More disgusting 3407 cartoons

You guys need to lighten up. They are BOTH funny cartoons, the captain it's modeled after certainly doesn't care. If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
 
Ralgha said:
You guys need to lighten up. They are BOTH funny cartoons, the captain it's modeled after certainly doesn't care. If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
Click to expand...


Not even remotely funny. :banghead:
 
Ralgha said:
You guys need to lighten up. They are BOTH funny cartoons, the captain it's modeled after certainly doesn't care. If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
Click to expand...


These cartoons are not funny and they are a sick way of depicting VERY serious issues that the airlines have. People died because airlines are screwing over pilots and not paying them anywhere near enough. I hardly call death 'funny'.

On the flip side, they do fan the flame for our cause.
 
Ralgha said:
You guys need to lighten up. They are BOTH funny cartoons, the captain it's modeled after certainly doesn't care. If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
Click to expand...

Ralgha: You do realize that more than one person on this site actually KNEW this captain personally, don't you??

Would you think it funny to see one of your co-workers/buddies charactarized like this after his/her untimely death??

Seriously...are you for real??
Qgar said:
Not even remotely funny. :banghead:
Click to expand...
:yeahthat: Hear hear!!
 
Ralgha said:
If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
Click to expand...

I may occasionally see ugly people or even stupid people in my sojourn in life. I have some semblance of class, or call it good manners to keep my mouth shut. Something most people get from their parents. Even when I meet idiotic people, I tend remain mum on the issue, whether it is true or not. Are you catching my drift ??? Not only do you seem to admit tastelessness, you are berating the rest of us for the lack thereof. wow and wow
 
Ralgha said:
You guys need to lighten up. They are BOTH funny cartoons, the captain it's modeled after certainly doesn't care. If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
Click to expand...


Sorry can't do it. The 2nd cartoon is just wrong and should have never been published.
 
Bandit_Driver said:
Sorry can't do it. The 2nd cartoon is just wrong and should have never been published.
Click to expand...

I don't know about this anymore. I mean, no one knows what happened for sure but the picture makes a good point. I dont think it is funny, but it does show how bad of a move it was to give someone with his exam performance record the rank of captain.
 
Doug Taylor said:
Depends on the perspective. It's a very busy airplane, weird automation and flies, at least in my opinion, a lot more like a turboprop than a jet -- two handed, put it where it's got to go and you really can't "baby" it.

Certainly a man's airplane! ;)
Click to expand...

I think the MD80 requires a little more seat of the pants intuition...especially during the landing...and it's also very difficult to trim up on final as it seems trim and speed are a moving target...mostly because the wing is not very good.

After flying Boeings 727, 737, 757 and 767...the Boeings are much more forgiving and have a much better flying wing.

But I did enjoy flying the MD80....(just don't tell anyone!).
 
Ralgha said:
You guys need to lighten up. They are BOTH funny cartoons, the captain it's modeled after certainly doesn't care. If you think that comment is tasteless, well, it's the truth, and if the truth hurts...suck it up. Learn to laugh, it's good for you.
Click to expand...
Are you serial?
 
B767Driver said:
I think the MD80 requires a little more seat of the pants intuition...especially during the landing...and it's also very difficult to trim up on final as it seems trim and speed are a moving target...mostly because the wing is not very good.

After flying Boeings 727, 737, 757 and 767...the Boeings are much more forgiving and have a much better flying wing.

But I did enjoy flying the MD80....(just don't tell anyone!).
Click to expand...

I have never flown the Mad dog but the 727-200 isn't exactly the easiet plane to land. My first few landings I ending up driving the mains into the pavement until I learned to push the nose over on landing... The 737 was pretty easy. I just wish the 27 had a little bit more wing. We are certified to FL 420 but as you know that is a pipe dream and anything above 350 is a gift...
 
granlistillo said:
I may occasionally see ugly people or even stupid people in my sojourn in life. I have some semblance of class, or call it good manners to keep my mouth shut. Something most people get from their parents. Even when I meet idiotic people, I tend remain mum on the issue, whether it is true or not. Are you catching my drift ??? Not only do you seem to admit tastelessness, you are berating the rest of us for the lack thereof. wow and wow
Click to expand...

Right on target. Probably the best worded FU post I have ever seen on JC. Bravo Granlistillo.

The second cartoon is cruel. Do you want your kids to be seeing that if you die in an airplane? Horribly tasteless.
 
Well, to my surprise, I heard back from the cartoonist. Here's his response and my email to him:

I appreciate your feedback, and I take criticism very seriously. But I believe you are completely misinterpreting the tone and intention of the cartoon. Like many editorial cartoons, it was not supposed to be funny.
Editorial cartoons are visual opinions, meant to encourage discussion and focus attention on important issues. I was not intending to be hurtful or offensive at all.
Everything in the Captain Renslow cartoon is referring to fact. And it was in response to reading the entire cockpit transcript and following my paper's extensive coverage of the hearings in washington.
He violated federal law with cockpit conversation, he failed 5 exams in a relatively short period of
time (lying about several of them to get hired), and his actions sadly doomed the flight in the opinion of the experts.
My intention with the cartoon was to suggest that his lack of experience and training may outweigh his qualifications as a commercial pilot captain.
I was pointing this out in order to push for future changes in hiring and training of new pilots. Also, I drew this with extreme compassion for the victims families and the truth. It is a fair point to make, considering the facts.
It is clear from the hearings that the pilots in the doomed flight weren't prepared for what happened. I am just asking the question, how well trained are all of the new pilots at regional airlines?

The reason I put him in the cartoon, and not a generic captain, is because his misconduct and inexperience does not represent all pilots. If I had made it a generic captain and put just "Colgan Air" or "Regional Airlines" on his hat, then I would be flooded with emails from other qualified pilots who think I'm sending the wrong message. I chose to put him in it, to keep the message closer to the truth, while still suggesting there may be an industry wide issue.
Also, I've drawn a cartoon on the FAA and I drew an emotional and sympathetic cartoon for valentine's day right after the crash (that families told me the greatly appreciated):
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/66735/
I've been sensitive to this issue, so know that my intentions are good.
Again, I appreciate your response, and I can understand your point of view if you aren't familiar with my work.
Best Regards,

Adam

Adam Zyglis
Editorial Cartoonist
The Buffalo News
http://www.adamzyglis.com

Quoting offtwrk@aol.com:
Your tasteless cartoon of May 21st which clearly was supposed to represent Colgan Captain Marvin Renslow was despicable. I worked for Colgan and knew the crew. I find it incredible that anyone can be that cruel and heartless. These crewmembers had families, including children and I think human decency would dictate your cartoon not stoop to the lowest level you hit. Truly disgusting.
 
Q...

Hate to say it, but that is a "prefab" email that he is sending out to all who seem to send him an email complaining about the taste of his editorial cartoon. It is not quite copy and paste, but the wording and composition of the reply make it extremely close to a copy and paste (with just enough of a 'personal response' to distract you.

He must have gotten a lot of complaints...
 
Once again, a member of the press assures us that they know little to nothing about the reality of airline life.

As is said on occasion in the internet forums out there..

... "ignore the troll".

:)
 
Below is the letter I wrote to the cartoonist - we shall see if I get the same 'form letter' personalized in response. Or any response all together.

Dear Mr. Zyglis,

I am writing regarding your editorial cartoons in response to the tragic accident of Colgan 3407.

I find your depiction of the late Capt. Resnlow to be disgusting and not representative of airline pilots in general. I will not use this letter as a history lesson to you of the aviation business over the last 40 years, but note that I refer to all airline pilots – not ‘regional airline pilots.’ There is no difference between the job duties of a ‘regional airline pilot’ or a ‘mainline airline pilot’ – we all do the same job. There is no difference between the job descriptions of the late Capt. Renslow of Colgan and, for instance, Capt. Sullenberger of US Airways. The only difference is in the disparity of pay and quality of life between the two depending on whether you work for the flag carrier or a sub-contractor flying aircraft painted in the mainline colors under mainline flight numbers.

It is the traveling public, in their demand for cheaper fares, free flights using reward programs, and the misguided belief that anytime there is a weather or mechanical delay that the airline ‘owes them something’ that is one of the root causes of the airline industry and all of the air carriers ‘racing each other to the bottom’ of operating in the red. It is cheaper now to fly than it is to take a bus as long as you can plan your trip more than 14 days in advance. Everyone is concerned about safety – except when it affects their $99 super-saver fare to Ft. Lauderdale.

Rather than focus on airline training – a subject that in my opinion that you know nothing about. You should focus your artistic talents on the root causes that put the air carriers in the situation that allow a tragic accident like Colgan 3407 to happen. I invite you to research the disparity of regional airline pay versus mainline airline pay. (or comparable professional pay in general…) To get you started I will give you a piece of anecdotal evidence that is very true throughout the airline industry: When a regional airline crew is transported from the aircraft to a overnight hotel (or from the Hotel to the airport) – the van driver, taxicab driver, or bus driver makes more in their salary than the First Officer. A regional airline First Officer makes between $14,000* and $21,000* a year during their first year at an airline. (*Great Lakes Airlines vs. Mesaba Airlines – see http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines.html)

You could also focus your various talents on the issue of ‘rest’ for air crews. Airlines are allowed to work an airline crew on a duty day of 16 hours and ‘reduce’ their rest to 8 hours. This is not 8 hours in a hotel – this is 8 HOURS OF REST… the clock starts from a few minutes after the plane pulls into the gate and ends the moment a crew needs to be at the gate the following day ready to fly. It does not include: travel time to and from the airport, the time waiting for transport, checking in into the hotel, meals, showering, dressing, going through security, or time to unwind and fall asleep. (because no one can work 16 hours fighting weather, mechanical problems, delays, and etc. and just drop off to sleep within 2 minutes of checking in to a hotel) We are talking between 4-5 hours of effective sleep (if you are lucky) and then the crew can be worked 14 hours of duty the next day. This doesn’t include the airline’s option to switch crews from morning to evening shifts – over a trip you can be switched from 4 am shows to 5 pm shows and back again – with no penalty as long as you are given the ‘minimum’ rest. I know that you would be able to switch from am’s to pm’s without any reduction in your effective job performance capabilities, but pilots fight the effects of ‘jet lag’ on a daily basis. Note that I am not talking about commuting to and from work – this is all ‘legal’ scheduling options that the airline has in its tool belt for it’s day to day operation.

Now, your other cartoon – depicting a turboprop aircraft with the denotation “Student Driver” – actually deserves praise. As a professional airline pilot I am the first to admit that I am not perfect. Why do you think that professional Doctors or Lawyers call their business a ‘practice?’ As a professional you are always learning and always trying to improve yourself every day throughout your career. I, myself, will never stop learning – and no true ethical artisan ever does.

Remember the old joke – What do you call the person who graduated last in his class in medical school? “Doctor.”

Once a physician or a lawyer finishes their schooling and passes their respective professional examination – i.e. ‘The Bar’ – they are a licensed professional able to practice their respective profession. This is not the case for an airline pilot. Every six months to a year you are subject to examinations where you are literally betting your career. Every six months an airline captain, who is daily responsible for the safe operation of aircraft containing hundreds of travelers, can have their whole professional career ruined and not be able to work as a professional pilot ever again.

Can you imagine if other professions would be subject to those restrictions? Imagine if every 6 months you are to report to your alma mater and you are given an examination that can literally cover anything that you learned since day one in journalism school – not just the skills that you use in your every day career. If you failed the exam, you would never be employed by a news organization ever again. Could you even take such an exam if you were told that it were to be given to you next week? Honestly?

There are problems in the airline industry – there is no doubt to that. If the traveling public were informed as to the actual root causes of the industry and were willing to pay a fair price for their airline tickets to be transported from place to place then there is a glimmer of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

It is taught to all airline pilots that the FAR’s – the legal regulations governing air transport in the United States – are written in blood. Do not waste the ‘ink’ that the tragedy of Colgan 3407 caused to be wasted on a sick joke – use the ink you are given to use your artistic talents to effect change to make transportation safer. You’ll sleep better at night – and so will the well-rested airline pilots.

Respectifully yours,

Richard Praser
Commercial Jet Airline Pilot
Click to expand...
 
ClearedForOption said:
Below is the letter I wrote to the cartoonist - we shall see if I get the same 'form letter' personalized in response. Or any response all together.
Click to expand...

Hey Richard, you wouldn't happen to be a captain for United would you? I just had a flight to New Orleans a couple weeks ago with a Captain that had the same name piloting the United A320.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top