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Avantair Furlough

Old 10-27-2012, 12:53 PM
  #21  
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Nice job. Holding the line. Document everything is always the way to go
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Old 10-27-2012, 01:54 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by JohnBurke View Post
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.
Aerial firefighting safer than flying for Avantair pretty much says it all....
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Old 10-28-2012, 10:01 AM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by SVTCobra View Post
Aerial firefighting safer than flying for Avantair pretty much says it all....
I highly doubt that's statistically a true statement. Avantair has never had a fatal accident while aerial firefighting...well, regrettably has. Even on an 'incident per flight hour' basis I'm pretty sure Avantair would come out better than aerial firefighting.

So, if the statement is false then what's the point?
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Old 10-28-2012, 12:43 PM
  #24  
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The statement is not false.

In firefighting, when I've stated I won't do something and invoked safety of flight, it's the end of the discussion. I've never been pressured to go do something I felt or stated was unsafe. At avantair, it was a regular thing to be threatened with my job, be tasked with doing something that exceeded duty or rest limits, or to fly unairworthy aircraft.

I never died doing either one, but I was always placed in a more precarious position at avatar, and firefighting was the safer bet.
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Old 10-28-2012, 02:18 PM
  #25  
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The Faa has know about these problems for years.
I was fired for reporting a near crash due to maintenance, and asked why I went to the Faa.
Two weeks later, I was also accused of trying to start a union?
I also submitted pictures, dates , and times of multiple severe maintenance events to the FAA, which did ground the fleet for a day, but still hard to believe after two years, no change.

Good luck to the pilots, though you knew what was happening, it was just a matter of time for it to catch up!
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Old 10-28-2012, 03:38 PM
  #26  
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JohnBurke, my hat's off to you.
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Old 10-29-2012, 03:28 AM
  #27  
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could the FAA take management or the company's CEO to court?? if the FAA files charges, Mr. Steven Santo is gonna grow gray hair in a jiffy

this sounds serious
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Old 10-29-2012, 07:22 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by GlasssPilot View Post
I highly doubt that's statistically a true statement. Avantair has never had a fatal accident while aerial firefighting...well, regrettably has. Even on an 'incident per flight hour' basis I'm pretty sure Avantair would come out better than aerial firefighting.

So, if the statement is false then what's the point?
Safety isn't just about fatalities. Not all aerial firefighting is done by one company and I know there are companies with better safety records.
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Old 10-31-2012, 09:52 AM
  #29  
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This thread blows my mind!!!
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Old 10-31-2012, 09:05 PM
  #30  
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That's unfortunate. Perhaps you shouldn't read it.
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