SocialD
-
Posts
2,176 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
51
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Downloads
Wiki
Posts posted by SocialD
-
-
That's a great sound bite and all, but who is going to train them? A huge portion of our experience took early retirements during the great overreaction we lived through over the last few years. So now we have a vastly inexperienced (relatively speaking) work force trying to right the ship, and that shit just doesn't happen over night. In many sections of the airline, we have the equivalent of 4-ship flight leads running the IPUG and are surprised when the product is shit. My understanding is that many of our experienced folks have been called back as consultants to help, but there is only so much you can do when you lose the staggering amount of experience we have lost. This experience gap is but one result of policies enacted by our government (and those around the world).
-
1
-
-
23 minutes ago, TheNewGazmo said:
Everyone can picket all they want, but with the impending recession predicted to begin Q2 of 2023, all these companies have to do is drag their feet 6-8 more months before the ball is back in their court and our bargaining power will be next to ZERO just like it was during COVID. Business travel will drop, layoffs will ensue, vacations will drop, etc. People will run out of their COVID-Cash soon.
The only thing in our favor is that retirements will still be in full swing.Maybe we'll finally get back to being a little better staffed!
-
1
-
-
11 hours ago, BashiChuni said:
full steam ahead, until full reverse!
Make hay while the sun shines! Here's hoping the chronic understaffing and massive amount of retirements will mitigate many furloughs should airline travel take a dump. I certainly wouldn't let get of those mil gigs until you have a fair amount of the pilot list junior to you.
-
20 minutes ago, Danger41 said:
If this was an option when I was a punk ass 22 year old CFI building hours, I would’ve jumped at this. I know tons of my peers that would have too. A bunch of them flew puddle jumpers from Huron, SD to other upper Midwest garden spots trying to build hours and they were all miserable. This is a fantastic option for young CFI’s.
Same! I'd have gladly given up my CFI gig making $13k/yr flying 152s/172s in NE Ohio to go make $50k/yr flying a T-6 in Del Rio. I'd have quit my CFI gig, packed my bags and driven out same day. Then hopefully executed the plan nunya highlighted.
-
Ha, I don't even meet the minimum qualifications...I guess I should have spent more time working at that GPA.
-
1
-
3
-
-
On 6/4/2022 at 12:08 PM, HuggyU2 said:
The AF "needs" you. I'm of the belief that the AF can be told to wait.
100% agreement with you there! You're talking to the guy that has never been full time since getting hired at the airlines (other than deployments/spinup) and often has to "shift" availability due to greenslips lol. The military once left me high and dry and it forever changed my mindset wrt the military and my priorities. Though I don't think probation is that high threat, for the reasons you stated, I recommend to all my guys that they just do the year and finish probation. Cheap insurance. Most listen, some don't *shrug*....team Sociald is taken care of!
But to your point, I should have used "air quotes" when I said needed. The dudes I was referencing, were filling WG and OG/CC roles and I think they really didn't want to do those jobs as part timers (and/or commute). The previous guys were moving to a star or retiring, so the spots were being vacated one way or another. In the ANG there are issues with filing control grades or losing them. Unfilled controlled grades can quickly get snagged and moved to other groups on base and/or other wings within the state. Once they're gone, it's tough to get them back. Delaying that control grade may mean adding years get to your retirement. Considering these guys both had a decent amount of tech time (read...nice retirement between mil/tech) and are in their late 40s, I'm guessing it was worth the relatively small gamble for them. But yes, for the younger guys...100% protect your airline gig. The military will always be there and can wait. AGR spots will be opening up soon as other guys get hired at the airlines lol.
-
1
-
-
6 hours ago, di1630 said:
When someone drops mil leave say 6 months into their airline career then joins the airline 2 years later…are they still on first year pay or do they move up the scale with seniority?
I know guys who drop mil leave after 1 week and I’m curious how that goes.Generally speaking you continue to accrue longevity, so you'd come back on 3rd year pay. You'd likely return with 6 months of probation remaining, unless you had already met the hour requirements to finish probation. At DAL, it's 1 year.or 400 hours (or upgrade to Captain) to get off probation.
Depending on how your carrier handles it, coming back off MLOA can be a fuck job. We accrue vacation in arrears, so most guys end long term MLOA and have very few days of vacation. The only long term MLOA I've taken is for deployments, unfortunately for me, it's always been during vacation bidding time. Most recently, I was successful in convincing them that I should be able to get a specific week because someone junior to me had been awarded that week during bidding. A few times before that, I was SOL and left to try to move up my vacations via our moveup process. I think there is a lawsuit pending on this (UAL guy I think), but I'm not sure the a status of that.
Most all the guys in my squadron, though not required, wait until they're off probation before they drop any long term MLOA. We've needed a few guys for leadership spots so they bailed at like 6 months and another dude just bailed right after indoc lol. Some guys worry about coming back to another training course on probation, but I think that worry is a bit overblown. Like squadron life, don't be a dick and probation is nothing. I guess if someone really struggled with the training program, then I maybe wait to get off probation before leaving.
-
22 minutes ago, jcollins said:
The other way to get promoted is ROPMA. ROPMA for O5 is 7 years TIG, so you are hitting the board 6-12 months before that. Doesn't require PME, although if your state is like mine, you will get an automatic DNP going to the board which will most likely result in you not getting promoted. If you are ROPMA promoted to O5 while in an O4 position there is a provision that you can continue to occupy the position until you have 20 years in and can retire.
Crazy enough, some states have a policy of making their O-3s ROPMA to O-4. On the other hand, we have a dude who ROPMA'd to O-4 and will be heading to a ROPMA board for O-5 soon. I'm expecting that he'll be promoted. If early promotion is something you're wanting, research your squadrons/states closely.
-
1
-
-
13 hours ago, nunya said:
https://flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today
Big D leading the way in number and percentage! 😆
If you're not first, you're last! But seriously, it's an absolute shitshow, I was called 6 times yesterday for multiple greenslips per call. It was the same the day prior. We should have already pulled back our flying like most of the other airlines.
-
1 hour ago, fire4effect said:
Strange, I can't seem to find that part that says we should have done it a decade prior.
-
2
-
-
6 hours ago, di1630 said:
Anyone hear they are thinking of raising airline retirement age to 67/68?
I wouldn't get to worried and/or excited just yet. Even with age 65, our average pilot still leaves at 62.5. How many pilots would even make to age 67? I'm guessing if this makes it through, the realized impact would be miniscule. On the flip side, if it does pass, I'll take 2 more years of our disability. 🤣
3 hours ago, SurelySerious said:
Won’t really help the overall staffing issue, but it will open up more senile captains with declining skills to make mistakes, so we have that going for us. Also, ICAO is still 65 soooooo just sticking these old farts on domestic then?My understanding is that ICAO can only recommend and not the final authority. So even if they raised the age, each country would have to raise it themselves. I'd love to see that 350 Captain come on down and fly my CHA turn (25 min flights) followed by 2 or 3 more legs. I'm sure they did that at one time in their career, but im guessing it doesn't sound to appetizing at 66 years old and years of the international good life.
-
1
-
3
-
-
2 hours ago, di1630 said:
Oh it’s been researched. Literally hired under the program then as the package was being routed, a 2 star that doesn’t think retirees should be hired has staff stop the packages before they ever got to the approval authority.
You can go ahead and share his name, douche canoes deserve to be outed, especially in the ARC.
-
People get too wrapped up about the pax/box issue. In 10+ years of airline flying, my "dealing with the pax," has amounted to a single divert for a heart attack (got more pay for that day) and kicking off one (1) drunk dude at the gate while still pushing on time. Even with that, homie don't do "dealing with pax." We have people who are specially trained to do that, so I have the FO call them out to "deal with the pax." Meanwhile, I'll be in the cockpit flipping through baseops.net, wondering how many minds have been changed on the abortion thread.
What really matters is how long it takes you to get from your home, to work and back. This single item will have the biggest impact of your QOL in an airline career. As an example, I'm typing away while drinking my morning coffee at 0500 (I've become my old man who can't sleep past 0500). Here in about an hour, I'll drive 55 minutes (about 60 miles) to the airport. I'll fly a 2-leg turn that is 2.2 hours of block. I'll block in before noon and be back in my car, headed home about 15 minutes later (Westin Valet will have my car waiting at the curb). If I don't stop at a squadron mates house for a beer, I should be home by 1300. I often bid reserve because I can sit short call from my house...hell I've flown my plane around on short call before (just stay ~500 feet to keep a cell signal). My days on long call are often spent flying my plane/hanging out at the hangar, tooling around the house, visiting family or drinking coffee/beer with current/former squadron mates who live within a mile or two of my house. Being able to do all of this, if infinitely more valuable than "not dealing with pax." So I'd recommend going to wherever allows you to do this the most.
-
3
-
2
-
1
-
-
45 minutes ago, HuggyU2 said:
Still... I'm seeing some really experienced and quality military pilots not getting called.
Yet seeing new hire classes with a lot of pilots under the age of 26.
Is their bro network reviewing their apps or are they having them professionally review? That's the first place I'd be looking. Do they have a recent "blemish" on their records. I know a few with DUIs called, but their DUIs were over a decade old when they were in their late teens/early 20s. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be getting calls right now.
-
On 4/27/2022 at 1:10 AM, disgruntledemployee said:
If every single one of you is getting an offer or more from the big guys like AA, UAL, DAL, SWA, FedEx, or UPS, as soon as you post your app, then I would agree that there is probably a pilot shortage.
When 20% of my squadron gets hired within the last 6 months, I'd say the shortage is here. Almost all of them received invites within days of hitting submit. The only ones that didn't get multiple invites/CJOs were the ones that only applied to DAL. One has been at AAL for two years and got interview invites at DAL/FDX/UPS, and is now at DAL after turning down the FDX/UPS invites...that shit is bonkers. My a squadron is now 65% airline guys and I think we have 4 more who are looking to hit submit in the next few months. I suspect they'll get invites quickly after submitting. That would put us at 76% airline...less than a decade ago, we were maybe at 25%. We're living in crazy times.
-
2
-
-
14 hours ago, WheelsOff said:
Wouldn’t be Gen Wills himself, would it? He said the same thing to a group of IPs at a UPT base this last week.
The one, the only.
7 hours ago, dream big said:I don’t understand some active duty senior leadership’s disdain for the guard/reserves.
There has always been some level of disdain toward the ARC, but it appears to be getting worse. Some of my friends in higher places say it's the worst they've ever seen in their careers. Admittedly, it was probably well deserved back in the day, but this ain't your daddies Guard. Hell, it's not even the same Guard I enlisted in 21 years ago.
On the flip side, they have no problem sending us their LTs for an assignment to get them experienced. This has the possibility to be a great thing for the Guard as we grow a new generation of AD pilots who gain some understanding of the Guard. However, I'm guessing all we'll see is those guys trying to get back into the Guard as soon as their ADSC is up.
-
2
-
1
-
-
Sounds likes the 2-Star that recently told a group of pilots at Luke the quoted text below (2nd hand info). I think this dude has put his finger right on the issue at hand, expect retention numbers to turn around any day now lol.
If you looking in the mirror and say, I'm a fighter pilot first and love being in the bar, then the Guard and Reserve are for you. If you say, I'm an officer first and love serving my country, then there's a place for you in my Air Force...
-
1
-
3
-
-
I don't think in-residence schools count toward the USERRA clock. Doesn't sound like much fun, but something to consider if you get desperate.
-
9 hours ago, FLEA said:
Man, I remember flying heavies in ACC and we would do night sorties with a land time of like 2am. Post flight paperwork, mx debrief, what not... get home at 3. Have to be at work at 7:30 the next day. The squadron and group leadership was always "sorry, there is no post mission crew rest in ACC." That was 10 years ago. I hear its gotten better since.
I was today years old (hit 21 YOS today) when I learned the term PMCR, which I assume is post mission crew rest? Been ACC (but ANG...probably the difference) the entire time, but if I get home at 0300, there is no way you'll see me at work anytime before 1300. I'm continually astounded at the crazy shit that goes on out there.
-
Having flown 6 different transport category aircraft (including the 75/76), I don't necessarily disagree that the G/A switch position is less than ideal. However, this jet has been flown free of major incidents like this for decades. Clearly the risk is easily mitigated by proper training/procedures. The bigger issue here is the complete lack of airmanship, which based on the FOs record, doesn't sound like it should be all that shocking. An inadvertent activation of the GA switches should have been a simple thing to recover from, AP/AT/FD - OFF, set known pitch/power setting, reestablish the automation at the level you want. That's basic airmanship shit right there!
Linked below is an outstanding video series (might have to click through the recommended videos to get them all...I think 6 videos total). Very dated, but I feel most of his points are even more applicable today.
-
1
-
1
-
-
10 hours ago, McJay Pilot said:
That’s ok, Group CC’s are going away “soon”.
"Soon" as in, "our base will be getting a new OPS building very soon," which they've been saying since I enlisted in 2001 (and we still haven't started with planning)... Or is this something that we actually expect to happen? But seriously, this is the first time I've heard of such a concept. What's the idea/reasoning for such a change?
-
18 hours ago, uhhello said:
Any ACC/fighter world guys wanna give their 2 cents
15 years and the only Q-3 I've heard of was my B-Course roommate who Q-3d his inst check in the B-Course (by a serious reserve Santa Claus...funny story)...he later became a patch. I'm sure if I dug through the squadron FEFs, I might find one or two, but probably not more than that.
For the most part, we've always viewed checkrides as just another ride. I know I've had a few downgrades and probably deserved a few more, but I couldn't tell you what they were. They were likely debriefed by myself anyway. I've heard ridiculous stories from my MAF bros about how a Q-3 is used as a punishment for buffonery. This is foreign to us, we just use the ole fear, sarcasm and ridicule method. Temp groundings, blues briefings during academics...stand up in front of the bros and explain how I fucked up. Everyone learns and the point is usually driven home.
-
2
-
-
1 hour ago, mp5g said:
SocialD, you should feel privileged. You are literally living the real life “checks in the mail” maxim. Your check has just been in the mail for 4+ years.
Right! It was real fun last week explaining to the loan assumptions department why I had 6 paychecks one month and 1 the next month. So now I just let my 105s stack up and sign them all at once on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Our CSS chick was like, must be nice to not need your paycheck lol.
-
4 hours ago, Guardian said:
Guard part timer and or reservists part timers. Anyone still having issues getting flight pay?
It's still showing up via a secondary paycheck. Nothing like getting 6-9 pay stubs every month. Don't worry though...I was assured in 2018, that it would all be fixed when DFAS rolls out the new pay system in Jan of 2020...
-
1
-
Buttegeig says he can force airlines to hire more staff
in Squadron Bar
Posted · Edited by SocialD
Sure thing, I'll call you on my phone which will be using an automatic call recording app...talk to you soon!