Hey guys, I'm returning to line ops after an extended leave of absence. I was curious what type of bag you're using instead of the flight kit bags for your headset, mid cycle revision binder, and other pilot essentials?

Thanks ...

I carry my laptop in a laptop case from Target and stick my mid cycle binder in there. I don't have a headset, but if I did it would fit in there as well. I also see some people with the little lunch tote bags that attach to the roller board.

Welcome back!

The best bag, depends on the jet...

Bison Mountain Bags Sidekick for the Fluff.

Slide the ship-set Jepp-case back to the P-6 panel and there's room in the little space ahead of it to slide in your bag. The Sidekick fits flush, the Sidekick II extends above the Jepp-case.

Cheers
George

Denny, the lesson there is not to agree to short term extensions and to include specific end dates with remedies in any prenup...

Cheers
George

I use this...

PNT Utility Bag

It's the perfect size to fit everything. You can take the shoulder strap off. It has a velcro attachment on the back so it attaches perfectly to your suitcase.

Here's a picture of how I attach it to my bag...

Flight bag on rollerboard

Welcome back!

I've been using the SwissGear laptop backpack from Best Buy. Holds the laptop, headset, International clipboard, MCRB etc and just hangs from the hook on the LW bag.

The laptop compartment makes TSA relatively painless in those places we can't use KCM yet.

Welcome back! :)

It really depends on personal preference. I use the Brenthaven Pro Flight Bag. It's a little on the large size, but I like the way it's organized. It holds all my stuff (I guess I have more "stuff" than some... cause I don't know how I could get away with a smaller bag). And it also has a very well padded compartment that holds my laptop. The section that holds the laptop is designed so you unzip a zipper on each side of the bag, and then the bag folds out to lie flat so the laptop is in it's own half of the bag and it can be put through security without having to take it out.

The bag also attaches securely to the hook on my rollaboard.

I picked mine up at Crew Outfitters in the ATL pilot lounge. If I remember correctly, it was about $130.

Thanks for the suggestions ...

Denny, I know this. We all do. That is not the point. The point is that we could be looking at a rolling window of 'smaller' consolidation that keeps pushing a meaningful contract improvement farther and farther out.

Respectufully, however, I take issue with the tone of your statement,"...we do not have a choice..." In fact we do. We use our ability to vote down contract after contract and refuse to allow the company to completely have its way, again.

The JCBA was a sweetheart deal for the company. We are nearing section 6 openers and the UAL/CAL merger drags on, SWA/AAI is nastier than anyone thought a merger in the 'happiest place on Earth' would be; and Airways will continue to fight imaginary enemies like the lost Japanese warrior on the desert island. DAL has seen HUGE synergies and operational advantages no other carrier has, thanks in no small part to our willingness to help.

It is time to repay the pilot group for that help as well as for saving the airline in bankruptcy.

Another merger move muddies our position and dilutes the leverage we have as a group, because the integration, infighting (potentially) and simply time to complete another consolidation.

By talking about these things here, in the cockpit and in the lounges is vital to exuding a sense to the company that while we will not burn the place down, we will, as per the Railway Labor Act use every available means to arrive at what we believe to be fair and equitable. All the way down to the 'nuclear option'.

When the enemy believes you will use The Bomb, the game changes. I'm not saying we need to be overtly militant, agressive or even unfriendly towards the company.

What I am saying is that we have to make it crystal clear that a merger, in whatever shape, will not distract us from getting an industry leading contract. If they want additional consolidation to solidify the West, fine. But they aren't going to get a sub-step up in contract like they did w/ the NWA/DAL merger. Yes, different time in history and different place.

And finally, I understand your point about the US Air debacle. But there is nothing that says that during our merger, we all couldn't have voted down one JCBA after another until we were put into mediation. The deal wouldn't have gotten smaller...and the loss to the company in not having a unified fleet would have multiplied exponentially as time went on.

But what do I know, I'm just a pilot.

Yes. Talked to crew skeds yesterday about this. Because it is a spill trip the computer is"blind" from 1 dec on so it will not let you swap a spill trip until after the Dec bids are out. It then knows the RSV coverage for Dec. I wanted to drop/add trips that operated over the exact same days but was denied. Kinda stupid. It should only worry about Nov coverage