Delta Question for Doug

Jack

Well-Known Member
I've noticed a big increase in Delta MD-90 flying out of SLC in the past few months and was wondering if DAL has opened an SLC MD-88/90 base here, or if it is still just 737's and 757/767's.

I know a few months ago in the newsletter you were talking about the DFW downsizing and that you were considering alternatives (i.e. LAX 767 flying). Have the Delta cutbacks hit you yet?

Not trying to be nosy, just concerned about how people I've come to think of as "extended family" are dealing with the new realities in this industry.

Congratulations on your marriage/anniversary et.al!
 
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I've noticed a big increase in Delta MD-90 flying out of SLC in the past few months and was wondering if DAL has opened an SLC MD-88/90 base here, or if it is still just 737's and 757/767's.

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SLC has the 737-300, 737-800 and the 757/767 categories. The MD-90's are only based in DFW as a joint category with the MD-88. The -300 and the -800 are seperate categories entirely.

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I know a few months ago in the newsletter you were talking about the DFW downsizing and that you were considering alternatives (i.e. LAX 767 flying). Have the Delta cutbacks hit you yet?

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Well, consider the seniority list as a big rainforest. Everything affects everyone, just in varying amounts. Still stuck in DFW!

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Not trying to be nosy, just concerned about how people I've come to think of as "extended family" are dealing with the new realities in this industry.

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Some good, some bad, it depends!
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Apart from this website, I've undergone a large scale emotional disconnect from the industry and my career has become a basic job whereas a few years ago, I thought of it more as an extension of my psyche.

I more or less put on my costume, get in "character", hit the stage, perform the play, bow to the audience, take the costume off, go home and live a life wholly independent of my employment. It's a bleak and cold realization that the only people that have any true heart or commitment to the industry are the people with the least amount of power to change things.

I guess my only personal aviation connection apart from work is the website. I mean I barely crack "Flying" magazine or "AOPA Pilot" when it arrives in the mailbox.

If I ever won the lottery, you just might find me flying float planes in Ketchikan, AK!

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A lot of airline pilots hardly ever fly again after retirement.... to them they referred to it as just a job.
 
seaplanes and the glamour

Seaplanes are kool. I have one I'm trying to sell. Lived on a lake and flew it for three years. It was kinda fun but I was always worried about it sinking on me. I've known many a guy making a living at flying seaplanes that will tell you, just like any job in aviation, the glamour wears off pretty quick. In the end it's about your hourly rate and time off. Doesn't mean we hate flying or hate our jobs, but we are being realistic about the situation. I have a good friend who worked at Kenmore for a while. He left to fly for Mesa (Air Midwest) and now is at AWE. Had flying seaplanes been that good of a gig...he'd still be there.

Flying magazine, second only to Penthouse for late night activites in my teen year...has become a crock. Full of PFT BS and waaay too many ads. AOPA is still a great organization and they have a good magazine. I must admit I'm two issues behind, though.

The best thing you could do to reinstill the love for aviation that got you here is to get involved with little planes and flight training. After spamming many a website with www.jetcareers.com in my posts, I gotta tell you to check out the message boards at www.studentpilot.com. This is the true grass roots of aviation and it has nothing to do with Delta or UPS.

Once again, thanks for the best wanna be site for airline pilots there ever was.
 
Re: seaplanes and the glamour

That's why I added "if I won the lottery!"
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I'd love to start a flight school here in AZ. You know, do training the right way at a reasonable price. Kind of homey, you know, have the wife make cookies for the kids but structured enough to pop out a good, high quality pilot.
 
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A lot of airline pilots hardly ever fly again after retirement.... to them they referred to it as just a job.

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I dunno I know a retired (Delta I think) L-1011 pilot who has his own aircraft and flys regulary, also has a current FSI rating.

I hope I don't end up thinking of it as just a job.
 
Just met a retired Delta captain who left in 99 at #4 on the list. He is flying the Challenger 600s for a charter company. Told me it was a hobby job! He was probably one of the best guys I have ever met.
 
It really seems like its one way or the other... many dont ever fly again, while many are at the airport every day until they die, even go after their A&P... I guess it just depends on the person.
 
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SLC has the 737-300, 737-800 and the 757/767 categories. The MD-90's are only based in DFW as a joint category with the MD-88. The -300 and the -800 are seperate categories entirely.

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Pardon my stupid question,but why doesn't Delta just train all their 737 crews on all the different version of the aircraft? The scheduling of both the crews and the airplanes would be much more productive (i.e. cash savings).
 
Because the FAA wants a checkride in each of the variants according to our training department. That, or we'd basically have to "dumb down" all of the displays down the the 737-200/737-300 "round dials" like SWA/CAL, but then we'd still need to keep the 737-300 "glass" category split from the rest or have a seperate checkride.

So when you went to recurrent, you'd have to do a 737-200 checkride, then a 737-300 "glass" checkride, then a 737-800 checkride.
 
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