Erma Bombeck was a great writer, may she rest in peace.

 

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Hey Scambo and ACL, reminds me of what my preacher was told before he got married - do you want to make interest the rest of your life or pay interest the rest of your life?

He says there is one big problem if you want to make interest the rest of your life, you can't have everything you want. You can't even have the things you can afford.

But it's better than reaching into the future to take money you haven't made yet.

 

Wow! Thanks for posting video. Music to my ears!

 

There is a difference between being a w-2 employee like we are at DAL and setting up alternate income sources. I did not read in ACLs post anything about the upcoming contract. Regardless of C-2012's outcome, responsibility for ones'self lies within himself. Some people want enough to be able to pay greens fees and their mortgage, others want more.

My point of view is that the airline is a great part time job, always has been. It doesn't currently pay enough, but for those not motivated to be in business themselves, picking up extra flying gives you extra income.

Without a pension, an airline job is just a job. Pension being the differentiator for me between a career and a job. You can walk at anytime and take your 401k with you.

If DALPA doesnt push for significant contract improvements, I would think their days are numbered. DAL pilot demographics are different than they ever have been before: Multiple furloughs, delayed career progression, huge givebacks in and before BK. Combine this with ALPA dissappointments; ALPA conflict of interest, age 65, rapid growth of outsourced flying and a host of other items; either ALPAs fault or in which ALPA as a contributing factor. (the intent is not alpa bashing).

The bottom line: You can hope for a game changing contract or you can (at least try to) take responsibility for your own economic future.

 

Hey FTB,

I flew a Convair 640 (see avatar) with Rolls Royce Dart turbine engines and we had three fuel fire heaters used to heat the wing/tail. If I remember correctly they were rated at 550,000 btu each. We could also use one to heat the cabin as well if necessary and man did that thing put out the heat.

 

Diversifying your income stream is just smart for your family. Just because guys can make money and sustain a life outside of this airline, does not mean that they will give up on the airline or the pilots that they work with. Big difference.

I cannot tell you how many pilots have not had a back up and end up with a career ending medical issue. They and their family are in deep trouble.

To respond to your assertion that I an "giving up" on this career, the answer is no. Heck I may run for rep again next fall. What I am doing is what any smart and prudent person would do, diversify. I had it when I lived in DFW, sold it because I wanted to be a hands on owner, and now am in a position to be a SB Owner once again.

There are many here that are looking to leave DAL, that is a fact. That fact and reality has happened recently, and it has not gone unnoticed by the leadership.

Don't worry, I will still be pain in everyone's side here at DAL. I rarely do anything without giving my all.

 

I could have not have said it better myself.

Like I said, I will still fight for a great contract in 2012 and beyond. I have done both a SB and pilot advocacy before. You can do both quite well.

ExpressPilot, get involved, make a change, and hold those in the current positions accountable.

 

OK........... After reading some of the posts from yesterday I have to ask. The vibe I'm getting after reading them is that there are a good bit of guys that feel that they should have possibly gone somewhere else (namely Southwest or Fedex). I'm on the outside looking in but I have been working on finishing my college degree over the last few years working towards possibly trying to get on at Delta. Now I totally understand that no job is perfect no matter what. I'm wondering that if DAL had a contract close to what SWA has would that make "most" guys happy? I understand that the airline has shrunk over the years and no one likes that at all. I have to believe that Management would rather fill one 170+ seat airplane than several RJ's. I may be totally off here. I'm trying to figure out what it is that would make this the place that most want to retire from.

I know that I'm opening up a can of worms with this but I'd like to know what most think.

Sorry..

 

From my view, it's a complicated issue. Sure, we'd like SWA pay - and I'm talking Southwest's W2 and days off. But that would require working long days - making us more efficient. That would result more stagnation and maybe cutting some guys off the bottom. So - I guess the answer is, wanting SWA pay may not be the best choice.

The issue with filling a 170 seat airplane vs several RJs, is another complex one. Sure, mgmt would prefer to fill a 170 seat airplane, but not if we're only flying that route once a day with it. Business travelers need many flights a day, so mgmt actually prefers (and something called the S-curve supports that) several departures spread around the day. A secondary issue is that Delta has bought all these RJs and they are on long term contracts. We can't get rid of them immediately, even if they aren't profitable, so they have to be used for something. We are cutting back, but we still have a lot.