Frankly, both are relatively senior. I think you need to be sitting at about 11200 on the seniority list to hold a line on either.

Want a line, bid NYC m88 and MSP m88. Everything else gets senior real quick.

Are the expansion airlplanes still MD90s from China ? They may have been cheap but is anyone worried of their MX history and reliability ?

TIA,
FF

I imagine Delta Tech Ops goes over them very thoroughly.
They've been inspecting mad dogs for many moons.
I wouldn't worry.

Fli;
Some will be expansion but most will be replacements for older 88's and 9's as well as a bunch of RJ's.


These jets will be fine. They go to one of our contractors in GSP and a few other places and will have every AD complied with, they will get heavy checks and more checks that most line pilots know nothing about. When the come to DAL like other jets we have bought this way, they will be in tip top shape.

Heck once the airplanes get back to ATL, our Tech Ops guys go over everything twice. We do have an awesome MTC dept and never worry about the quality of their product.

I know asking me won't help him. As a former NW pilot, the only thing I know about the workings of new Delta is what I've read in my blizzard of memos.

The answer to everything seems to be ... "It's on DeltaNet or iCrew." The explanation usually goes something like this:
"If you go to Deltanet, and you scroll about halfway down, in the left margin, you'll see a menu item, click on that and that opens up another menu, go to your aircraft type and then, I think, you have to click on the third item which takes you to another screen. There are some dropdown menus that take you to what you need - I think. Either that, or it's on iCrew. But maybe you have to use eCrew. Don't forget to add the zeros to your employee number when logging on. Wait! I think that's the one where you just use your 6-digit employee number. Just try both and see which works. Wait a minute - on second thought, I think it's on TravelNet."

Yes! I'm whining!

Our actual mainline fleet count will stay relatively static over the next couple of years, as there are still about 12 DC-9 30/40 series and I've heard 3 757's (lease expirations we weren't able to keep) to be removed from Delta's active fleet through January. Those will be offset by the remaining MD-90's and desert returns to active status. I haven't heard of any 88's planned for permanent fleet removal. Delta will have a whole bunch of aircraft mod lines running for the next few years (winglets, AVOD, and lie flat seats) that will pull active aircraft off line for significant periods of time.

50 seat RJ's and Saab 340's continue to be parked as their leases expire.

If the economy continues to improve and revenue stays strong, pilot block hours should go up substantially during high seasons. As Steve Gorman said some months back, Delta would like to increase the fleet size of the MD-90. Purchase to "in service" for those aircraft takes some time, as they're almost all being flown in active service by their current owners.

Valid. I feel that way all the time. and I'm a southie.

deleted......

exactly what i was looking for, thanks, how about the msp 90 base? seems like that may be the best place for a new guy to park for awhile.

M88=m90

:D

I agree that is the plan that they stated at the investor call last month.

As for the 757's, this is true and some of the older NWA 757's will just simply time out and need to be retired in a few years (2015 or so)

Yes, block hrs will keep increasing. I am quite curious to see the yoy increase for summer 2011. I know it should be out shortly.

The junior normal line holder for MSP 88B in September went in the 11590 range, not all that junior really. I'm an early '08 hire and would be a solid middle of the pack line holder in NYC and I wasn't even close to holding a line in MSP.

(By "normal" line holder, I mean someone who held a line without MIL leave, Vacation, etc.)

Having said all that - there were 72 normal lines and 40! reserve lines built for MSP 88B in September. That means you had to be in the top 64% to hold a regular line :eek: - I don't see that kind of ratio lasting long term (I hope!). I know the numbers for the category look really good going forward but it has been a frustrating few months as the base has been built up. Can you tell I'm ready to be done with reserve? :D

The same thing happened to 765 and 777 guys while their new bases were ramping up which is why some people choose to wait a bid before pulling the trigger on new categories.

For new hires trust me. MSP88 and NYC88 will be safe picks if those bases work for you.

You'll probably have to hang in there for another month or two Dash...the good news is there are guys in class now slotted to be placed below you and with the looks of the Oct 6th drop ( and all the vacancies still left open on the aircraft) that trend will continue.

Thanks Piker - I'm a PacNW commuter and a SLC displacee. I had a chance to hold the SLC 320 on the last AE but chose to stay in MSP; I know long term my seniority will be much better in MSP. Bring on the new hires! :cool:

Dash,

I'll be joining you in MSP in Dec. I sure hope that they get the base up and running, but I think it might be reserve for us for a while. :( I know I might have to do crashpad if I'm on reserve. Any clue how many furlough bypass guys elected MSPM88?

Why are your ready to done with resv. I can hold a line but bid resv here. I commute too. I never work. Are you getting used.

We were talking about the seniority to hold the 320 and to hold a line on the 320. I agree. M88 is the place to be for QOL if cannot live in base.

It's interesting that every time 757's and age is brought up it's always the NW 757-5500 series...

I checked and 602 through 623 were all built before 1987. In fact NW's oldest 757, 5501, is three months newer than DL's 602.

Not sure what the plan is going forward but there are more DL 757's that, on paper, look more likely to time out before the 5500-series.

How long is your commute? I'm coming from PDX which is a 3+ hour flight. Now that the red-eye is gone there is a sizable chunk of time during the afternoon-evening that I can't make a 12 hour callout, so sitting long call at home is risky (I have been called while sitting long call going into my last day of reserve. They called me at 19:10 Pacific for a 09:20 central report; that's 12:10 from call to report - thankfully they still had the red-eye at that time). I don't like the stress of sitting at home knowing that if I got called I may not be able to make it, and I don't like commuting out to sit long call - so, yes, I am ready to be done with reserve.

Hey Moon - youre coming out in December? I thought the remaining conversions from the last AE were going to be here by next month. I don't think many bypass guys took the MSP 88 so I think were ok there. If the reserve levels move closer to the "normal" 15% range then I should be holding a line soon.

Dash,

I think there are lots of SLC refugees are in the same boat as you. I am thinking of bidding back to SLC on 737 or 320 reserve because as you've mentioned, the amount of reserve in MSPM88 is just plain unfathomable!

I think most of us that got MDed out of SLCM88 are getting very frustrated because we didn't have a choice to time our arrival in this new base, and the trips just aren't as commutable as SLC used to have. I hope there's a way to tell when they'll actually increase the number of lines, but as fall/winter schedules befall us, it could only mean at least 6 more months of reserve for us all...

Yeah that does blow in that ya'll really didn't have a choice.

I'm thinking you'll see some relief in at least 3 months. I don't know where you sit on the list, but even if you were at the very bottom and couldn't count on more conversions coming in beneath you I think there were 18 vacancies for MSP 88 in the Aug 16th class and there's 15 for the the Sept 6th class. In both classes it's been one of the largest numbered positions available which tells me they want guys in those seats. A steady flow of padding for you all should start hitting the line by NOV for bidding purposes. It is possible for for some of the Compass/Mesaba hold backs to be bidding some of those positions, so that might hurt things a bit, but I think they'll keep posting big numbers either way.

As far as bidding out to SLC is concerned I'd seriously think twice about that. Remember 767 to 7ER is in the works out there and has the potential to shake things up quite a bit. Before I went and seat locked myself on a more senior aircraft I'd want to see the results of the upcoming bid. I would imagine both DAL North and South guys not currently holding those seats will be interested which will trickle down to make everything that more senior/ stagnate out there depending on whether they open up SEA a bit more.

Reserve in MSP definitely sounds like it's a totally pain for some of you in the short term, but big picture is getting seat locked in the 320 or 737. Those seats are senior in any of the bases it sounds like you'd be interested in taking (LAX,SLC...or even back to MSP). You might end up locking yourself into guaranteed reserve for 2 years.

I'd think about waiting at least 1 AE regardless of what is published on the next one unless reserve out west is more attractive overall.

It is not necessarily just an age thing. There are a few cost prohibitive items that will hit a few jets in five to seven years or so. I was talking to one of the Tech Ops tech wizards. This is what he/she was stating. Not my words, theirs.

Given what they are saying this is great advice. From all of the public stuff, this AE will be big, but the Jan one could be bigger than a few of them combined.
I know I will try to sit this one out if possible.

The interesting part of this AE is the SLC 767 to ER conversion.

That is what the gentleman from "planning" told us.

TYG

I heard the AE will be out the first week of September. Any idea how "big" it will be???

I didn't even know there was one scheduled for January....

Reference this earlier post.......

So essentially if you thought the first couple were big, then you ain't seen nothing yet. ;)

Maybe I'll switch to MSP M88. This month and last on DTW 320B I broke guarantee and ended with a RAW of 170+ !!! :eek:

I'm tired..... :o

This is exactly why I'm staying put in MSP for now - even with the longer commute to reserve, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As tempting as it would be to bid to the 320 in SLC, it would probably take a few more years to get off of reserve there.

Got you beat, and I still have a few days left in the month.

First, they are not scheduled. They are planned, and there is no contractual requirement that they post any at all. That said, we generally see at least one and sometimes two a quarter.

They have said in some of the crew lounge visits that there may be 20 777 a/b and 20 744 A/B slots on this bid. Add in the conversion of the SLC 767 to a 7ER base with many pilot on the 767 being unable to hold the ER, things could get sporty quick. What that means is it may appear to be a small bid, but might produce a decent amount of training events.

Other comments were: More ER time all over.

The have stated more than once that it will be posted on Labor Day. So I figure a few days either side of that. Bid will close 10 days after it is posted.

I hope i share your optimism Dash... The only light in the tunnel is from my flashlight during walkaround at the wee hours looking in the gear bay for the hydralic bypass valve in the proper position.:D

But I reached a RAW of 170 on the 15th......:eek:

Viking, I think you know I effectively timed out in three weeks. I am glad to see line holders WSing trips these days. Ah, I love the off season on the widebody jets.

You and me both buddy...:D If it could just stop raining down here, so I can do some offshore fishing this week, I'll be all good. Need to prepare for Sept work you know...

Hopefully the 320 slows down too. My RAW score has exceeded 150 every month since March! :eek:


Or maybe it just feels that way.....I'd actually have to check..... :o

Johnso, I believe yours have. They have been very short on your jet.

That's where flap droop comes in handy! :cool:

My flap is always drooping in the wee hours of the morning.;)

TMI, buzz, TTMI...