I have three types and I must say I "suffered" for that SF340 type. That was a bear. I didn't have any time in type before hand though.

Who did you get the 340 type with?

I would tend to disagree, every person has the right to work where they want and projecting your values on other pilots won't accomplish your goal of industry-wide unity. Personally, I'm at a "good regional" with hopes of moving on, however most guys in my base are lifers so I hear a good deal of rationalization about why at 35 they feel like they're over the hill. I try to remind them that the average new hire at the legacies and cargos are in their mid thirties and that getting in at the beginning of a wave can put thousands of a pilots behind you rapidly (UAL '97 hires vs '99 hires) but my arguments seem to fall on deaf ears. Their rational for sustainable QOL is quite understandable and in the long run, their choice benefits us because it'll be one more spot at a legacy for you or me.

I agree that regionals are still plagued with the "commuter" mentality although their operations are now both incredibly larger and more extensive. A national cohesiveness would be beneficial to pilots, but I don't think its realistically possible. Strong unions rarely exist in such cut-throat industries and when they do, eventually they can put incredibly financial strain on their company by preventing them from providing a competitively priced product (GM, Ford, etc). Longshoreman and the like derive their power from the fact that if they don't work, nobody else can fill in for them ( I found this link to illustrate that point: The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search) If GM stops making cars, that will hardly bring the automotive industry to a standstill, or if Continental struck tomorrow, the industry as a whole would continue to function. These industries are quite different from those that currently benefit from strong unions.

Wages and fuel are the two main operating costs airlines face and most airlines are much more fixated on tangible numerical representations rather than abstract ideas like higher morale improving efficiency or logistical positions being filled with intelligent individuals to increase resource utilization, therefore airlines will do what they can to prevent national labor unity and continue to negotiate separate contracts.

I like to think of Comair, not as a pyramid, but more like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was glorious and wonderful when it was built....but now it's crumbling away and about to crash to the ground.

Stick that metaphor in your hat and smmmmoke it! :D

[quote=duvie;751190]Projecting my values may not achieve solidarity, but it does kill time on the internet. I wish pilots were more unified, human nature not withstanding. I also like to bang back against the concept of good and bad regionals. I think we need to understand what has been lost in this profession and try to regain some of it instead of jabbing at each other over who's more bit-chen because they get 1-2 more days off a month and $2-3 more a flight hour. Instead of wasting energy trying to feel superior to pilots at "bad regionals" we should invest energy in ways to work together.

Are unions to blame when companies fail? The current state of our auto industry is a result of poor planning and decision-making on the part of the heads of these businesses. I'm sure someone smart enough to run a huge company like GM is smart enough to negotiate with a union.


We would be treated a lot differently if the NLRA did not require so much time and place so many barriers before a strike. In your example, if COA struck tomorrow, the industry might be okay, but COA would sure be motivated to bargain in good faith and reach a mutually satisfactory deal with its pilots.

The NLRA should be changed so that union pilots can more effectively bargain. Pilots need to stop competing against each other to see who can work the most and earn the least. The balance of power needs to shift back toward unions enough that companies are forced to reasonably price goods and services so that living wages and benefits are paid.

The Dash Whisperer

I've smoked quite enough of Comair's crap for the last 7 years.

Don't you want a pager? Because at Comair you'll have one until you hit 20 years.

Actually I'd be hard pressed to think of anything Comair has that anyone would want, unless it's to learn how grumpy 15,000-hour Captains fly planes.

What about, all the Biscoff cookies you can eat? (So, I got that goin' for me!!):D