Past V1

I just posted this thought on another thread..I was just here thinking about how us pilots tend to be on the quiet side when it comes to voicing our opinions to the head office in our beautiful capital. Our congress and the FAA have been so laid back on this issue its pathetic. As you well know...only a few things have become public since the Colgan accident such as work rules, pay and QOL at airlines. But I still think that the public is very unaware of what their pilots go through on a day to day basis. There have been many times in our US history where in order to get change...there needed to be an act in public of some sort. A March to Washington DC would be such as thing I believe. I think that the general conception is that we are quiet thus we are happy. No need to rock the boat. Well I think that is just unacceptable. There have been too many studies on fatigue and not enough action. How many more people need to be put at risk until the FAA and Congress move on this issue. I mean they acted quicker on the age 65 issue than I have ever seen, BUT THEY CAN'T UPDATE A DINOSAUR REGULATION ON DUTY! They seem so adamant on dragging their heels because big money is the name of the game here. Well I say it is time to let the public know how we feel. If there is one thing that we need to come together as pilots on...this is it!!! Just remember how you feel at the end of a 16 hour day. OR better yet....How do you feel deadheading home on a crews flight after that at their 16th hour....I can go on....you are on your family vacation...need I say more...

I could be wrong...maybe the FAA and Congress will do their jobs and I am overreacting. Maybe most pilots like the duty regulations where they are presently...I am just posting this thread to get thoughts...and how many would actually participate if such a thing ever happened in the near future.

BLAST AWAY!!!!

SoCalGuy

Who knows???

Maybe they (law-makers) will do their jobs, or on the otherside, maybe they won't do their jobs. Where does that leave us?? I guess in the same place we presently stand.

Interesting point you make.....voices in numbers. It's one thing to have a single top elected individual (Prater ALPA) voice their agenda on the Hill. It's a completely different fashion for 'numbers' to do it in person.

What you suggest/allude to could be something that is needed not only on the safety/duty time idea, but an entire face-lift of the industry....Regional's to Legacy.

It can be done. Looking at what Jayson Baron's (and other key EWR individuals) organization brought to fruition, the "March on Wall Street" in 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW7d3_fLsUQ

That was JUST CAL pilots (along a few other pilots from various carriers who came out to show support). If close to 400+ pilots showed up to march on Wall Street in impressive fashion, it would be pretty overwhelming to have hundreds/or even thousand more do the same thing on the Hill as one voice for industry change. If nothing at all, this would at least send a visible/clear message that many different pilots groups see that there are problems within our industry on several levels, and these points NEED to be ADDRESSED in the MOST expedious fashion.

A picture paints a 1000 words.

Cycle Pilot

That was pretty cool with the CAL pilots. How many do you think were there on Wall St.?

I think it would be a great idea to organize a march, but it would be a huge undertaking!