XHooker

That's great. You're a good guy and I sincerely hope it works for you. While personally I was against the change in retirement age, right now I'm planning to work until 65 if I can. While I probably could retire at 60, my QOL would likely suffer. We all make choices and if I'm commuting to a 737 or 756 at 58, I might make the same decision as you. The reality is none of us are doing this job for altruistic motives. It's about money for all of us, no matter what we say to the contrary. For the "young guys" it's "get out of my seat old man" and for the "old guys" it's "you whippersnappers need to pay your dues like I did." In reality, there are no abstract old guys or young guys as we fulfill both roles in the arc of our careers. Yes, there are truly selfish dirtbags out there at every segment of the list, but for the most part, the idealistic new hire FO turns into the jaded WB captain simply by the act of hanging around for a few decades. To think there's a difference between "us" and "them" is folly because "us" become "them" and "them" were "us", so why vilify pilots who are doing what they are legally and ethically entitled to do?*

Which brings us back to the reality that the only certain retirements begin in December of 2012. Expecting a mass exodus on any bid due to pilots arbitrarily deciding they've had enough is to ignore that reality.

*Caveat... if I've got $10M (or something even close to it) laying around, I'm out of here.

Ottopilot

The first time I was displaced (due to age 65), I got a check airman doing my IOE that was over 60. He was proud to show me the new glass cockpit that he put in his Bonanza. I told him I don't have any pictures of my 1999 Corolla. I was ****ed.

ewrbasedpilot

Yep, the "poor is me but let me show you my new Harley" routine. It's sickening.

Airhoss

OH yeah!!

I flew with a guy the other day who complained about money and how he's just barely eeking out a living for the first two days and then showed me pictures and bragged about his new $150,000 kitchen remodel and the $84,000 RV he just bought for the remainder of the trip!

I didn't have much to say. But he did offer to let me come over and install 800 linear feet of post and dowel fence that he's going to put in. Of course he'd pay me for my time, $10 American bucks an hour!!

Words just escape me. (Not really but I don't need another infraction for simulating a cuss word)

SoCalGuy

Did you tell him straight up where you'd put the first fence post??

ewrbasedpilot

Hopefully it would be covered with barbed wire too!!!!

ewrbasedpilot

I hear you buddy..............and another thing that bothers me.........is the retired military guys who are making upwards of $45,000 a year in retirement, $80-100,000 a year with the airlines, but can't make ends meet. How on earth did these guys survive before their airline job? I don't get it. When I'm 60, I'll probably get around $1500 or so a month for my military retirement, but THAT will be "free money" to me. Certainly I'll take it, but if for some reason our government screws me out of it, I'll still be okay. BTW, be sure to wave to me while I'm sitting on the beach in SXM as you fly over!!!!

flybynuts

FWIW...I heard there will be a bigger system bid in Jan to add over 400+ United furloughees to the roster. This came from the same conversation that there would be a small system bid in December. Keep in mind the ACP said there would be LAX on one of these bids as well.

Did my MV/LOE last week and one of the training center guys said they are gearing up for more training in March.

Just passing it along as a Christmas wish for those out there.

gettinbumped

Good info.... Hope it turns true.

RUMOUR coming out of the UAL training center is that we will be recalling several hundred starting in Spring to compensate for a 6 month PC/PT cycle. Sure hope that one is true

sonnycrockett

Great Rumor....I would like to get back to work. (8/99 hire and furloughed TWICE!)