It's as if Roger Cohen from the Regional Airline Industry went to ALPA and asked for relief on the proposed 1,500 hour hiring minimums as it would have a devastatating effect on the supply of pilots and of course the leverage the few qualified pilots would have. And alpa told him no problem.

 

After seeing the tenative details of this proposal, I think the ATA loves it. Any "improvement" for us is minimal and almost always comes with generous relief anyway. Any improvement for them is generous to the point of being one way.

The only exceptions are how the total package will likely impact the high cycle, fly to the (current) FAR's regional sector. Their costs will rise, and the RAA obviously doesn't like that. However the powerhouse mainlines that really in effect controll the ATA pick up 100% of that cost anyway, one way or another. That is why they have clearly lobbied for acceptable restrictions at the regional level at the direct expense of significant cost savings at the mainline level.

So the regionals will have to hire a few hundred pilots each. Maybe. And that's just the large ones. The smaller ones, that are more likely to be pushing current limits in the first place, like, say, Colgan, will probably have to hire only a hundred or even less. Big whoop. But every legacy can gut tons of international relief FO's from current 3 and 4 pilot crews and current heavy/double crew Caribbean/etc flights can now be done by 2. Mainline pilots cost significantly more than regional pilots to ATA airlines.

10 hour (plus inflight IROPS), 2 pilot ETOPS with 14-15 hour duty days and a rediculous 36 hour "base reset" on the other side of the pond, especially with age 65, is clearly far, far less safe than status quo in those cases. And there will be a lot of those cases. It generally takes a full day of dedicated and diciplined active participant rest to fully shift one's circadian cycle a mere hour or two. 36 hour "base resets" are scientifically proven unsafe, and yet are likely going to be implimented anyway at the ATA's command and with ALPA's indifference/ineffectiveness and as an added bonus, more block hours and no rest breaks. More than enough cases to make up for the Colgans of the world who will have to hire a few more 20K/yr pilots each to cover the new regs.

But yay for the 10 hour local day turn guys though. Other than them, this thing as written is a massive victory for the ATA.

 

Now I don't want to shock you, but sometimes political decisions are influenced by money, power, influence, and a variety of other factors that have nothing to do with what is the optimum solution. I know, we should all go watch "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" to wipe the bad smell off this fact but it is a fact.

The legislation that set this review in process contained an exception clause for lower limits from authorized training. That exception was put into the legislation for a specific reason and by the urging of outside parties that are influencing political decisions with money, power, influence, and other factors. You may not like it, but you can either overthrow the government and set up your own perfect way of governing or you can deal with the world as it exists. You say ALPA's problems are because they deal with the world as it exists.

In this process, there is going to be some carve out for authorized training. If you don't believe that, then you must believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus. If you want to affect how that carve out will end up, you have to be in the room to the end. Otherwise, those people with more money, more power, and more influence will have all the say. You will have preserved your right to stand on the outside and throw rocks at the outcome, but you will have to accept that outcome just the same.

Now, Capt. Sullenburger, and the families of the Colgan flight, and many outside parties have the luxury to act indignant and stand on the outside and throw rocks. To a lesser extent, CAPA also has that luxury. They have that luxury because they know that ALPA will continue to fight for what is right, but will stay in the room and will be affecting the outcome all the way to the end, even if they have to compromise (gasp) because they are surrounded by people that have more money, more power, and more influence. The fact that we are even in the room at all, is a testament to the power of ALPA that they have gained by maintaining their credibility within the FAA and the government because they never take the quick easy step of standing on the outside and throwing rocks.

So I have to laugh at all the people who are on this webboard who have the luxury to sit on the outside and throw rocks at everyone including ALPA, because they will never have to live with the consequences of their bonehead ideas. They know that there will be other people, who instead of sitting on the sidelines and booing, actually get into the game and make a difference. So all you sideline warriors can boo and shout and call the quarterback a dunce, but until you get under center and take a few snaps, your opinion has little meaning.

I am sorry that ALPA does not have the money, power, and influence to remold the world in the way you would like. However, due to the continued hard work of the people who get in the game, they will continue to have affect far beyond what our money, power, and influence should actually allow. The webboard warriors will continue to laugh and them and call them names, but you are just armchair quarterbacks who do not get into the game. I have no interest in engaging the type of back and forth that is going on here, so Carl have your dunce-like comments in peace, but I wrote this for any normal people who may have waded through the pages of drivel here and perhaps would like a real world explanation of why compromise sucks but it is the only path in an imperfect world.

If only I were elected Omnipotent Ruler of the Universe, I would fix everything just the way it should be. Election day is Tuesday, vote early and often.

 

I hope that's not true; but, having followed this thread since it started, I'm afraid it might well be.

 

I still don't understand why ALPA would support lowering the minimum to 500 hours. How is that more safe? How is that manpower positive? Whom does it benefit other than managements looking to continue the downward spiral?

 

Maybe because those are the realities that face this Association and this industry.

I can disagree with something like this. I know there is a lot left to be done on this issue, and ALPA and no one else will be able to effect the outcome. Not agreeing 100% with one bullet point on a huge change in legislation is OK. There will be a lot more to the end decision. Furthermore, even with ALPA's other "mistakes" as many like to call em, I still support the structure and the organization.

Politics is ugly. Screaming at the top of your lungs may make you feel good, but it will get you locked out of everything important eventually. Heck even our CEO is Chair of something he does not like because he knows that it is important to get in on the ground floor and set its structure up correctly. That is what ALPA is doing here. Crafting a layered rendering for a cutout in the law. That is just smart for the profession. Disagree if you must, but worst case, the floor for gaining a 121 job just went up 100%. We all would want more, but as Alfa states, that is not how the real world operates.

My idea does a few things above and beyond 1500 hrs. It truly directs entrants towards degrees and a level of professionalism that needs to be brought back. It is step one to get to an end state. It give work, education, and flight time different levels of benefits depending on the path you take. It is all set out and a know before you embark on a profession of piloting.

 

Just guessing but maybe having ERAU grads at 500 or so hours is the trade off to keeping commuting legal. You just never know what they are using as leverage on some items.

 

As with everything in life, follow the $$$.

 

OK.. so it's just like the GIB.. so once again, ALPA outsources JOBS. You are absolutely correct. It is EXACTLY like the GIB argument. Thanks for reminding me. What's that DPA website again?

 

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CVG;

Thanks for planting the seed, I'll do the same, and no, I haven't sent the card either.