My side of the story (Falcon F/O)

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Componere lites said:
I was called in last minute, and was told to hurry. The pilot that was supposed to fly could not find his company I.D. They said that in order to speed things up I should come in the clothes I had on and change into my uniform in the cockpit. I did not do this and quickly changed into my uniform at home. In retrospect it starts to make sense to me now why they wanted me to walk in civilian clothes through the terminal...
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What kind of shady, fly-by-night operators have you been working for? I work for a pretty low rate regional but I'd know a scheme when I smell one.. CHANGE IN THE COCKPIT? I guess there's a sucker born every minute..

You are a scab..

You made your bed..
 
calcapt said:
Onno, I will acknowledge up front that I don't know you. I appreciate your attempt to explain your side of what happened on this controversial issue and I will also give you some credit for a willingness on your part to accept some lumps for what you now clearly see as a bad decision.

Let me be clear about something - I work with some individuals that crossed picket lines and some of them are even nice guys. That being said, they are, and always will be scabs. It is something that can never be erased or atoned for. They exist in a world much like someone with a disability - they get by, but their co-workers all know who and what they are.

Here is my take on your situation. The current state of the airline industry has pilots on the brink - physically, emotionally and financially. Pilots have had it with management teams that have pushed things too far. Pilots are now starting to push back and the Spirit Strike may be just the start of things to come. Your decision to fly this flight at this particular time will likely cost you your career in mainstream aviation. Your timing was as bad as your judgment. Pilots will see you as a spineless pawn being told (or tricked) by management to screw your fellow pilots - and you did it. You also have the disadvantage (unlike the 83-85 Continental Scabs), of being one name on a list of two pilots who flew struck Spirit work. Your name will be remembered.

I think I have a reputation on this forum for reason and common sense - at least I hope I do. That being said, my advice to you would be to consider other non-aviation career options. I just don't see any meaningful way for you to salvage the predicament you find yourself in.

Perhaps others can find truth and the importance of character in your misfortune.

I wish you well in your weighty decisions ahead.
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Just the person I was hoping would chime in about this whole thing. Thanks for the rational and well thought out post; unfortunately there aren't many in this thread.
 
Bumblebee said:
actually there was a pretty reasonable discussion going on here...considering the circumstances.
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I agree to an extent. However, the random posts vehemently calling the guy a scab aren't exactly helpful. He knows what he did, we know what he did. Let's be a little more constructive than that.

By definition he scabbed (he flew struck work), and that's something that cannot be simply glossed over. It's going to follow him for the rest of his career (and rightly so), and for that, I pity him. I'd like to believe that this was just a big misunderstanding and that he didn't actually realize what he was doing until it was too late; after all, that's certainly possible. I wasn't there, and I don't know him.

No matter the crime, however, a person should not be robbed of his basic human dignity. Hurling insults at someone you don't know based on incomplete information, well, that's just childish and shows a distinct lack of character. Unfortunately several posters defaulted to that instead of bringing something to the discussion.

I say let Onno here go off in peace and deal with his own demons. He's got a long road.
 
dasleben said:
Hurling insults at someone you don't know based on incomplete information, well, that's just childish and shows a distinct lack of character.
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I think the information is pretty complete.. The guy flew struck work, thus making him a scab..

If an action is committed and the person is called out on the act they have committed, that is not hurling insults - it's calling it like it is..

A man who fishes - a fisherman..
A man who bakes - a baker..
A man who fights - a fighter..
A man who swims - a swimmer..
A man who hunts - a hunter..
A man who preaches - a preacher..
A man who begs - a beggar..
A man who lies - a liar..
A man who performs struck work - a scab..

None of these are insults.. They are truths and sometimes, it hurts..
 
dasleben said:
I agree to an extent. However, the random posts vehemently calling the guy a scab aren't exactly helpful.

Hurling insults at someone you don't know based on incomplete information, well, that's just childish and shows a distinct lack of character. Unfortunately several posters defaulted to that instead of bringing something to the discussion.

I say let Onno here go off in peace and deal with his own demons. He's got a long road.
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Agreed, it was admittedly frustrating sometimes to continue the conversation around those who merely wanted to spit at the guy.

I was rather proud of most of our community today here.
 
Tram said:
I think the information is pretty complete.. The guy flew struck work, thus making him a scab..

If an action is committed and the person is called out on the act they have committed, that is not hurling insults - it's calling it like it is..

A man who fishes - a fisherman..
A man who bakes - a baker..
A man who fights - a fighter..
A man who swims - a swimmer..
A man who hunts - a hunter..
A man who preaches - a preacher..
A man who begs - a beggar..
A man who lies - a liar..
A man who performs struck work - a scab..

None of these are insults.. They are truths and sometimes, it hurts..
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You're absolutely right, but I'm looking more toward the intent of the post, not necessarily the wording.
 
Dale's attempt to draw out Onno's motivation and thoughts so that we could better understand his decision was important. I think this thread has been a learning experience for us all.
 
thanks Bill, that was my intent...hoping to gain a perspective into someone who from the outside we can easily ostracize, but may hold the keys to us gaining wisdom into our own motivations.
 
Bumblebee said:
Listen, your story seems odd, and that is important because the whole initiation of your SCAB flight seems implausible. Now this seems implausible, as well.

I am curious why you are here...is it to try to repair your reputation?

I can tell you that the above quote doesn't do you any good.
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Why do you think I am here? I do not particularly like public floggings but I feel that I need to explain myself and tell the chain of unfortunate events as they have happened.

Somebody asked me about CHQ on this forum. And it is the absolute truth. It has nothing to do with my situation with spirit. I just answered the questions about CHQ truthfully, the sim broke just before my checkride and it was a very busy time at FlightSafety. Now suddenly because you and others do not believe that the CHQ thing happened to me it is proof that everything is a lie. I have nothing to hide. And yes, it is a weird story. They keep happening to me. Believe me, I can do without.
 
dasleben said:
You're absolutely right, but I'm looking more toward the intent of the post, not necessarily the wording.
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Yeh, to berate the guy for crossing just to call him names is sorta childish.. It's a bad spot and he put himself in it.. I mean, from his own admitted story, things were odd from the word go.. "Get dressed in the cockpit?" I mean, let's seriously think about how this sounds.. I know the airlines I've worked at have not been the best places but if they asked me to throw my uniform on in the cockpit, something would be seriously up..

Scab has been a household word for me since I was a kid. Scab and Lorenzo. I have nothing for a scab.

Scabs WILL ALWAYS make excuses for their actions. "I have a wife, 2 kids and a house payment." "I have X.." "I have Y.." "I have Z..." Do they honestly think that the OTHER guys don't?

If Onno is telling the truth, I feel bad for him.. As for David Julian Cann, from Onno's admissions, David is a scab of the first degree and feel not an ounce of pity for him.
 
First leg is questionable, but although I don't know for sure I am betting that if you stranded that plane at the outstation after the first leg and immediately called the appropriate people at the Spirit MEC, and heck rent a car and drive back to throw yourself on their mercy yourself at the strike center they would have a lot more sympathy for you. They might have even handed you a sign and put you to work.

We'll never know, now, though.
 
Componere lites said:
Why do you think I am here? I do not particularly like public floggings but I feel that I need to explain myself and tell the chain of unfortunate events as they have happened.
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so why then?

Why do you feel the need to explain yourself?

You are the only person who can answer why...
 
SpiraMirabilis said:
but although I don't know for sure I am betting that if you stranded that plane at the outstation after the first leg and immediately called the appropriate people at the Spirit MEC, and heck rent a car and drive back .
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While I understand what you are getting at, it is rather hard to drive back from the Bahamas.
 
SpiraMirabilis said:
First leg is questionable, but although I don't know for sure I am betting that if you stranded that plane at the outstation after the first leg and immediately called the appropriate people at the Spirit MEC, and heck rent a car and drive back to throw yourself on their mercy yourself at the strike center they would have a lot more sympathy for you. They might have even handed you a sign and put you to work.

We'll never know, now, though.
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Very doubtful. By your argument, as long as a scab repents enough and donates work to the striking MEC, he would be O.K again. A scab is a scab.
 
firebirdswm said:
Not taking sides here, just curious what SOP is when a strike occurs and you're away from home on a trip?
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If you are CASS - another CASS airline will get you home..
If you are not CASS - most other airlines will still get you home..

You fly a trip "just to get home" and you're a scab..
 
Componere lites said:
Why do you think I am here? I do not particularly like public floggings but I feel that I need to explain myself and tell the chain of unfortunate events as they have happened.
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Componere lites, frankly I don't know why you're still here. When was the last time you had pilots taking photos of you in the terminals? You didn't see what was happening during the whole ordeal from pickup that phone to actually starting the engines?? Most don't belive you and your stupidity. Just let it go and accept what you did. You won't get any sympathy especially from ALPA pilots. Good luck, you're going to need it.
 
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