Originally Posted by
PWMRamper
Originally Posted by
freshairborne
Let me clarify something that may have been misunderstood in my posts about delay charges and mechanical discrepancies: there has never been a time_ever_ that I've felt pressured to fly an airplane that was not legal to fly. Ever. Not prudent, yes. But not legal, no.
The only times I've ever gotten anything less than full support for refusing an airplane is when it met FAA minimums for flight in general but given a collection of unfavorable circumstances, I'd refused it based upon my decision that flying it would put us in a more adverse situation than the FARs were designed to encompass. In other words, I thought the FARs didn't cover the unique situation adequately.
In fact, in my own flight office with our current Chief Pilot and most of the former ones, I have always been backed up 100%. Our Chief Pilot is an experienced line pilot, and as long as we have legitimate concerns, she is right there.
But getting charged with a delay based on the result of reporting a discrepancy is another matter entirely. As every pilot on this and other threads have said repeatedly, UCH wants to find us in violation of the TRO they got against us, and we think they would use that to their advantage in contract negotiations. Remember, we are all playing hardball in this thing.
But again, never have I been pushed to violate FAR as far as mechanical integrity is concerned. Contract issues such as work rule violations, waiving contract provisions, yeah, every day this happens.
They're certainly not stupid, and they're not about to knowingly violate FARs. With that and the fact that our pilots act as the final authority on what's safe and not just what's legal, you're all covered. After all, we're in the pointy end, the part that hits first!
FAB
I've run into Express Crews who are just like you. The plane may be legal to fly, but the pilot knows the situation at the destination could cause issues despite the plane being legal.
I recall a case a few years ago where an Express flight to a hub was delayed coming inbound for some system going inop (I believe it was a Wind Shear warning or something). System was supposedly fixed and the aircraft flew to PWM.
System went inop again in flight and the Captained called MX out to have a look. They "fixed" the system just like it was done in the hub. Captain wasn't buying it. Normally he wouldn't have an issue flying with it, but since the hub's weather was poor, he didn't want to chance anything. He refused the aircraft, although maintenance and dispatch both approved it.
He, along with his F/O and F/A's, were on the last leg of a 5 day trip. Dispatch then said they were going to fly the A/C to a MX base to fix it, but "the weather's real awful in those places, so you might be stuck in PWM for the night." Of course, the weather was fine and they were basically pressuring him into accepting the aircraft.
He immediately got his chief pilot on the phone, who agreed 100% with him and spoke to dispatch, but they wouldn't have any of it. Captain came up to speak with both us Gate Agents and the Passengers and let them know what was going on. Professional in every sense of the word.
Long story short, they never actually cancelled the flight. Delayed it until the weather improved in the hub, and flew it out. Only had 4 people get on the plane, as we had rebooked everyone else.
Not sure how relevant that story is, but your posting jogged my memory. I was incredibly impressed with the crew and completely disheartened with the dispatcher. The crews generally know best, and I always am impressed when they not only tell us why they are going on an MX delay, but offer to tell the passengers.
Yep, that's how those things play out sometimes. There is nobody that can pressure a pilot into accepting an aircraft he or she doesn't feel should be flown, and holds to the courage of their conviction. Not dispatchers, chief pilots, mechanics, or Jeff Smisek.
We will all be judged for making those decisions though, whether by our co-widgets, passengers, or management.
We can't always make friends in those cases, but at least we can protect or defend people from their own ignorance.
FAB
Originally Posted by
jacroweORD
good luck with being happy at work.
I'm happy.
How 'bout you AD? Fresh?
[/QUOTE]
Truth be told, once the door gets shut an I don't have anybody second-guessing me at what I do best, I'm pretty happy. I like the gig, I just hate the politics, the games, the buck-passing. Unfortunately, the part I like is one-fourth of the whole thing, remembering for a minute that my car is in the company parking lot 90 hours for every 20 that I get paid for (the actual flying).
I remember once, about a zillion years ago, I was an ORD 737-200 F/O, on reserve and getting deadheaded all over the country to cover trips. I got paired with this old geezer Guppy captain who might not have been able to properly fog a mirror... Anyway, we were on our 3rd of 4th approach into somewhere on the eastern seaboard, been arms-a-flailin' all day, and I said to him, "man, ain't this great!?!"
He sez "you'll get over it someday" and I'm thinking how could someone get tired of this? This is hardcore flying, the stuff I dreamed of 10 years previous, so how could it get old?
He was old...OLD (younger than I am right now) and the thrill was gone.
It took me years to realize that he meant the WHOLE THING, not just the flying part.
Fun? Yeah, but ya gotta have thick skin and a flexible family unit.
I'd quit tomorrow but my wife still has a few years to go in her profession, then she can quit her money job an concentrate on her fun jobs. Anyone wanna get scuba certified, or learn to ride a motorcycle? Earn your Black Belt?
Still diggin the flying part though for the moment. I probably shouldn't admit that though because it equates to deserving less because it's fun.
FAB
Here's the saaaaad part about mgmt vs co-widget: Smisek, et al, believe that in the running an airline game, in order to win you must crush your opponents. Reality though is that no losers are needed in order for there to be a winner.
Just ask Herb Kelleher
FAB