Some of you non-777 folks may have blown past the 777 fleet update from JH on the front page of PFC. Kind of an interesting read.

I read the first couple of paragraphs with the extensive praise heaped on us all. Intermixed with that is a discussion of our transition to Domestic Flag ops and how (in his opinion) that has changed the Captain's role in fuel planning. It was impossible to read this lead up to his real point without wondering when the other shoe was going to drop and what he was really getting at.

When he finally got there, I had to laugh. Because we've transitioned the company to Flag ops (how long ago was that? 5 years maybe?), we're now going to consider fuel uploads to be either safety related or a way to mitigate the "business risk". More importantly, the business risk decision making responsibility now lies primarily with the dispatcher as opposed to the Captain. In other words, if the gas on your flight plan complies with the FARs, then it's safe. Anything you want to add on top of that to increase the odds of a successful landing at your intended destination may be denied by dispatch if they are willing to accept a divert as the price of doing business now and then.

If the switch to Domestic Flag has had such a profound impact on the Captain’s role in fuel planning, one would think this whole philosophical discussion on adding fuel would have come up sooner........ rather than the very same month we implement a new fuel policy.

That is an interesting read. I started to comment, then I realized I was writing a book, and deleted it. I don't believe it matters what we think. We have to continue to be cautious of safety and not get pressured into doing something unsafe because it's just the cost of doing business.

Business expenses are more important than your layover. We are going broke providing funds for A-plan and flying our Challengers around every day getting our Ole Miss and MSU grads back by dinner. Guys, get on board!

They took paper charts away and switched to iPads. How much fuel could we save if every pilot lost 20lbs?

It would be interesting to see their math? How many diverts negates the fuel savings?

Seems like a generally bad concept to me! Maybe we could use bald tires because they are lighter as they have less thread? Would Management accept that my car ran out of gas on the way to the airport because I was trying to save gas (I could go broke keeping the gas tank full all the time)?

In summary ... I've always tried to operate the airplane as if I owned it. I honestly feel that is what I'm being paid for. I REALLY don't like running low on fuel! Maybe it's time to retire?

~MM

I’m buying into it. If I divert at the end of our average duty day I’m timed out duty wise and block wise. In the past our schedules weren’t so tight to keep us from flying an extra leg but I’ve been averaging on some days 7+40 block a day on these Indy trans cons with 13 hour duty days and 11 hour duty nights. I’ve never had ppl I meet (customers) tell me they hate using us till recently. Wonder why.

At this point in my carrer I’ll play the game any way management and the dispatchers want to play it. You want me overhead in my triple with 9000 pounds, ok. You make a big stink if I add gas, fine. However when I decide that we’re going to divert then that’s MY call and there’s not a friggin thing you can do about it. FedEx wants to play craps with them being the house fine. Just remember there are times when the house’s loses. I went dead in the water last week in Dubai for a day because some of our emergency lights would not test right during preflight. Turned out to be the battery pack located in the ceiling that gets a trickle charge when power is applied to the airplane. Seems these batteries were manufactured in 2009. Probably the same ones that came with the airplane when delivered. Now I understand Fedex not stocking a part like that but what really amazed me was that FedEx does not even have the ability to purchase a part from Emirates which must have 50 triple sevens at Dubai. So FedEx lost our flight but most likely at least 3 maybe 4 high dollars Asia flights down line. Finally the part had to come from Paris the next day and even then we FedEx had to get this $500 battery from Air France. Se la vie.

I don't mean to sound passive aggressive, and I really want our company and brand to do well. I want my regional kid to be able to come here and work with pride and know they have a secure future. I own stock here and want it to grow.

But..once I leave the house I don't care where I land. I get paid the same. Sometimes--if I divert--I'll get paid more. Stateside--you may at least trigger some disruption if you don't go to MEM, IND,etc. In Hong Kong, 3/4 of our trips fly right over VHHH on the way to CAN. If fuel is an issue, you make the divert call and YOUR trip is over once you land. Trust me--where I go will be safe and legal. Reliable is on the company and dispatcher. This fuel policy has indicated that they will accept less play time and "they have it figured out". That's their job, and our *****ing aside, they generally are pretty good at it. When they are wrong--we do our pilot stuff. When I hit bingo I don't care about stock price, reliability, johnny's roller skates getting their on his birthday, or anything else but landing safely with enough gas to not only be safe and legal but not scare myself. Nobody "fails" if we divert, and woe be to anyone in management who would push a pilot in this day and age to "get it done" violating any FARS, safety regs, or common sense. I'll divert. If I am legal and rested, and the FO agrees--we'll keep moving the freight along the way once fueled. If I am not legal, or either of us is whipped, the safe thing to do is park it and let someone else get the freight on the way. That is what I'll plan on doing...

What I hear in all this is "...you aren't responsible for landing at XXX. Your job is to try to land there, and if you can't do it safely go somewhere else..." Noted. Got it. I will comply. Stock is $235ish right now. I'll do what I can to get it to $400...but safely...

you have a kid that flies for the regionals? cool. or is this a pilot you help get here, and now he’s “your kid?”

otherwise, allow me to go and vomit!

His daughter....

Emphasis on "I don't believe it matters what we think".......very true. I've been to numerous meetings (all instructors had to attend prior to rollout) concerning the fuel policy, and every question raised was summarily met with a, "we've had Top Men working on this.....Top....Men....". Whatever suggestions/input made by other than the 'Top Men' was summarily discounted.

Totally agree, BusDriver. It's up to the crew to remain safe, to use all assets to to get the biggest picture, and never forget to say either "unable" or "fatigue" when necessary.