Our PWA limits still apply - and are more restrictive than the new rules in many cases. So no two-man-over-eight-hour trips for us - until we negotiate that away

 

As far as I am concerned that rule is equal to scope and pay. Period. I vote No if it goes away. Two man ops across the Atlantic suck period.

 

How are these new flight duty times going to lead to the need for larger gauge. Is the gauge mostly a function of demand?

 

On the RJ side there will be less frequency to deal with the cost, but the frequency will be on larger jets. No more 12 flights a day from ATL-GNV.

 

That's why the "paper trail" after an accident won't just be limited to pulling non rev records. They will ask for, and get, cell phone company call/text/tower ping data, ez-pass, on star, parking lot ID swipe times, hotel check in times, credit card reciepts, emails, facebook, ATM machines, etc. to use as evidence that a rogue renegade pilot was "careless and wreckless" and was a primary cause of an accident.

The more I read of this monstrosity the more it looks like it was written by the ATA and signed into law. I know, I know, were it not for ALPA/CAPA/etc it would have been worse. Worse is just hard to see right now.

Some of the worst regionals and supplimentals will have to hire a few more pilots but the legacy's won't really see much additional staffing that I can tell. A lot will depend on scheduled versus actual and if there is any relief for IROPS and the like or if all of these are hard times.

9 hours isn't really enough for a transcon turn and if its a hard 9 hours (as defined by throttle up+ projected time on last leg like it currently is) then I don't see very many scheduled ops over 8 hours because that will lead to a lot of CX flights far from base/position for the pilot and the plane and a lot of gate returns for their 2 pilot ETOPS fantasy anytime there are even marginal ground delays. If the 9 hours or 2 man ETOPS times are flexibile like the current 8 is (legal to start legal to finish) then its a net loss for us big time.

 

That is one hypothesis and you may be right, however, there could also be some careful manipulation of the flight schedules between large and small jets. This also provides incentive for the entire industry to take more seats out of the market in order to increase price.

I am very skeptical of this new rule and think that there is a potential to continue the major airline stagnation that I have lived the last decade. The devil is in the details and frankly I haven't read the entire document.

I can't wait to read ALPA nationals response to this rule change.

 

I am not following you. How do you get that commuting will get more interesting from that reference.

 

Let me save you the suspense.

1) Things are as wonderful as they are because of their hard work.

2) No other entity could do better.

3) They have amazing lawyers which are the best in the industry and you are lucky to have them, inspite of constantly watching pucks slide pass their horribly written legal language.

4) Keep sending in your dues.

 

I am assuming that you are joking here for two reasons:

Reason number one:

Reason number two: Unless the commuter Pilot who flies to work lives in the terminal (think Tom Hanks Movie) or the parking lot in a RV (like many do at LAX) the commuting Pilot must also drive to an airport.

Common sense must dictate (I know we are dealing with government) that its up to the pilot to show up rested. How deep in the weeds the government goes to verify this is the big question and this will probably not be put to the test until after the first mishap under the new rules.

Scoop

 

"ALPA Welcomes Release of Pilot Fatigue Rule"

Yup, sounds about right.