Boy, I hope you're right!!

 

American doubles rate of pilot recalls By TREBOR BANSTETTER
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER


American Airlines will recall more pilots than originally planned this spring, and union leaders hope that it means an acceleration of furloughed pilots returning to the airline.

The carrier announced last year that it would begin bringing back about 10 pilots a month, beginning this month.

But in March, American will bring back 20 pilots, and officials with the Allied Pilots Association said that trend will continue.

“Beginning with the group slated to return on March 7, American Airlines will recall 20 pilots per month,” union spokesman Gregg Overman said in a message to pilots Thursday. “That’s clearly good news for those pilots who will have the opportunity to return to American Airlines more quickly.”

The pilot recalls are the first since 2001, when hundreds were cut after 9-11. More were laid off after concessions in 2003. More than 2,800 American pilots are waiting for the chance to return.

Furloughed pilots retain their seniority, although they lose their pay and benefits.

The recalls come despite little growth at American — the returning pilots will replace those who have left the airline, mostly retirees.

The union projects that about 300 pilots will retire between June 2006 and June 2007.

American officials said that it’s too early to predict how many pilots will be recalled this year.

“We’re recalling them on projected rates of attrition, and we’re doing it on a month-by-month basis,” spokeswoman Tami McLallen said.

It typically takes about eight months of training to get a recalled pilot ready to replace a retiring colleague, she said.

Under union rules, the recalls will be offered to pilots according to seniority. Some pilots, such as those on military duty, can turn down the opportunity and keeping their seniority.

Pilots can defer a recall for up to 24 months and keep their seniority.

Shares of AMR Corp., American’s parent company (ticker: AMR), closed at $37.94 in trading Thursday, up $1.94, or 5.4 percent.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/16440519.htm

 

Another fact to consider is that a quick glance at Boeing's order and delivery sheet reveals a couple of interesting customers, namely a few leasing companies and "unidentified"...

I have to believe that if the world's largest airline wanted access to aircraft, it wouldn't have much difficulty gaining it. It may be a little optomistic to think that way, but I believe it behooves AMR to keep very quiet about future growth until APA, TWU, and APFA are all locked into concessionary contracts.

 

Bingo.
73

 

Certainly this must be a typo. If they are really spending eight months to get a former pilot 'back in the saddle', they are doomed to fail. Our new-hire training is only six weeks.

 

Since the retiring collegue is a captain, these things would have to happen:

Notify recallee.
Window for him to decide.
Window for him to give notice to current employer and report.
Complete retraining.
IOE.

Once all that is done, THEN you have to

Award upgrade to a senior FO.
Presumably he gets some time before reporting.
Complete CA training, probably on a new type.
IOE.

8 months would be a comfortable amount of time for all that to happen.

 

IMO, the 8 month stated time period is an artificially-inflated number. The question is, is there any question that airlines lie about such things as aircraft orders and costs?

AmericanPilot