Point taken and I think everybody is aware of the usurping of the captains authority throughout the industry. But this incident is a hyped fabrication,not worthy to the serious matter of PIC authority, more of a union ploy that uses safety...disgusting.

"Earlier today we issued a communication related to an ad by the pilot’s union, USAPA, that ran in USA Today. We also felt that the following statement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), regarding the incident mentioned in the ad, would be informative for employees:

The FAA manager assigned to the US Airways certificate reviewed the June 16, 2011 incident. The APU shutdown the aircraft experienced is a failure that pilots are well aware can happen and that they are trained to recognize. The battery apparently was depleted by attempts to restart the APU. Flying an aircraft with an inoperative APU is not an unusual event and normally poses no safety issues when proper limitations are applied. The Captain simply chose to exercise her pilot-in-command authority of not accepting an aircraft. Our information indicates that US Airways followed their approved MEL procedures, and all maintenance procedures were followed in accordance with the operator’s approved maintenance program. We found no violations of Federal Aviation Regulations."

If anything though, I'd think this would fuel the fire in Doug to bounce this group and their portion of his airline. They've got to be #1 on his caca list now. In fact, he might even bring his local westies in closer to orchestrate something to facilitate a divorce.

Clearly this group has gone viral and become rabid. As long as they are a part of any equation of your company, it has virtually no chance of success and they'll continue to throw tantrums (public and private) until they either get their seniority touchdown of sink your company trying.

Strategically, if I were doug, I'd put a breakup on the front burner now. Of course, I can't think of anyone who'd want the east as they for all intents and purposes are now considered to be dipped in s*%t.

You think any other operation would touch this group after this public ad ?

Not a chance in hell.

Spot ON!!

Carl

Yeah, I read the article as well and was stunned! I'm thinking to myself, "What in the sam hill was there mgmt really thinking about?" Frickin unbelievable!

I text messaged a friend who flies for USAir as an FO on the 73 and he confirmed everything that was in the article.


atp

Glad to hear you feel this way, and that you've seen through management's attempt to save face. They can hide behind all the safety audits in the world, but there is ONLY one question: "Did USAirways management attempt to pressure NUMEROUS crews to fly an aircraft deemed unsafe by its PIC, or didn't they."

Everything else is BS.

Carl

I must say, you have fallen to an all-time low. To disrespect this woman by calling her "Roseanne Bar and moronic" for refusing to fly an unsafe aircraft, one which another crew confirmed was unsafe, is beyond reprehensible; to allow your emotions to completely override your logic, to allow your utter contempt for the East pilot group to push you this far speaks volumes to your own mental competency. Shame on you sir and shame on any other pilot who does not call you out!

Actually USAToday would not publish the ad until their legal department checked it for accuracy.

Do you think the ad is going to help, hurt, or is a feel good for USAPA? Does it get them anywhere?

Correct Jack, except that this poor chap fell to a low long ago. The AB 330 that had hte problem had no power on the stby bus, and more than one crew refused the airplane. MTC tried to push the first capt with masking the problem and saying they would put the apu on mel. that was not the problem, but the pressure is on to get departures out, regardless. I've been pushed several times on my vintage 737 that breaks down all the time. You don't have to creat job actions here, Parker did it with all the outsourcing of mtc. that 330 was not safe nor legal to fly anywhere, let alone across the pond. shame on that west guy for having zero respect for a fellow pilot trying to do the right thing, but from his repeating of flase statements, nothing is beyond this misguided chap.

Technical question: Isn't the APU battery completely separate from the rest of the aircraft's electrical system? If so, then the reported failure of the "hot battery bus" or "standby bus" would be a second, independent malfunction, not caused by repeated APU start attempts. :confused: