TK standards captains have ALWAYS been management. With the advent of job share, I can’t say for certain if they are management, but my guess is no. Part of the reputation of training center standards captains being “management friendly” stems from our history. During the strike, they were expected to keep working, much like pilots in the flight offices around the system. Post strike, many of the scabs hid in training center for years and were protected by the company. This is why the reputation exists, fair or not.
I get the history. The UAL side was what you mentioned, and the CAL side had a training department and CP office full of scabs, friends of Fred, etc, but that was a long time ago. It doesn’t need to be forgotten and it definitely explains the present perception by many that people in the training department are climbers or management friendly, but I don’t think that is the case today. There are exceptions of course, but the vast majority of pilots working at TK or on the line as LCP’s are line pilots first. TK instructors like to teach, they want to sleep in their own bed, and they like the money. LCP’s like to teach and the money is good. If we ever get to the point of a legal job action I’d expect them to do their part for the pilot group without question.
