You two should really be ashamed of yourselves. This guy started literally started from the ground up, had an excellent career, and has retired at the very top. Any of us here would be privileged to accomplish what he has.

Here's hoping Captain Flanigan will enjoy his well deserved retirement! Well done sir.

 

What I was trying to say was...as long as he showed up fit for duty, how he used his sick leave was his business.

Too late to edit, carry on....

 

If you are a healthy adult you really shouldn't get sick too much per year. I usually get a cold or 2 per year but I have not had anything serious for about 9 years now. Everyone has different immune systems for sure. I am sure some airlines let you cash out unused sick time toward the end of the year(mine does). Way for some of the guys to try and crap on this guys parade. It sounds like he had a great career and anyone would be lucky to have one like he did.

BTW there are too many people out there who abuse their sick leave. I have flown with many guys that brag about how when they get something on their schedule/don't get a day off they want they just call out sick. I hear people with like 5 kids cry about how they can't get xmas off so they just call in for it. I even had one religous nut who could usually hold sundays off, but if he ever got a trip that fell on a Sunday he would call in for it. I respect this Delta guy a lot more than guys like that who call in sick when they really aren't sick. The application does state that you are willing to work nights holidays and weekends.

 

I think Cal was one of the pilots on Rihanna's 777 tour. Not a bad gig. I think there were some pictures posted on the latest greatest Delta thread.

 

Congratulations and good luck Captain Flanigan.

May everyone have the opportunity to make to retirement, or whe they feel it time to hang up the goggles, unincumbered by layoffs, ugly mergers, or flow back to the right seat.

That said cease and desist with cat calls children.


Cognac anybody?

 

It is sad to read some of the comments with regards to Cpt. Flannigan. The guy works his way up the ladder to the top rung and stays there for 8 years not mention he stayed at and was loyal to one company for 45 years. That is an awesome feat.
But from the news article some people only try to find something negative to say. I really don't see the big deal with him not calling in sick. I have had a very rewarding, 20+ year, military career and I have never been sick or injured where it caused me to miss a scheduled day of work. Fortunately or unfortunately for me all of my sickness or illness fell on weekends or holidays so there was no need to call in sick.
Let's celebrate his accomplishments and not be stone tossers.

 

I've got to say that I'm proud of this man's accomplishments knowing how hard it must have been when he started. I am of African descent as well, (African-Jamaican) and I was born in a totally different time with parents that were just able to foot the bill for training so that I could realize my dream. To know that those before me persevered when it wasn't the 'norm' and made it to the top, wow man. My Respect to Capt. Cal Flanigan for an amazing career and staying good natured as reported.

-2263

 

As far as I'm concerned, this man shouldn't have to buy another beer for the rest of his life. If I accomplish only a small portion of what Captain Flanigan did, I'll consider myself fortunate.

 

From what I gather about working at Delta circa 1970-2000, QOL was good, so you got plenty of rest, you didn't fly 12 hour duty days, you got a lot of days off etc. It is completely believable that he could have just not gotten sick on his normal work days. As for post bankruptcy Delta, he was #1 on the list, he probably worked 9 days a month. is it really that far out of reach that the times he got sick were in the 2/3 of the month he didn't work? In 8 years, I called off sick 3 times when I was actually sick, but it is much easier to get sick as a regional puke getting pooped on by your schedule, than a mainline dude flying 1-2 legs a day getting plenty of rest and so on. I also called off 3-5 times per year for "sick of work", but I can still respect someone who chose not to.
This is lame that pilots can't just commend another pilot. Why do we hate each other so much?

 

You'll notice I didn't say anything negative about the guy, said that I'd never met him, but noted that friends who had say he's a class act. The only thing I was commenting on was the inappropriateness in this day and age of bragging about never calling in sick for 45 years. For what it matters, I got the impression from the article that it was DAL management that supplied that information rather than Captain Flannigan.

The man's many accomplishments far outweigh anything whatsoever having to do with sick time and his use or lack of use of it. Frankly, I don't care he did with his sick time. But we do have a lot of newer pilots reading these forums and I don't want anyone getting it into their head that never calling in sick for the rest of their career is a worthy goal. If you're sick, call in sick - period.