TonyC

I think we're in the same hymnal if not on the same page. In short, my point is that as long as we are driven by our self-preservation instincts, they will never be convinced there are issues, and all the notes we take won't convince them to fix anything. They want training graduates, and we do whatever it takes to graduate. Problem? What problem?




And life goes on ...






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MaydayMark

Prior to FedEx training I'd done the General Aviation thing, Military & another airline. I thought I was an average pilot and I thought I was a good student pilot. I made a point of showing up on time and prepared. I thought I had a slightly better systems knowledge that the "average Joe."

During my first 18 months at FedEx, I bet I approached Management, Flight Training & ALPA three or 4 times with, "We had a better way of doing this at XYZ." I was shocked to see how uninterested everybody was. They really didn't care!

In my nieve mind, I had a better, sometime more efficient (cheaper!) way to achieve the same task. Why wouldn't they entertain hearing my suggestions? I finally concluded that, "we make so much money, why would we want to change anything?" In recent years it seems like cost savings have become a bigger priority (than anything!*?).

They might be more receptive today although like TonyC says, until our training failure rate starts costing them money I still don't think anyone will care. They'll keep trying to rely on our "pilot pride" to suck up any shortcomings in their program. They might even get a "bonus" for saving money. That's a bad approach to Flight Training in my opinion.

On a different but related issue, at one point (15 years ago?) we might have had the worst safety record in the industry? It was so bad that some of the Industry Safety Experts referred to FedEx pilots as cockroaches. "They come out at night and can't kill them! I had Navy, Air Force & ALPA Accident Investigation training. I approached Management and asked why we didn't have ALPA recommended industry practice safety programs. Once again they weren't the slightest bit interested? I was disappointed but not surprised.

At some point something changed with regard to our Safety policy. Maybe it was the insurance company demanding that we do something? Maybe it was that outside organization that came in and did a safety audit (it was the only time that I ever participated in a safety survey and never saw the recommendations!!!). NASA did a sleep study using FedEx pilots. FedEx went to court to prevent us from seeing those results (we finally got a copy via a FOIA request).

I'm still out on LTD but it looks to me like Management recently hired from a long time successful domestic airline. Maybe the long time FedEx management vs. the FedEx pilot ALWAYS being on opposite sides of nearly every discussion will come to an end?

It seems to me (maybe I'm a bit slower than the average guy?) that we should be on the same side on most issues. Both sides want to move airplanes from Point A to Point B in a safe and efficient manner. Why can't we just get along?

MM

NoHaz

[QUOTE Both sides want to move airplanes from Point A to Point B in a safe and efficient manner. Why can't we just get along?

MM

[/QUOTE]

Because safety, efficiency, and fatigue are at odds. What is efficient to me, One leg to a long layover and extended training with systems classes and sims taught by non-pros is not efficient for GOC/management. Until we are a non-profit we'll be managing the balance and tugging from opposite sides.