Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
04-30-2010, 04:39 PM
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Having flown with a few S. guys I am convinced that we as a group can move forward to provide the safest operation in the industry. While I absolutely despised our former page long taxi checklist and procedures so anal that it dictated the exact order in which an FMS had to be loaded (yes the dots in SOPA/SMAC represented a particular order), I openly embrace a quieter/safer deck on taxi out. On the other end of the spectrum I sense less SA in a round dial DC-9 with one FDRA bouncing around the cockpit," Hey Bill, what was the airway after FLM?"
There have been some good and not so great changes. Unfortunately for the PMDAL pilots, only fNWA pilots will have had experience with both systems. Succesful integration of best practices will be the result of level-headed fNWA pilots in their presentation and equally open minded PMDAL pilots brushing aside tradition and leaving politics in the employee parking lot. Hopefully these items will be changed to a hybrid of former procedures in the interest of safety down the road; that will be the ultimate signature and trademark of a group of experienced professionals.
Aside from the integration issues I would like to see Delta pull a consistent profit and create a network plan that is the envy of the industry. The past few quarterly statements have been dismal, a reversal in our revenue stream and some movement would get most of the pilots out of the doldrums of the SLI as we would all finally get a glimpse of what hundreds of unpaid hours of transition were for, a better future. Here's to going forward with best practices in the name of safey and attaining profitability.
There have been some good and not so great changes. Unfortunately for the PMDAL pilots, only fNWA pilots will have had experience with both systems. Succesful integration of best practices will be the result of level-headed fNWA pilots in their presentation and equally open minded PMDAL pilots brushing aside tradition and leaving politics in the employee parking lot. Hopefully these items will be changed to a hybrid of former procedures in the interest of safety down the road; that will be the ultimate signature and trademark of a group of experienced professionals.
Aside from the integration issues I would like to see Delta pull a consistent profit and create a network plan that is the envy of the industry. The past few quarterly statements have been dismal, a reversal in our revenue stream and some movement would get most of the pilots out of the doldrums of the SLI as we would all finally get a glimpse of what hundreds of unpaid hours of transition were for, a better future. Here's to going forward with best practices in the name of safey and attaining profitability.
Essentially, the problem right now is that FNWA guys think they see the better way (I understand why you would), but we haven't had a chance to compare. I guess you can get some of your ways within the Flight Ops structure, but the problem is that 60% of the guys haven't been exposed to what you think the better practices are. The 60% deserve their say, just like the 40% do.
So this is is strictly a chronological issue. The cross-polination occurs first, then we debate, then we agree, then we get things changed. It's never been about "sit down and shut-up", it's mostly about giving all pilots a say.
04-30-2010, 04:49 PM
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That's cause you were never a newhire FO at Natco. They never bothered to explain why because obviously, whevereve else you came from must have been run by morons.
sorry, that was supposed to be funny, probably wasn't however.
sorry, that was supposed to be funny, probably wasn't however.
04-30-2010, 04:55 PM
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I'll leave it to your imagination who's who in this cartoon:
For the record, there is a lot of stuff that I like at DAL as well. It's time to start picking the best stuff...BIG and SMALL.
Nu
04-30-2010, 05:15 PM
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04-30-2010, 05:15 PM
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I submit the lines pilots will be the best judges of what the line pilots want. Therfore, the only way is for pilots to talk this stuff over, agree, and lobby together for the changes they want.
Otherwise, all you're doing is lobbying Flt Ops to pick a winner based on the analysis of the 40%, hoping they rule in your favor. The 60%, meanwhile, will not be part of the discussion.
The only way you respect everyone's opinion is to involve everyone. I've never flown with a FNWA guy. I don't know how you want to do things, nor do I know why you want them done that way. Because only a very small fraction of us have in fact worked together, I know there is no consensus on Best Practices. There can't possibly be.
04-30-2010, 05:21 PM
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Sink,
Good post...........I'm kicking myself for not keeping an old NWA checklist for compare and contrast for my first poor dumb ba$tard pmdal capt that gets stuck with me.
I did, however, print out a world flight release and flight plan......the ACARS you'll have to take our word for
"Fights on Fights on...........no coming out of your block without a tally ho or radar SA on ALL players!! Take it down, push it up.......watch the mach"
Ferd
Good post...........I'm kicking myself for not keeping an old NWA checklist for compare and contrast for my first poor dumb ba$tard pmdal capt that gets stuck with me.
I did, however, print out a world flight release and flight plan......the ACARS you'll have to take our word for
"Fights on Fights on...........no coming out of your block without a tally ho or radar SA on ALL players!! Take it down, push it up.......watch the mach
"Ferd
04-30-2010, 05:25 PM
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04-30-2010, 05:26 PM
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Position: LAX ERA
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Agreed. The only question is who makes the choice.
I submit the lines pilots will be the best judges of what the line pilots want. Therfore, the only way is for pilots to talk this stuff over, agree, and lobby together for the changes they want.
Otherwise, all you're doing is lobbying Flt Ops to pick a winner based on the analysis of the 40%, hoping they rule in your favor. The 60%, meanwhile, will not be part of the discussion.
The only way you respect everyone's opinion is to involve everyone. I've never flown with a FNWA guy. I don't know how you want to do things, nor do I know why you want them done that way. Because only a very small fraction of us have in fact worked together, I know there is no consensus on Best Practices. There can't possibly be.
I submit the lines pilots will be the best judges of what the line pilots want. Therfore, the only way is for pilots to talk this stuff over, agree, and lobby together for the changes they want.
Otherwise, all you're doing is lobbying Flt Ops to pick a winner based on the analysis of the 40%, hoping they rule in your favor. The 60%, meanwhile, will not be part of the discussion.
The only way you respect everyone's opinion is to involve everyone. I've never flown with a FNWA guy. I don't know how you want to do things, nor do I know why you want them done that way. Because only a very small fraction of us have in fact worked together, I know there is no consensus on Best Practices. There can't possibly be.
I agree.........and while I have no vote, my vote would be to wait a bit, let the smoke clear a bit because only then will we get a clear picture on what is good and bad.
Ok, I'm being lazy because I'm too tired to go back and redo everything again. But, I also think I need to get used to what we are doing now so I can give it a fair shake.
For example, I like pushing WITH the load data set. I'm also liking AWABS so far. The flight planning documents and checklists, not so much. But give me a few months.......who knows.
Ferd
04-30-2010, 05:36 PM
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04-30-2010, 05:40 PM
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If you look at the tone of the discussion, we're pretty much on the same page in acknowledging there is another way. I don't want to change things just for the hell of it, or because some people are vocal about their prefernces.
I haven't seen a post lately about how you have to accept the way things are "just because". We're all getting used to the fact there actually been, you know, a merger. Nobody thinks you can steamroll 40% of the group, or ignore their wishes.
What I want is good, intelligently run cockpits, and good, intelligent discussions. I don't live my life based on "colors", or "books", and I sure as hell don't want to be labeled in terms of a point on the compass. I want to fly the aircraft as best I can, and then I want to go home. It's that simple.
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