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Old 10-27-2012, 06:14 AM
  #11  
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Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation by state and/or federal laws, where relevant. This means that the federal government has statutes in place to protect whistleblowers when they are reporting crimes on an interstate level, while state governments have instituted similar protective legislation at the intestate level. Anyone terminated or otherwise discriminated against for acting as a whistleblower may have a civil action against his or her employer.
I don't think he would be considered a whistle-blower since he was not the one that reported the issues. Even if he went to "THE MAN" about the issues mentioned since it is already a known issue.
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Old 10-27-2012, 06:24 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by UCLAbruins View Post
If you decide to share this type of information with the Federales, you are then considered a "whistle blower". It's gonna be hard to get a job in this industry with that label on you, and its definitely a tough step to take

But you are right, protecting the flying public should be the first priority
This is probably why pilots don't do this, but there are plenty of ways to do it and keep anonymity.
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Old 10-27-2012, 06:27 AM
  #13  
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Very interesting Mr. Burke, the FAA is going to latch onto Avantair now that this information has become public.
If you read the linked article, the elevator loss occurred in July. They've been under investigation since then. They've also been under investigation on previous occasions, too.

In the case I previously recounted, the FAA called me following discovery of electrical tape placed to make an annunciator appear out, when it was actually illuminated. The FAA discovered that the MEL signoff was for the wrong item, and was falsified, and that some 30 revenue legs had been flown with passengers. The DO at the time, who was unqualified and was a relative of Santo's, stepped down after coming unglued in the ensuing pressure, and others also lost their jobs.

I was threatened on many occasions by company personnel, including top management, and on more than a few occasions I was told to surrender any paperwork I had, or notes I had taken. When I made notes of squawks and brought them to maintenance, to fill out squawk sheets after landing, I was asked what I intended to do with the notes, and was I giving them to the FAA? Nervous, neurotic lot.

I learned to make copies of my paperwork and to document everything. It was how I established that all the 17 charges were false, during their little union-busting exercise. I documented being dispatched through Hurricane Katrina (refused to go, more threats), and documented the lengthy squawk lists...I was able to compare what I submitted to their re-writes, and on several occasions forced them to revisit their maintenance to comply with what I originally wrote-up.

It was the FAA that came to me for statements. I didn't go to the FAA.
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Old 10-27-2012, 06:43 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnBurke View Post
If you read the linked article, the elevator loss occurred in July. They've been under investigation since then. They've also been under investigation on previous occasions, too.

In the case I previously recounted, the FAA called me following discovery of electrical tape placed to make an annunciator appear out, when it was actually illuminated. The FAA discovered that the MEL signoff was for the wrong item, and was falsified, and that some 30 revenue legs had been flown with passengers. The DO at the time, who was unqualified and was a relative of Santo's, stepped down after coming unglued in the ensuing pressure, and others also lost their jobs.

I was threatened on many occasions by company personnel, including top management, and on more than a few occasions I was told to surrender any paperwork I had, or notes I had taken. When I made notes of squawks and brought them to maintenance, to fill out squawk sheets after landing, I was asked what I intended to do with the notes, and was I giving them to the FAA? Nervous, neurotic lot.

I learned to make copies of my paperwork and to document everything. It was how I established that all the 17 charges were false, during their little union-busting exercise. I documented being dispatched through Hurricane Katrina (refused to go, more threats), and documented the lengthy squawk lists...I was able to compare what I submitted to their re-writes, and on several occasions forced them to revisit their maintenance to comply with what I originally wrote-up.

It was the FAA that came to me for statements. I didn't go to the FAA.
I guess the other question here is if all this was going on....why did you stay....risking your ticket....etc....??
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Old 10-27-2012, 06:43 AM
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You seem to have covered your butt and took a stance, good for you. I hate it when there is a good product or service and is screwed up by having crappy mx, or management just to save some money. If they did it right they wouldn't be in this problem and some 200 people would be working right now.
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Old 10-27-2012, 07:00 AM
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Avantair hired someone from the FAA to rebuild and oversee the m/x program. Do things need to change? No doubt, and they are right now. The culture is changing for the better...
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Old 10-27-2012, 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by pilot0987 View Post
You seem to have covered your butt and took a stance, good for you.

I second that. It takes courage to take a stand like that.

And I WAS NOT calling him a whistle-blower, simply saying that if he goes to interview at X company and they ask why you left your previous job, someone in the audience might see you as that. But when you have character and principles, that is a risk you take.

Good for you
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Old 10-27-2012, 07:08 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by UCLAbruins View Post
I second that. It takes courage to take a stand like that.

And I WAS NOT calling him a whistle-blower, simply saying that if he goes to interview at X company and they ask why you left your previous job, someone in the audience might see you as that. But when you have character and principles, that is a risk you take.

Good for you
I see what your saying, its sad in todays world that a spine and some character is a risk. I grew up in a military family and went to a few military academies so its been stapled into my core.
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Old 10-27-2012, 08:43 AM
  #19  
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I'm so sorry to hear that people that may be loosing there jobs in this economy. During my year there I met great individuals & a few not so great ! I was just glad to meet my contractual obligation and escape with my licenses. I could go on & on about my safety concerns so this no surprise what so ever. I'm just glad nobody ended up dead ! Hopefully Steve can pull it together but I don't have much faith in there upper management & there skill set as promotions aren't biased on merit. Good luck folks
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Old 10-27-2012, 08:59 AM
  #20  
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I guess the other question here is if all this was going on....why did you stay....risking your ticket....etc....??
I didn't stay. I quit.

I did it on my terms, not theirs.

While I was there, however, I had one safeguard against being forced to fly unsafe equipment, undertake unsafe flights, or fly fatigued, as I was often directed to do.

As a captain, I had the power to say "no." I also had the power to listen to any FO who desired to say "no."

My Philosophy was then, and is now that the most conservative opinion in the cockpit wins. Everyone is tied to the same fate on every flight; we all pay the same price together for poor judgement.

My power to say "no" was used without hesitation, without any regard for the whining and cries of the company, and it was used often. It was used up until the day I said "no more" and quit to go do something safer. I went back to aerial firefighting.
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