KC10 FATboy

When I interviewed with NWA, I was told by a 742 CA that they were going away soon. His commented that NWA was losing way to much money and that they couldn't compete with big cargo companies like FedEx/UPS.

It can't be a surprise to anyone that they did. It just happened to be the DAL management team, formerly NWA management team, who finally made it so.

Dirtdiver

That's close, but not quite right. I sit international reserve. I'm on the hook for 24 hours. You're correct the Whitlow Letter applies, but you're incorrect that you have no domestic obligation after 12. It just has to be legal by Whitlow. Example: called out to DH to a layover, then fly a domestic rotation.

And I agree, it needs to be fixed. It's sad that we had better rules in the AF. Remember the Legal For Alert rules? 6 hours and then you were burned out, I think.

KC10 FATboy

In the USAF, you could sit Alpha-standby for up to 48 hours. This can and was waived at times up to 5 days.

You are confusing an expected alert time with standby forces. If you had an expected alert time, then yes, you enterred crew rest after 6 hours.

NWA320pilot

Rumors are a dime a dozen..... When I was hired 14 years ago I was told upgrade to PIC would be 5-6 years. Lots of speculation but bottom line is the North side lost the 742 due to the DAL team. They might nor might not be gone if we were still stand alone who knows.

Bucking Bar

something screwy with APC, password changed as a precaution

TOGA LK

[quote=Bucking Bar;730656]100%. As much as NWA defined "LCC" in the domestic world (IMHO even lmore so than SWA), they were the flagship in the international market. I remember when I got hired, they already had the youngest Atlantic fleet and with 18 orders for 787 with 50 options they weren't likely to lose that title in the decade to come. The company was ahead of the pack in IT and international.

Then there were strange outliers in the domestic market. Like first US company to fleet a digital fly-by-wire aicraft, the 320. Yet, ten years prior they were ordering 727 without taxi lights to save money. NWA had a culture, but the culture did very slightly with who was at the helm. It seemed the last two years the people that could (chiefs, flt ops team) tried to make it a better place but they were already working with a very tough culture. I'm glad it's gone but very thankful for the people whom I've had the chance to work and fly with. Going forward.

TOGA LK

In combat we had to give pilots 24 hours off to rotate them from days to nights and vice versa; had to do with the circadian cycle. Flights in the last 1/3 were "high risk." Of course our unit flew nearly 10,000 hours at 100 AGL. Not a whole lot of time to react during the day or worse, while staring through NVGs at a two dimensional world.

iaflyer

As KC10 said, the reason those pilots are being dispaced as their positions were upgraded to 744 Captain positions, due to the Delta PWA. I wouldn't look at them as a loss - yes, they are getting displaced, but the 744A positions create a net gain for the entire senority list. Isn't that what the whole NWA SLI complaint was about - NWA pilots taking advantage of retirements? Using 2 CA and 2 FO for a double crew is better for the NWA list overall.

As for the -9 drivers getting displaced, that is a pay raise too. Also, they most likely don't have to switch bases because all the -9s are in bases with the A320. Sure - for whatever reason they like the -9, but that is going away.

As for the -200 guys - yes, their plane and base were shut down, but that's been news for a while. NWA cargo was losing money hand over fist to all the other cargo operators. NWA should of transitioned to the -400 like all the other cargo operator to cut costs.

Schwanker

Dirtdriver wasn't talking alpha/bravo alert, just LFAs during normal day-to-day AMC Ops. Think normal TACC channel msn us former Gucci's flew--enter min 12 hrs crew rest, establish a LFA (normally 4+15 prior to scheduled departure), then AMCC had a 6 hour window to alert you (extendable to 8 by the AC). Apples and oranges.

Schwanker

freightguy

I started flying the classic whale in ANC long before the merger. You are correct about NWA deciding to park thir 742...but they were to be replaced by 744 freighters. Before the merger, NWA was in the process of negotiating 744pax-freighter conversion slots at HAECO in HKG.

NWA cargo was not losing money to FedEx or UPS....they are entirely diffferent business models and they served a whole diffrent clientele. They lost money because they ran outdated equipment. At one point they were the most profitable side of the whole company.

Too bad DAL is pulling out of freight now....the Pacific freight business has taken off again. HKG and DXB broke all time freight volume records in the last few months. I just hope mother DAL would get back into dedicated freighters in the future.

KC10fatboy; you are not the only one to think you took a hit with the merger seniority list. I lost the best damn job I ever held in my aviation career on the whale out of ANC. So don't give me that crap about NWA pilots getting a windfall....NYC 765 here I come! There is not a damn thing we could do to change the outcome now....so let it go and lets make DAL the best place to work.