Skywest Fence Sitters

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Fly-By

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This should be another reason for those fence sitters to finally make the jump. But but but...........we don't need a union. Life is good here. Just as the company sits across the table from you and leaves you high and dry for the FAA. Have fun explaining certificate action when your at your interview at the majors!!!

To all crews:​
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ATC is WATCHING you!!!!​
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Over the past several months there has been a dramatic increase in the number of pilot deviations involving SkyWest Aircraft in the national airspace system. As a result of this, ATC and the Chief Pilots’ will be enforcing a zero tolerance policy for ATC deviations.

ATC doesn’t like to take action against pilots if it can be helped, but the amount of deviations needs to be curbed and from now on ATC will be taking action in all pilot deviations regardless of whether a loss of separation occurred or not.

ATC managers call us anytime there is a pilot deviation of any kind. If a deviation is reported to us by ATC you will be called in to the Chief Pilots office for counseling.

We realize that the vast majority of you operate in a safe, conscientious and vigilant manner and appreciate your attention to detail. Please help your passengers, SkyWest, and ATC out by continuing to foster this mentality in your peers.

Use good radio procedures, CRM, follow SOP and most of all stay sharp and professional! The gun sights are on us and we don’t want to see anyone of you involved in certificate action.

Call anytime with questions.
 
Oh, but ALPA will save you........oh wait you don't belong to ALPA!:rolleyes: I'd start signing those representation card post haste and get them turned in.:)
 
Honest question, not flame bait. What is ALPA going to do when there are radar tracks and ATC tapes that prove you screwed up?
 
Ralgha said:
Honest question, not flame bait. What is ALPA going to do when there are radar tracks and ATC tapes that prove you screwed up?
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You both (CA and FO) file an ASAP and it "goes away". No joke. It's like NASA's ASRSs program on steroids.

If the incident is of a certain level, the pilots may be required to go do some remedial training, but no certificate action or anything of that sort is taken.

Edited to add - I've filled out several forms but they were of "sole source", which means the FAA did not know/care/report the event. Every month or so the ASAP committee here puts out a newsletter that talks about how many pilots certificates were saved due to the program. It's a good deal for pilots.

A "for instance". MKE has several hot spots now on our 10-9's. These weren't there before an incursion happened with one of our crews. They ASAP'ed it, didn't get any certificate action because of it, and it helped bring out some deficiencies in the 10-9 diagram.
 
subpilot said:
ASAP protects you from cert action. Just like NASA.
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True, although it has much better fringe benefits, such as no 10-day requirement. Obviously the 24-hour period if you know you screwed up, but the great thing about ASAP is if you didn't know you screwed up, you get 24 hours from the time that you were notified that you screwed up to fill out the form.
 
mtsu_av8er said:
Wow - interesting.
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The understatement of the year...

I find Skywest's statement to be absolutely ridiculous. It runs counter to any recognized standard of management or safety culture enhancement.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: If for no other reason, ALPA dues are the best career insurance you will ever have.

Of course there are lots of other good reasons to be a union member, but even if you hate ALPA you will not be represented as well by any other entity.

Take a good look at that statement above and think about what it really means! Skywest isn't the only company to think this way either...

Do youself a favor and send your card in today!

Kevin
 
Ralgha said:
Honest question, not flame bait. What is ALPA going to do when there are radar tracks and ATC tapes that prove you screwed up?
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In addition to what others said, at an ALPA carrier, you will have great protections from termination. At Skywest, the company can basically do whatever it wants as far as firing people. At an ALPA carrier, the company can still terminate you, but if the company doesn't have a really good reason, ALPA can and will take it to arbitration (and arbitrators will almost never uphold a termination unless you killed somebody or something). Job protections are THE biggest reason to have a union on-site, regardless of industry.
 
My question-and I'm not trying to start a fight or be a jerk-but what are Skywest pilots doing to draw so much attention to themselves? Can't they fly the plane, follow their routes and ATC instructions? Just curious...
 
Ralgha, that's not flame bait. It's an honest question, and a good one, too.

Here we had a bunch of guys bust the restricted airspace in DC taking off from DCA. From filling out the ASAP reports and the safety committee doing digging, it was discovered that they were turning on the AP and hoping the automation would keep them out of trouble. Thing is, tha AP won't turn you fast enough to keep you clear. None of the pilots got violated (to my knowledge) b/c they filled out the proper forms and contributed to solving the problem. Now that we know where everyone was going wrong, the problem has been solved.

The guys that ran off the runway in TVC are for SURE gonna fill out ASAPs. I know I would. More than likely, they'll get remedial training at the WORST. If it's determined they weren't at fault or there was another contributing factor, they might not have to do anything at all. I've filled out one of our ASAP reports, and it's pretty darn thorough. We've got an awesome safety committee here at PCL to back that up, too. The funds and resources wouldn't be there for that without ALPA.
 
Ralgha said:
Honest question, not flame bait. What is ALPA going to do when there are radar tracks and ATC tapes that prove you screwed up?
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ALPA has the expertise that will bring to light MITIGATING factors that CAUSED you to screw up. These mitigating factors are at no fault to the pilots but part of the domino affect that lead to the screw up.

Remember the Continetal 757 that landed at the taxiway at EWR a few months ago. Both the Captain and First Officer had their jobs saved by ALPA.

ALPA experts and experience put together 16 outside mitigating factors that caused the crew to screw up and land on the taxiway instead of the runway. These 16 factors were at NO fault to the Captain or First Officer.
 
Seggy said:
ALPA has the expertise that will bring to light LITIGATING factors that CAUSED you to screw up. These litigating factors are at no fault to the pilots but part of the domino affect that lead to the screw up.
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Mitigating maybe? If you are going to use caps at least use the right. Jeesh. ALPA... I guess I shouldn't expect too much:insane:

Kel, as far as flying up the river out of DCA, our procedure is to depart green needles on the 328 and put the heading bug on 310. If you really want to use the autopilot right off the ground hitting HDG and then NAV will get the plane turning pretty quick.
 
A/P on departing 1 @ DCA? Man, that's nuts. That's the only excuse for fun I get nowadays :D.

Plus, you're supposed to follow the river until 4 DME, then track the radial outbound.
 
staplegun said:
I guarantee you it does not work the same way.

Who are the gatekeepers representing the pilots who file?

I thought so...



Kevin
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It works. The ASAP program prevents certificate action. What it won't do, and wasn't designed to do, is keep you out of the chief pilots' office, time off from work, or job security.
 
Skywest guys think they have ASAP but unless you have an enforceable set of rules (read: "contract") like the company can't go thru picking through the data to reprimand you about months later, you're actually putting yourself at great jeopardy even filing one.

And if you do get "called to the carpet", who are you going to have represent you to make sure you get a fair shake?
 
wheelsup said:
A/P on departing 1 @ DCA? Man, that's nuts. That's the only excuse for fun I get nowadays :D.

Plus, you're supposed to follow the river until 4 DME, then track the radial outbound.
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Aww, come on... you guys get the river visual, the circle 33 and with all the LGA flying you are picking up you must get some Expressway Visuals to keep you happy. Exciting for me is anything less then a 15 miles straight in final to Charlotte.

Where is the 4 DME thing published? I looked over our departure procedures for DCA and it doesn't say anything about that. Most guys start turning at 50-100 feet anyways.
 
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