Congress is getting involved

[sherpa]

ATW Daily News


document.writeln(AAMB5);
Colgan rebuts overscheduling allegations; Senate plans June hearings

Friday May 15, 2009 var era_rc = { ERADomain: 'atwonline.firstlightera.com' };
Colgan Air attempted to push back against allegations that the pilots of the Q400 that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo did not get adequate rest prior to the flight because of possible overscheduling, and the US Senate announced it will hold hearings next month to examine "stunning" issues raised by National Transportation Safety Board hearings on the accident.
At the hearings this week, it was revealed that First Officer Rebecca Shaw had been up for nearly 36 hr. prior to taking the right seat of the doomed aircraft after commuting all night from her home in Seattle, while Capt. Marvin Renslow had commuted to Newark from Tampa on Feb. 9 to begin a two-day trip on Feb. 10 (ATWOnline, May 14). According to NTSB, neither Shaw nor Renslow had accommodations other than the crew room at EWR.
"We want to emphasize that if there was a fatigue issue with [the pilots], it was not due to their work schedule," Colgan said in a statement issued yesterday. "Colgan's flight crew schedule provided rest periods for each of them that were far in excess of FAA requirements."
Renslow was off duty for 22 consecutive hours before the flight and Shaw had been off for three days. "The way they manage their rest time is their own business," Colgan VP-Flight Operations Harry Mitchel told board members. "We hire professionals. They should show up fresh and ready to fly that aircraft."
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate aviation operations, safety and security subcommittee, said his panel will hold hearings next month on "gaps in the existing airline safety system." He added, "The disclosures [relating to the Colgan crash] about crew rest, compensation, training and many other issues demonstrate the urgent need for Congress and the FAA to take actions to make certain the same standards exist for

both commuter airlines and the major carriers."

 

[coldpilot]

I have no problem with better rest requirements for crews but we don't need to regulate pay. We've already started that with executives at TARP banks and socialism is a dirty path to go down. I'd rather see changes to the RLA that give the airline unions better bargaining power. It's all about what you can negotiate.

 

[SpiceWeasel]

ALPA needs to get involved in this, and tell them the best way would be to change the RLA.

 

[derg]

Alter ego carriers, scope, the ability to outsource flying, yadda yadda yadda. Until you hop on a United flight and have it be a United-owned aircraft with United pilots, everything from a Saab to the 747, we're going to have depressed wages.

If the cabotage bomb is ever dropped, it'll be twice as bad as it is now.

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Alter ego carriers, scope, the ability to outsource flying, yadda yadda yadda. Until you hop on a United flight and have it be a United-owned aircraft with United pilots, everything from a Saab to the 747, we're going to have depressed wages.

If the cabotage bomb is ever dropped, it'll be twice as bad as it is now.

It all needs to be addressed and changed. I've had CAs shocked that I want the CRJ-900 back at Delta mainline, even if it costs me my job at this point in time. They're just "happy to have a job" and that "they still can't believe they get paid to fly"

 

[derg]

It's a DC-9. I'm still dumbfounded how we let the camel get it's head under the tent.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

Alter ego carriers, scope, the ability to outsource flying, yadda yadda yadda. Until you hop on a United flight and have it be a United-owned aircraft with United pilots, everything from a Saab to the 747, we're going to have depressed wages.

If the cabotage bomb is ever dropped, it'll be twice as bad as it is now.

I was sitting on a Frontier flight yesterday and during taxi I was watching CNN. I had to contain myself because this segment with Richard Branson came on. Here's the part where I was laughing uncontrollably:
About the 3min mark.

Wolf Blitzer: So you're not looking for a bargain for paying a pilot, or a flight attendant for that matter, a little bit less in exchange for maybe reducing the quality?
Richard Branson: No, quite the reverse.

 

[derg]

He said it with a straight face, he's the rebel billionaire with the island, no one (besides us) will question the utter ridiculousness of the answer!

 

[bafanguy]

I don't know what you guys are worried about. Didn't you see that Congress is going to hold hearings ? Maybe Barney Frank will sit in on these hearings and get everything fixed up for you.:laff::laff::laff::laff::laff::laff::laff::laff::laff::laff::laff:

 

[wzgrza]

I was sitting on a Frontier flight yesterday and during taxi I was watching CNN. I had to contain myself because this segment with Richard Branson came on. Here's the part where I was laughing uncontrollably:
About the 3min mark.

Branson is a buisness man like all other mangement, and he knows damn well pilots will work for free (like some of the Captains who still can't believe they get paid to fly who were mentioned earlier, go figure With those attitudes prevelant this career is doomed). Except unlike most other management, he is'nt worried about saying it out loud.

 

[Socal321]

I was sitting on a Frontier flight yesterday and during taxi I was watching CNN. I had to contain myself because this segment with Richard Branson came on. Here's the part where I was laughing uncontrollably:
About the 3min mark.

He's probably talking about his Atlantic brand they get paid better there. VA here in the U.S will probably not make it past this year if you looked at their earnings. Sounds like a nice guy to work for though.

 

[Seggy]

http://boccieri.house.gov/2009/05/b...rs-on-february-plane-crash-near-buffalo.shtml

 

[aloft]

"We hire professionals. They should show up fresh and ready to fly that aircraft."

And these "professionals" you hire...is there a particular reason they're paid less than an assistant manager at Taco Bell?

 

[v1valarob]

http://boccieri.house.gov/2009/05/b...rs-on-february-plane-crash-near-buffalo.shtml

Oh snap.

 

[bafanguy]

And these "professionals" you hire...is there a particular reason they're paid less than an assistant manager at Taco Bell?

Well, as a matter of fact, there is a reason: because people willingly agree to work for less than an assistant manager at Taco Bell. As long as this situation exists, there is no motive for airline management to change their ways. Why should/would they ?

And no, I'm NOT supporting and/or endorsing this situation; it's just reality. As Doug pointed out in another thread, only pilots can change factors affecting pilots.

If people will stand and take a beating, all they can expect is yet another beating. No one can possibly be surprised by this, can they ?

 

[mattp1803]

It all needs to be addressed and changed. I've had CAs shocked that I want the CRJ-900 back at Delta mainline, even if it costs me my job at this point in time. They're just "happy to have a job" and that "they still can't believe they get paid to fly"

It's a DC-9. I'm still dumbfounded how we let the camel get it's head under the tent.

:yeahthat:

 

[Avalon781ML]

Oh snap.

Oh no he didn't!

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

ALPA needs to get involved in this, and tell them the best way would be to change the RLA.

Changing the RLA is a dangerous proposition. Once you get Congress to open it up, it's hard telling what all they'll change, and what the resulting case law will give us. Right now, with the current RLA, we're about to be in a very good situation for bargaining. The NMB will be a pro-labor majority within the next few weeks, possibly by the end of next week from what I'm hearing. The entire Administration is pro-labor, and the FAA Administrator is a former ALPA President. This is a good environment to be engaged in RLA style negotiations. If we get Congress to open up the law for changes, what sorts of "compromises" will the Republicans sneak into the language that their attorneys think they can use in court to twist things around to be even more in management's favor than things are now? Opening up this law might be a good idea, or might create your worst nightmare. Careful what you wish for.

http://boccieri.house.gov/2009/05/b...rs-on-february-plane-crash-near-buffalo.shtml

Sure is nice having a union with friends in high places, isn't it?

 

[Kingairer]

Easy subject for some congressmen to get face time on.

 

[kellwolf]

It all needs to be addressed and changed. I've had CAs shocked that I want the CRJ-900 back at Delta mainline, even if it costs me my job at this point in time. They're just "happy to have a job" and that "they still can't believe they get paid to fly"

I can understand "happy to have a job," but hell, even the ex-JetU guys are having the shiny wearing off on the "can't believe I get paid to fly," especially when "pay" means "not enough to pay back the loan."