flyonboyz

Wow!! This is crazy..What a shame that we live in a world where this occurs.

Survivor

And another form of abuse is the idiotic and potentially libelous "special track" program.

Special track is used to harass and intimidate pilots who otherwise passed their AQP checks. Although a pilot has passed his or her checkride within the FAA's AQP standards, the victim is informed that they will have to return to training in 6 months for another complete check. For the entire training event, not just the area where he was allegedly not up to what are laughably "Piedmont Standards."

The crime in all of this is that some of the finest aviators in the company have been subjected to this abuse. And I'm talking about people with over 25 years of accident and incident. People with impeccable work records.

And why the abuse?

Ever since the AQP program was established, PDT has used it as a way to keep the pilot group down. If you challenge the company, you will be harassed in training. The problem is that instead of the training and checking entities being separate, (thereby having a check and balance), JK controls both and can abuse people at will. The company president SF knows about it, and likes it.

The other problem with special track is that of potential liability.

If someone on special track were to get in a serious accident, PDT would have a tough time explaining in court how a pilot of questionable skill, (who had been given 6 months to practice with passengers), was allowed to fly an airplane. A good trial attorney would eat these idiots alive.

From the top down, Piedmont management and the training department are a disgrace to the airline industry and the profession.

Survivor

>>And I'm talking about people with over 25 years of accident and incident.<<

Should have read "...25 years of accident and incident free service."

Survivor

A week ago, PDT chief pilot MK had his retired father, (former US Airways MEC Chairman and ALPA presidential candidate), put on his old uniform and sit at the PDT table in Florida at a job fair. It's pretty sad when PDT can't even find one of its own to front for the company. It's even sadder when a father and son union team both sell out to management. Especially the disgrace to aviation that Piedmont is. Note: No one approached the Piedmont table that day. No one.

New hires: Think long and hard about applying to a dying airline and putting your PRIA record at risk right out of the gate. You'd be much better off at a regional airline that flies RJs. All the majors look for glass time. Do yourself a favor and stay clear of the disaster that is Piedmont.

Saabs

While I agree with you about staying away from PDT I strongly disagree about majors looking for glass time. I have had tons of buddies hired with no glass, or EFIS only time.

PDTpilotXX

You won't find many pilots at Piedmont that agree with ripping on MK or your opinion of him.

dash8

yeah, mk has been one of the best cp's at pdt in a very long time, he's still management but i've heard first hand counts of him stepping up for people

package puppy

Starting out at Piedmont will build one's skills and provide for a strong foundation to build a career. Too many young aviators are trained by and become "Children of the Magenta Line". It's easier to build a good scan using basic 6 pack gauges first before moving onto FMC's and glass rather than the other way around.

sevenforseven

There are better ways to accomplish that than going to an airline whose primary interest seems to be weeding out people through extremely questionable training practices rather than helping their own pilot candidates to succeed.

I rather bus tables at Denny's than give some instructor or department manager the satisfaction of flunking me out of their "superior" airline training. Especially an airline like Piedmont. If I'm gonna put my ticket on the line, it's going to damn well be at a place that's worth the risk...

fullflank

Yes that happens in flight school.