CAPTAIN INSANO

At a particular US Express carrier, all the FOs on the line, many of which are picking up copious amounts of open time with nearly 100 of their fellow FOs, even some that were in the same class as the open time offenders, on furlough.

I'm just curious, when will you decide that your 2nd year FO pay, a $7/hour PAY INCREASE, to a measly $30ish/hr, which is a crime in itself... when is your 2nd year FO pay rate going to be enough? Enough to make you feel ashamed for picking up open-time while your fellow pilots are on the street, and you fly extra work that could be flown by a furloughed pilot.

Don't fool yourself, even 3-5 furloughed pilots coming back to cover open-time flying is better than none.

Selfish individuals always try to rationalize their negative decisions. The worst part is I guarantee you nobody that has ever been furloughed, who is a decent human being, would ever fly an hour of open time with fellow pilots on the street.

I don't want to hear any stories about starving children, or not being able to make a rent payment. You signed up for this job knowing what it pays, you have to accept the consequences. Stop living beyond your means, and you wouldn't be in a tight spot concerning cash.

So, from a pilot who would never pick up open time with my fellow pilots on street, on this beautiful Christmas day, when will you stop?

• When will you stop picking up open time?
• When will you stop answering your phone on your days off to get junior manned?
• When will you stop being an uneducated fool, and let scheduling abuse you?
• When will you stop bending the contract to help the company out beyond any reasonable exceptions?
• When will you stop trying to rationalize your destructive, negative behaviour, and help the pilot group as a whole?
• When will you stop lieing to yourself, and others when the subject of picking up open time comes up?

Merry Christmas to Everybody, and hopefully this small public service announcement reaches out to the hearts, and minds of all pilots.

navigatro

In my humble opinion, anyone who picks up open time, with pilots on furlough, is a piece of crap.

Insano, why don't you name the company, and name individuals (if not here then on your in house website.)

A little shame can work wonders.

skywatch

Captain - just curious if you caught the interesting contradiction in your own post - the "it is a crime what they pay us/I signed up for this knowing what it paid and should be happy with that..."?

CAPTAIN INSANO

Naming names is wrong, especially on a public internet forum. It makes pilots targets of the company, and of angry pilot group members.

It also hurts the pilot group. It is up to the pilot group to police their members, discreetly.

Surprise Line Check!

CAPTAIN INSANO

First year, second year, third year pay, as negotiated by the pilot group, is completely irrelevant to the subject at hand.

The point is, someone knew the pay they would receive when they signed up at any company. While there is nothing that makes picking up open time less than legal, it shows the company the pilot group is not totally organized, or together in solidarity.


Oh, and by the way, Cessna 152 pilots need not apply to this conversation, as I doubt you have any real idea of what goes on at this level of aviation. You might read about it, and try to understand it, but your misplaced ideals do not belong here.

navigatro

Oh, and by the way, Cessna 152 pilots need not apply to this conversation, as I doubt you have any real idea of what goes on at this level of aviation. You might read about it, and try to understand it, but your misplaced ideals do not belong here.[/quote]


Ouch. I know this was not directed at me, but unless you know the person, you have no idea who they are, or what their background is, solely based on what they put on their signature block.

For example. I work at Taco Bell, and fly a 747 (MS Flight Sim,) but I pretend to know lots more than I do.

de727ups

Mod note:

"Insano, why don't you..name individuals.."

I would suggest you don't. Thanks.

boilerpilot

There's very little that is less honorable than picking up open time when there are pilots on the street. It's selfish, wrong, and short sighted. You may be "helping" yourself by getting an extra $50 or $100 a month, but really what you're doing is saying to the company "we have more than enough pilots to cover the flying right now, you can afford to lay off a couple more", which may end up sending you to the street. Also, it hurts any type of negotiations dealing with junior manning, open time pay, and reserve coverage.

Excessive picking up of over time: it's like shooting yourself and your brothers and sisters in the foot.

UpThere

At a certain US Airways Express carrier, I brought this topic up with a union rep. Unfortunately they cannot take a formal stance because of possible legal ramifications, although the line pilots can try to educate others on the subject. It burns me up when I take a voluntary LOA to help prevent furloughs but others pick up open time.

skywatch

I am pretty sure that was directed at me... But your name is CAPTAIN INSANO, right? So you must be a Captain and I only fly 152's? The real question is, if I change my signature block am I entitled to an opinion then?