acl65pilot

DAL did what DAL does best, it is keeping their options open with this order.

NuGuy

It's actually a pretty easy process if you don't buy into the hype.

A few well written emails with clear objectives can vault the most unknown person into a front runner.

Nu

tsquare

Why is it that whenever there is an IROPS situation, that skeds will split, no op, change or otherwise mangle rotations and then deadhead an ATL pilot on the front AND back end to cover those rotations when they could easily be done with an in-base pilot? (Sorry for the run-on) It seems that in the last couple of days, there were (for example) a trip that had one leg from BOS-JFK that was staffed from ATL. Unless something has changed, we have practically hourly service from NY to BOS, and since JFK was the goal of the coverage, skeds just bypassed common sense and went straight to panic mode and covered it our of ATL. It really kind of sucks because with a very cursory look at a few randomly chosen days through August, I found MSP trips, JFK trips and even a SEA Westpac trip that were covered by ATL. Do we have any scheduling oversight here, or is this acceptable? ALPA????

Thrust Normal

Interesting, I just saw this come through the press...

Relevance of 717 to Southwest continues to diminish
By Lori Ranson


Southwest Airlines continues to see less of a role for the Boeing 717 as the markets the aircraft serves increasingly become unviable in a high fuel cost operating environment.
Through its acquisition of AirTran finalised in May, Southwest obtained 88 of the small narrowbodies.
Citing the small role 88 aircraft play in the combined AirTran-Southwest fleet of roughly 700 aircraft, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly declared to attendees today at the International Aviation Forecast Summit hosted by the Boyd Group that the 717 does not "bring any unique benefit that Southwest cannot get with the 737".
Kelly stated the 717 is roughly the same size and offers close to same economics as the 737-500s the carrier operates. However, he did highlight higher maintenance costs on the Rolls-Royce engines powering the 717s.
Rising fuel costs are also leading to some 717 markets operated by AirTran to become unsustainable, as evidenced by the carrier's decision to cut four markets that are all or partially served by 717s - Asheville, NC; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Moline, Illinois and Newport News, Virginia.
Underscoring that smaller-gauge aircraft are tough to operate in those markets as fuel costs climb, Kelly said in the long term he does not see the 717 playing a strategic role in Southwest's fleet.
He stated some of the lease expirations on the 717s begin in 2017 and continue through 2024. Southwest is in discussions with Boeing regarding the 717 leases, Kelly explained.
Noting the 717 is a "good airplane", Kelly stressed it is a type Southwest does not want to operate for the next 20 years.

forgot to bid

Are you at that Asian American bar again?

Damn, I was really hoping for the Honda Jet styled engines above the wing!



Of course the Fokker did it long before. Awesome baby!

I feel like I posted a picture of a naked dude. That thing is ugly.

"Okay, now pull your rudder pedals all the way back... good... now, when the engine fails push all the way forward and lock your knees... "

something like that.

IROPS:

rvr350

From another point of view... I'm MSPM88, and i've been on the road for the past 7 days (8 if you count commute), covering an ATL trip. After 5 reroutes, and an additional 24:09 min in ATL for my required rest, I flew 1 stinking short leg out of ATL, then double DH to get back to base, then I had to spend an extra night before commuting home. How are they apples, eh?

Funny when I look at my MSPM88 peers' sked, there're still a few that has 0 raw score to this date.

DAL 88 Driver

Do you have any idea how much crap I've taken over the past 5 years because I've been advocating exactly what you said above?

Sorry. That just struck me as funny... and sad. Carry on.

Check Essential

I don't know, acl. You hang out with too many 40 year olds. Some of "the pilots" might have another view.
This forum is sometimes too much of an echo chamber. We all like underboob and we hate outsourcing.

Just for fun, let me poke the hornet's nest ---


Most won't say it out loud because its not politically correct among the younger First Officers who post on the Internet, but there are more than a few 50 something year old Captains who definitely don't want to spend a bunch of negotiating capital to try and bring 76 seat jets to the mainline.
Hold the line on scope? --> fine. If the young guys insist. But "recapture" the 70 or 76 seaters? --> No way. That ship has sailed. Bringing Compass and that flying back to mainline was a losing proposition that would have kept us tied in knots for years. Moak cut the chain on that stuck anchor just in time.


Maybe those of us already at the mainline are better off in the long run if we facilitate outsourcing of small gauge flying and just allow the company to continue the bidding wars and whipsaw tactics at DCI.
If RJ pilots want to work for minimum wage, doesn't that subsidize our pay rates?
Isn't it better for us if Delta is more profitable?


And we should be careful saying Section 1 is not for sale.
There are a lot of retirement deadzoners who would be willing to entertain offers.

I'll bet the survey results will be different than the APC conventional wisdom.

(now heading for the bunker)

Bucking Bar

Did they decide on the 66" version? The current size is 61 inches and Boeing was looking hard at 70."

Final 737 re-engine configuration down to four possible fan sizes

The trade off is that large fans make huge thrust when low and slow. At high speed big fans and nacelles are just extra drag. Think A10 and F104 and you get the picture. Here is a toy to play with:

EngineSim 1.7a beta

While reading up on this 737RE, I was a little surprised to read that Slow and Sailing were correct that there was room in the A320NEO schedule to accommodate Delta's needs. Apparently what happened is that Airbus became pretty firm in their prices after the number of orders they received. Boeing on the other hand may have been inspired to offer better discounts.

Overall the 737-900ER may have been the overlooked "ugly duckling" with Swan potential. Part of the reason for the success of the -800 was that its commonality makes it easy to lease and re-lease to another customer. The relative rarity of the -900 will decrease with Delta's order, making the airplane more accepted in the marketplace.

The 737-900ER RE might be just the ticket, with more thrust & better efficiency. If this RE is a nacelle and engine swap, seems like it could be done mid order. The other angle is, with new engines the 737-700 might become the "perfect" 130 to 150 seat jet. We did an order for 200 engines, but since the Leap X is the same manufacturer, an armchair observer would think there is a chance the order could be up-sold.

Bucking Bar

Check,

• Delta's profitability does not directly benefit us. It only benefits us if we do Delta's flying. We desire Delta to be profitable, but it is more important to us that we do the flying.
• It is questionable whether Delta's outsourcing has done Delta any good. I believe a compelling case can be made that Delta's 30 billion dollar RJ effort has been a miserable failure. If the money was in RJ's, Comair would be worth a fortune.
• Whipsaw can not be isolated to just "regional" carriers. Look at NWA's pre merger DC-9 rates and our own small jet rates. Our MD88's are in direct competition with CRJ and ERJ Types for route allocation.
• Scope is far from being just a junior issue. You're right at the spot where anything from E170's flying to UIO to an change in the SkyTeam agreement could effect you.

Most importantly, how much flying can we give up and still be relevant at the bargaining table? 20%, 50%, 70%?

If I went in to the C.P.'s office with a list of demands, I would be laughed at and fired. If YOU, I and the APC Board participants went to the C.P. with the same list, we'd be listened to, there would be some discussions, then we'd be fired. If every Delta pilot set the parking brake until the demands were met, the demands would be complied with nearly instantly.

You know that is how a union works (so, my soapbox isn't aimed at you, but the rest of the readers). As unity erodes, so does our power.

So I ask, which union will get you more off what you want?

1. You by yourself
2. You and me and a couple of dozen others
3. 20% of Delta's pilots
4. 50% of Delta's pilots
5. ALPA, the exclusive bargaining agent for 100% of Delta's pilots

I've no problem with what you have written, in fact your candor is appreciated. From you, your opinion is completely acceptable. My union is held to a different standard. They've got a job to do and unity is at the core of their responsibility.