Simply persiflage without statistics.

 

Well I happen to know a thing or two about those statistics and about the particular number of events at PSA. It’s been happening for years. MHI changed their inspection criteria which now requires costly inspections be complied with. It’s costing the company a lot of money so naturally they are now (like magic) hyper-focused on it.

As for the section 18’s, you have to understand the relationship of all the various departments at an airline. Flight Ops being the department with the most “power” or sway, if you will. So upper management sees a problem. “Fix the NWS issue. It’s costing us money. Flight Ops, get on it.” So flight Ops looks at the problem, and the means at their disposal to “fix” said problem. Which, in this case really isn’t much. They tried bulletins and notices to the pilot group and that didn’t work (not surprisingly) and so then they decided they’ll try another tool at their disposal, disciplinary hearings. The real fix involves neither bulletins or Section 18 hearings. But the real fix takes time and it’s difficult to show upper management you’re doing something about a problem if all you’re telling them is, “we are making changes that require regulatory approval. ETA 6 months. Stby to stby.” That doesn’t work well. Hence the hearings and hyper-focus on non compliance etc.

Just take your time, make sure you’re doing everything by the book. No need to rush anything for any reason, be methodical and deliberate. If you are in a “non-normal” situation like coming into a tow-in gate, at a power-out gate, or have no APU, just be extra careful. If you have a checklist that is interrupted, start it over from the beginning. Brief your FOs to double-check the parking brake and NWS switch at the before start and at shutdown. Make sure your EFB is up to date. Any normal pilot flying the line shouldn’t be worried about any of these things because frankly, you’re doing your normal job of showing up to work prepared and ready to work. Remember, we aren’t paid to get passengers and planes from A to B. We’re paid to mitigate risk between A and B. So mitigate.

 

I agree with everything you say and it illustrates what happens here. Having been in leadership/support positions at every level in an organization, here's my two cents: Of course they want to stop the bleeding immediately and the initial reaction is to do what you described as happening. But true leadership would take it to another level and understand that their decisions have secondary and tertiary effects on those working the front line. Leaders don't lean on the front line to make better decisions. They incorporate and adjust systems that generate the best results. They're not being leaders, they're being managers. And the worst kind of managers are the ones that lay blame on their subordinates.

I came from the military so maybe that's why this looks worse to me. Any leader that tried to blame subordinates for failures would be immediately corrected or eventually removed if it was a pattern of behavior. Just saying.

 

PSA announces a $15k sign on bonus. I'm guessing those of us with class dates before this announcement are out of luck?

 

Anyone with a July indoc class gets the bonus. I would give HR a call if you were before that. If enough people voice concern, they might extend it to people before July.

 

I wouldn’t hold your breathe

 

If you don't ask, the answer is always no...

 

You’ll have a higher seniority number.

 

technically you’re not an employee until day 1 of Indoc. I think you get it. At least when I was in the atp/ctp course they announced a large bonus increase. I got the larger bonus because my employment was contingent upon me passing the ATP course.

Edit: did you mean class dates that started prior to the announcement? Or an offer prior to the announcement and you already have your class date?

 

This is what I was thinking as well, since I'm not technically a new hire or employee yet. I have a September class date. Something official would be nice



​​​​​​​this would be good news for me, but how do you know?