Look, I’m as skeptical as the next guy but come on! If the DENFTC management didn’t think outside of the box and did not offer this UPA compliant special assignment opportunity and in the Fall, we were not able to train new hires and upgrades due to lack of instructors, what would we be saying? Let me guess, things like “they should have been on this earlier in the Spring/Summer!!” , “they knew many PI’s etc were going to return to the line. If they really wanted trained instructors, they would have figured out a way to get this done!”
Well, they are figuring out a way to get it done and the method complies with the UPA and offers some pilots a change of pace with a 90 hour credit month to boot. I’d much rather have them spooling up seniority list instructors in this manner than getting “boxed in” and trading advancement opportunities and new hire training for contract instructors etc. like other airlines have done.
My .02. Worth both pennies.

^^^
THIS

Training instructors is a chicken-and-egg problem. I’m glad there’s an effort to increase (or at least maintain) the current capabilities than permit additional shrinkage of the instructor cadre.

I’m with everyone on “management should have been more proactive “ in getting PIs into the pipeline.

However, I think it’s great to have line qualified crews providing critique to new PIs. No faking it for them, and if they want to be a-holes, the no-jeopardy role for line crews will provide ample opportunity for feedback, critique, rumors, and ridicule.

I see this as a potential positive for line crews to shape the product at TK........

In theory

Good point.

Why not? I can’t think of one good reason why a new hire can’t be trained for those airplanes.

I haven’t had someone junior to me bid onto the 787 or 777 in over a year.........So that’s a pretty good reason

New hires go to the 756 in EWR already by the way.

What if a new hire was a 777 capt for ek? Do you think they might be able to handle the 777 or 787?

That was never the point me or anyone was making. New hires can’t go to the 787 and 777 strictly because of seniority. There are 1500 pilots that have never had a chance to bid a WB yet.