Shall be deemed to be a reserve pilot in his awarded position for the balance of the bid period in which his training is completed, subject to his selection as a call-down pilot in accordance with Section 24 J.2.d.

Last edited by Fly4hire; 03-20-2011 at 07:39 AM.
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:34 AM
  #62256  
Pineapple Guy's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,462
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Fly4hire
Who is they?

The APA was a good system, and allowed for monthly bids, as well as the company to respond more quickly to market conditions. The current 270/365 conversion cycle is simply not responsive enough to adjust for market conditions that can move well within a 6 month cycle....It allowed the company to be more nimble both in responding to market conditions as well as metering training loads.
You forget that the current AE system can do everything the old APA system did, from the company's perspective. They could put one out every month if they wanted to. So the bottom line is they get the best of both worlds, and we don't.
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:40 AM
  #62257  
Carl Spackler's Avatar
Back on TDY
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12,487
Likes: 0
From: 747-400 Captain
Default

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar
.... which brings me to a rant!

Over the last fifteen years ALPA has been told, repeatedly, that their efforts to divide our union along "regional" and "mainline" terms to monetize and bargain in outsourcing was a recipe for disaster.

Personally, I've written my Reps and ALPA's Presidents dozens of letters on why, even if they insist on trading in the poison of outsourcing, that they should write scope language inclusively, so as to be the automatic beneficiaries of any new flying scheme management creates. Instead they have written language by exception and exclusion, using outdated terms and past models which are easy for management to circumvent.

Now we see unbranded regional carriers getting relative seniority SLI results. Air Canada Jazz is operating 757's across oceans. The cat is pretty clearly out of the bag.

Aside from the outsourcing issues, look at where ALPA's nonsensical scope constructs have brought us on seniority and longevity issues? You think I'm joking about Delta pilots working for Bedford? Just look at past trends and draw a line.

Obviously, I don't think that will happen or else I'd be working for him already. But, unless ALPA pulls its collective head out of the sand and address unity, that will be the result. Moak's safe, most of the list figures they'll ride it out until retirement and they'll be safe. If you are under 57 years of age you need:[LIST][*] ALPA to adopt a scope policy that favors ALPA members[*] Delta to develop a model which makes domestic flying profitable (yeah, even if it means small airplanes that pay less than big ones)
Bar,

Your rant illustrates (yet again) the failure and incompetence of ALPA's legal team that writes this language. ALPA lawyers are absolutely pathetic. We'll never fix this problem until we identify this obvious shortcoming. ALPA lawyers are pathetic. Say it with me now!

Carl
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:40 AM
  #62258  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,539
Likes: 0
Default

H
Originally Posted by Fly4hire
Who is they?

The APA was a good system, and allowed for monthly bids, as well as the company to respond more quickly to market conditions. The current 270/365 conversion cycle is simply not responsive enough to adjust for market conditions that can move well within a 6 month cycle. The down side is it allows for position sharpshooting by the company, and if you are near the bottom of any list expect to be bouncing back and forth between requals on any given acft on a sometimes semi-annual basis. The good is that bids come out monthly, albeit smaller, that allows to easily shift between bases, as well as the requirement to be trained 3.5 months from the bid award. Freezes mitigated too much movement, but we also had unlimited reinstatement rights if bumped from a position.

All in all it was some good, some bad, but pilots preferred it over the previous system, similar to the current AE that was abandoned in 98'. It allowed the company to be more nimble both in responding to market conditions as well as metering training loads.
You understand that management could hang bids monthly using the AE system to achieve the same result, right? For some reason they've chosen not to.

I suspect the biggest influence is economic and fleet driven. We were planned to groiw this year. With $3.20 jet fuel, Japan and the Middle East I can't imagine that's true now. Also, it appears that the MD-90's are coming on line slower
than planned. I'm sure we've got a lot of pilots out of place, remembering that a 1% staffing change equals about 115 pilots.
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:42 AM
  #62259  
Fly4hire's Avatar
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 911
Likes: 0
From: Left, left, left right left....
Default

Originally Posted by Pineapple Guy
You forget that the current AE system can do everything the old APA system did, from the company's perspective. They could put one out every month if they wanted to. So the bottom line is they get the best of both worlds, and we don't.
And NWA could put out a monthly APA with no bids as well. There were many a time where there were few awards, just moving between line/reserve and one base to another.

Anyways, who is considering the change and where did you hear this?
Old 03-20-2011 | 07:42 AM
  #62260  
Carl Spackler's Avatar
Back on TDY
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12,487
Likes: 0
From: 747-400 Captain
Default

Originally Posted by iceman49
Out of Whitman?
No. Whiteman.

Carl
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
On Autopilot
Regional
22617
11-05-2021 07:03 AM
AeroCrewSolut
Delta
153
08-14-2018 12:18 PM
Bill Lumberg
Major
71
06-13-2012 08:36 AM
Quagmire
Major
253
04-16-2011 06:19 AM
JiffyLube
Major
12
03-07-2008 04:27 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



Your Privacy Choices