It seems his too tight collar/tie has cut off the oxygen supply to his too tiny "membrain"!:eek:

And while you're at it don't forget to mention the Northwest crew that overflew MSP, or the Delta crew that "accidentally" landed on the taxiway. Or the crew that landed at the wrong airport, just to name a few that come to mind. There are errors that happen in the military to. Why is that, because we're human and not perfect. BTW, you just proved my point, you are one of the 2%

Major hiring depts are not impressed with the military or civilian versions of chuck yeager, or the cocky attitudes they bring with them.

They look for pilots that can sit in a cockpit for 12 hours at a time with the ability to play well with others, portray the airlines branded image, and operate a safe plane.

Bring the "iceman" tude to an interview and no amount of lunar landings will get u a job. Bring a humble, energetic, can-do attitude...u are in.

Background may get u an interview quicker, but it wont get u the job necessarily.

The idea I was proposing here was not to combine the seniority lists in the traditional sense but staple the entire pilot group to the bottom of the mainline list as is.
Why fold up a perfectly good and cost effective operation when they love the cheap feed so much?

Some pilots could choose to bid bigger equipment and better salaries when they can hold it.
Some could elect to stay on the rj. Perhaps you might even have a few bid down to the rj for a specific base, better qol etc.
Everyone would benefit from mainline seniority, longevity and benefits.
This absorbed or acquired regional would have stacks of applicants keeping the express/connection/shuttle operation well staffed.
The major can decide to control the hiring process as well.

Mainline pilots would control all flying, this could be a very powerful negotiating chip for the next round of talks.
Can any current or past mainline pilots weigh in on this issue?
General input from anybody else is welcome as well.

There are still some issues I do not have definitive solutions to:
- Salary at the absorbed carrier (low enough to appeal to the acquiring major, high enough to attract applicants).

- Union, pilot group and management political realities.
Are these real hurdles or could this program benefit enough parties that it might end up a reality...

I've too have done class 2 extended overwater operations, flown into countries where English is probably their 3rd or 4th language at best while dealing with some nasty terrain avoidance, hell, I had a "heavy" A300, crash on approach 45 min after I landed in one of these foreign countries, killing all 3 crew and two on the ground. Did all this in a CRJ.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/9-224.jpg

You guys got to know when somebody's trollin. Don't bite on crap.

That is a very dangerous word in this industry.

Since you like red so much....

A better flow with their major partners to attract new hires is probably on the horizon. However, any form of merger/staple job would destroy ALPA. There is no chance of a staple happening, neither management or mainline pilots will allow that.

Please prove to me that what the regionals supply is actually "cheap feed." This is possibly the biggest false term that just keeps getting kicked around on this forum.

Just because regional pilots don't make much of a paycheck doesn't mean the operation is "cheap" for who is paying for all of it, when costs and revenue are the main things you use to determine what is "cheap" or not. Add in 400% jet fuel increase in 10 years, more senior pilot groups almost everywhere, and less revenue due to less seats on RJs to support it all, and I promise, on a per-passenger cost/revenue basis it is no where near the efficiency of 130-200 seat mainline aircraft. Even at $30-$40 a barrel for fuel the role of RJs was tenuous at best. I actually have no idea how they have been allowed to continue as long as they have. Because they are expensive and inefficient.


I think they will just let all the small, expensive RJs slowly go out of the system, and replace what they have to with the cheapest possible 76-90 seat RJ or send it to mainline. If they can't staff those large RJs, then maybe they will do something. But my gut says not likely. That is the fight that's on right now. How cheap and how long term can they make the large RJ contracts. So far they are 0 for 3.

Nor would the regional pilots if past history is a guide.