Albief15

Take your pick:

1. My wife is ugly.

2. My wife isn't ugly but she doesn't really like me.

3. I saved all my money, never got a boat, motorcycle, or lake house, and now really have no idea how to spend free time.

4. I think paying foreign women for sex is great. (See reason 1, 2)

5. I need to wear some kind of uniform to feel important.

6. I cannot make any worthy contribution to my community in politics, civic service, my church, or charity work.

7. I really just want to **** off a bunch of junior guys.

8. Free popcorn and coffee.

9. Quitting means admitting I am closer to death. (guess what--we all are!)

10. I'm not quitting until _____ quits so I can always be senior to him (HAH!)

RedeyeAV8r

Look we are splitting hairs. I think you and I actually agree.

If the company wants to change the AGE 60 in our plan Document they will have to negotiate for it. What will we get or give for it? I don't know.
While the company could potentially save money in retirement funds the company could face massive increased costs in other areas if the rule changes. Training issues not with standing. Lets look at Disability.

If the Age changes to 65 and a Pilot goes out on a Medical at 61 they will have to pay disability for 4 plus years to 65. Throw me in that briar patch!

Purple F/O

Red, I think we do agree. But it is well worth the time to point out to everyone that any benefit or protection or gain that we get from this change will be costly. The company won't just decide to pay those disability increases without fighting or trying to take it out of somewhere else in our benefit package.

Change is a huge leverage advantage to the company. It will mean more than just the obvious losses to the average line pilot. The face-value changes will be the best that it gets, and is will only get worse from there. What about when the IRS decides that we all have to pay tax on the value of our B-fund?<purely speculation> Do you think the company will help us out with that one? Do you think they will just graciously change our 7% B-fund to 7% 401K contributions without a fight? Of course not. Don't think that these type of things can't happen. Nobody wants to take money out of your pockets quicker than the company and the government; they both have the resources to do it to us.

Nothing is given in this industry, it is taken/negotiated by one side or the other. They have the advantage in unscheduled changes. If you think folks are unhappy with representation post-911, I'm afraid to see what people's opinions are after the dust settles on this one.

MD11Fr8Dog

You forgot:

11. No raquetball court in my 'hood!

RedeyeAV8r

Yes you have brought up many valid issues! I am personally against any change, but more for the retirement issues than for the Seniority issues.

The problem with all this is............It is really out of our control.

We can sit here and speculate and ***** and whine, but There isn't anything you or I can do about it anymore. We all had that chance before to contact Congressmen ans Senators on the issue. The ALPA website made it extremely easy with the Action Alert links. I wonder just how many Pilots here actually took the time?

Whether or not most Pilots (especially the ones *****ing the most) actually took few seconds of their precious free time to do so........is now a mute point. The NPRM has been issued. Like it our not the change is coming.

Other than more friendly banter back and forth, what do you propose to do about it.
You say ALPA can't make up it's mind........ALPA is US and from the banter on this board, we as a group are not unified on the issue.
Even if we were, it ain't gonna matter. But I await your recommendations on how we as a "Non Unfied group" on this issue should press forward. I also await the results of the Poll........if it is wider than 60/40 I would be real surprised, but we will see.

MaydayMark

I think that just about sums it all up in my book.


Like baseball? ... coach Little League or some other youth sports activity.

Volunteer at the local church, school or nursing home ...

Former military or boy scout ... how about becoming a boy scout troop leader?

Like to garden or fish or ski or ...?

Like to travel during the day time ... there is an entire travel industry that promotes travel opportunities for seniors?

In short, for the old guys that have a "need" to feel like they are making a valuable contribution to society ... there are TONS of worthwhile community service projects out there. Plenty that can make you feel good about yourself and allow you to sleep at night like a "normal" person. Give it a try.

Jet Jockey 2003

10. I'm not quitting until _____ quits so I can always be senior to him (HAH!)

That sounds like our FA's. Or my favorite from them, I'm not quiting because I don't want #2 to be #1. Work till oyu drop dead is their motto.

2 more weeks and no more fa's YEA.

RAC396

How about hired to the line at 51,one wife (39 years) 35 year old well educated son who was struck with a cripling bone desese.Works as hard as his body will allow,but still requires some assistance. His medical insurance will be maxed out this year, and someone will have to educate his son's.
Yes I knew the rules going in,and they were that I could be a SO until they crush the last Boing,and that is what intend to do. I am not the only one in this position.
You guy's should stop whining about ME,ME,ME,and get down on your knees and thank God for your job,and family.

MaydayMark

Does that mean it's really about YOU, YOU, YOU?

Lots of us (myself included) have sad family stories. Despite my own sad story, with good financial planning, I plan to retire at 60. I will not have 25 years with the company. I DO NOT WANT TO FLY PAST THAT AGE! If you REALLY need the money, I recommend you retire and get a real job. If you are smart enough to get this job, then you have skills an employer would want. You could take home a bunch more pay at the end of the month ...

I don't want to beat up his guy and his bad fortune but I'll bet he represents a fundamental problem of those guys that want or need to fly past 60. Basically, these guys don't know how to do anything else. It's kind of sad.

In between flying jobs, I've had real jobs. Some really good jobs, some not so good jobs. I'm not afraid to send out resumes and interview for companies that might really NEED my contribution. You guys should try it. I liked it but really missed flying (I did stay in the Reserves) and was glad to get back in an airplane.

Join a flying club and stay involved in flying that way. People would still see you in your pilot uniform (you could still wear your Capt. stripes even though you are over 60) and think you were cool. You could get an AOPA sticker to put on your car so that everyone knew you were still a pilot.


Regards,



Mark

Huck

I got a good friend who's got two teenage kids and a wife with cancer. He's making about 40 a year as an Airtran f/o, after losing his dream job at TWA.

I have been trying to get him hired here for two years. If the NPRM passes it'll be 5 more for him. It ain't just me me me.

Sir I feel for you and I'll pray for your son tonight. You got alot of class working to help him. And I'm glad you could. I'll point out that you would have gone to the line at 56 if this NPRM had passed long ago. But I still admire you.