hey randal, when did you work with airjamaica? and what was it like? I recently opened a thread about info. on airj and noone really had much to say. Just would like a good overview of what's it like there,if u could. thanks in advance.SD

 

Sounds like someone can't wait to get to that left seat, or perhaps is having trouble getting there.

Hey, guess what Packer Backer, there are many people (and that includes pilots) who are 60 and older that aren't on "the verge of death." Another little piece of information for you. Doctors age 60 and above, don't automatically get "shakey" hands upon their 60th birthday. As a matter of fact, the orthopedic surgeon who just did my knee operation is 60 and I didn't worry for one second about his "shakey hands on the verge of death". What did go through my mind though was "thank goodness he's been around long enough to have done thousands of these procedures and he's probably seen it all." Many of the best surgeons are between 60 and 65. I know a little bit about this because I was married to one for 20 years. He's in his early 50's now and I'm sure he would agree that his surgical skills are better than when he was fresh out of residency.

I'm no pilot, but I would imagine that the same goes for pilots. Give me the guy with lots of experience who has seen this situation before.

I hope you get to climb over to that left seat soon.

 

Skengdon, I loved it, i was there from dec99--may 05, up until 2003 i flew thier 2 MD-83`s (N191AJ+N192AJ) i think they went to Spirit, then they trained me on the A320/321, and i flew those until may last year. while i was on the MD i lived in Kingston which is a bit like the "wild wild west" but its the usual situation where u just don`t go into some areas, in may 0f 2003 they x-sfered me to Montego Bay well that is a super awesomely beautiful place. they will only hire you if you are PIC qualified, and have a 320 rating, (atlhough i hear that they are getting 757`s) the pay was about 10,000 a month after tax, and u got 10 days off per month, 21 days leave a year, 12 sick days, and that is one airline that treats a capt like a capt all in all a great airline, finally i had worked for B.W.I.A. for 30 years, and never thought i would say that another airline had tougher and better training but pheww Air Jam has some really high standards, thier training is superb.

 

Skygirl, don`t "take on" ole PB he`s just green its a pity they don`t have airborne duels anymore, i could sneak up behind him, n` shoot him down (in flames lol) yu know what they say about "age and treachery"

 

Nope. Been there for the last 10 years and 3 aircraft. I'm not some "newbie" or washout that never got their shot. It's just that I strongly believe in not running a critical component of an airplane till failure. I'd be just as outspoken if somebody suggested that we should run engines till they fail. The bottom line is that the pilot is a critical component of an airplane and I take great exception to people who want to sacrifice safety because of their own selfish greed.

 

They say that a person changes careers five times in their lives so why should pilots (we) be any different. This age 60 rule did not just happen. It was there and people should have planned for it. That is one of the problems this country is now facing. People know the rules, traditions etc about an organization then join it only to fight and sue to change them to fit their needs. If you did not like the age 60 rule then you should have never planned on being a carrer pilot and should have stayed with renting aircraft for fun flying on the weekends. Let's face it. The stress and lifestyle of a pilot is different than many other occupations and there is an average age of burnout. For some it is 60 others maybe 55 or 65. A pension is not a god given right and if it goes away unplanned because of greedy airline execs then don't kill yourself trying to get it back at another company. You could be 59 1/2 or 64 1/2 and lose the next one. Then what? Fly till you keel over in the crew lounge? I fly with many captains that have something on the side they do with their off-time. They plan to retire at 60 and grow that side business. BTW, we can not leave it in the hands of the doctors to decide who gets their first class medical or not. We've all been to those guys who seem to be just pay your fee get your 'B.'

 

'nuff respec' Randal, that was some great info. i'll definitely keep'em into consideration, would you happen to know anything on their A340? I know they only go to england n JFK...but what's the waiting list on that? guys from the 320 go over or direct hire?
SD

 

Yes indeed, they often triumph over youth...

 

1st i`ll have to assume you mean career pilot cause i don`t know what a carrer pilot is.----people such as yourself, and PB
, make me, 39 years an airline pilot sad--- to think that the so called youth of aviation these days are "ALL about the money" IS sad. just for your info after being on this board for just a couple of months and being witness to the kinds of attitudes in aviation that are rampant here in "the land of the free" i think i can safely say that none of you are in the slightest danger of me wanting your job lol. I`m sure even with the heat, humidity, and smells i will be "happy as pappy" flying my beloved A320 in India. -And "do something else" not on your life i LOVE to fly period, so solly PB but your family will have to "go by car" lol

 

Sorry to interrupt but, about this 65 rule; on another forum they say any american citizen pilot this rule would not apply. But what if you have dual citizenship does it then apply? say for example;
i work for bristish airways and i'm english/american citizen??
do i get 65 or not?
thanks SD