Life as a junior NB CA
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Always Fly With Favorite Captain
Posts: 377
Hey, I resemble that remark ! (At least the favorite Captain part.)
#42
Don't say Guppy
Joined APC: Dec 2010
Position: Guppy driver
Posts: 1,926
Yup. Reserves are pilots "in reserve" (!), ready to be used if needed, when needed. When they start pushing up reserve productivity there's a point where they're not reserves anymore, just lineholders scheduled week to week vs monthly.
This happened infamously at CAL in 2003 as they were cutting to the bone to stay out of another BK. A bright idea was one more round of furloughs and the reserves would just fly a lot more. Along came the Iraq war and we didn't have enough pilots for the very lucrative CRAF requests and we lost out on a money maker. Person who came up with the idea was fired.
This happened infamously at CAL in 2003 as they were cutting to the bone to stay out of another BK. A bright idea was one more round of furloughs and the reserves would just fly a lot more. Along came the Iraq war and we didn't have enough pilots for the very lucrative CRAF requests and we lost out on a money maker. Person who came up with the idea was fired.
Probably the reason we stopped hiring this year, is that we had so many bodies in the wrong places, being underutilized. Forcing those bodies out through displacements will eventually have the same effect as hiring new pilots.
Or maybe they will screw it up even worse. MP is a moving target. I don't think I would want their job.
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2012
Position: CAP A320
Posts: 301
I don't know the exact target that they plan to use reserves, but they do have a target. It is higher than you might think. There is always flying that doesn't get assigned by PBS, and pilots call in sick at a predictable rate. JR and SR manning are for when the "sheet hits the fan."
Probably the reason we stopped hiring this year, is that we had so many bodies in the wrong places, being underutilized. Forcing those bodies out through displacements will eventually have the same effect as hiring new pilots.
Or maybe they will screw it up even worse. MP is a moving target. I don't think I would want their job.
Probably the reason we stopped hiring this year, is that we had so many bodies in the wrong places, being underutilized. Forcing those bodies out through displacements will eventually have the same effect as hiring new pilots.
Or maybe they will screw it up even worse. MP is a moving target. I don't think I would want their job.
#44
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: B-777 left
Posts: 1,415
Though i agree with your sentiment; the reason they pushed new hires starts to NOV was that the training dept is swamped. That is not an exaggeration. They need to get thru this summer firehose and they'll be able to handle the rest of the strong demand during the fall/winter. I think proper manning is when they are a bit tight during the summer and holidays. If they have to do some SRM during that time, then our staffing is fine. When they have to JRM, then you have an issue, but that has mostly gone goodbye. By the end of the summer, SRM will be basically done for the long haul. look at the trends of SRM from last year to now, and you'll see there is barely any of it left. We are finally getting staffed the right way. L-UAL, which i am, always wanted too many pilots which was ridiculous. Keep the manning tight, and it limits the number of furloughs IF WE EVER NEED THEM. Go too fat on pilots, and it's easier to cut a lot more, since the cost isn't much more. Too many L-UAL guys want more pilots and want work rules that allow more pilots on the lot. That's old school and they need to move on and realize we are not being competitive. Keep manning tight, and if we have to do some senior manning for 4 months, then we save money not being overmanned the other 8 months. And realistically, if you look at SRM numbers, it is prevalent anymore. So it's really minimum 3 months of limited SRM to offset 9 months of good staffing.
#45
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Position: Airbus 320 Captain
Posts: 481
If you can't take a joke, then you better find another profession, or at least hide your sour demeanor well in airline interviews.
#46
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2016
Posts: 72
I agree with EMBskillz observation. It's one of those things that those people say as a joke, but at the same time not really a joke. The people that use that phrase a lot tend to be more self absorbed than the average pilot, while at the same time less skilled and more afraid of the airplane.
#47
Seriously what is it with the new balance shoes??? Why in the world are these guys wearing white new balance shoes, white tube socks, cargo shorts and a tucked in polo? Its fascinating to see how many pilots look just the same on trips. Hell I can pick out a pilot in the middle of KIX.
#48
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Position: Airbus 320 Captain
Posts: 481
I agree with EMBskillz observation. It's one of those things that those people say as a joke, but at the same time not really a joke. The people that use that phrase a lot tend to be more self absorbed than the average pilot, while at the same time less skilled and more afraid of the airplane.
#49
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2009
Posts: 1,860
Seriously what is it with the new balance shoes??? Why in the world are these guys wearing white new balance shoes, white tube socks, cargo shorts and a tucked in polo? Its fascinating to see how many pilots look just the same on trips. Hell I can pick out a pilot in the middle of KIX.
#50
Seriously what is it with the new balance shoes??? Why in the world are these guys wearing white new balance shoes, white tube socks, cargo shorts and a tucked in polo? Its fascinating to see how many pilots look just the same on trips. Hell I can pick out a pilot in the middle of KIX.
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