Code Share, Load Share, My Share November 23, 2009
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Just got back from London last night. The trip went well with no surprises. Unfortunately for the Brits, the weather in the U.K. was terrible. I believe I heard 13 inches of rain in one day, in the lake region.
The captain I was flying with was in fact a British trained military pilot. He therefore was more friendly with our ground operations people at Heathrow which lead to some interesting discussion about the American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia merger that has been in the news lately. My thinking was AA would drastically reduce our trans Atlantic flying if a merger were to happen. It all has to do with unit cost. Who ever has the lowest labor unit cost will most likely do the flying. If this were to come true, it would directly impact my job. It would mean less seniority at the least and being displaced to smaller equipment that pays less at worst. The captain agreed with my assessment, then added some perspective.
I would most likely still have a job. The ground operations personnel working at Heathrow would probably not fair so well. You see, British Airways has a major operation at Heathrow with plenty of people already doing the same type of work our ground ops people do. Add to that the duplication of office space and other types of employees, mechanics for example, and suddenly I didn’t feel so badly. The fact of the matter is when American Airlines gets involved with an acquisition or merger, they don’t do a good job of looking out for their employees. In fact, I would venture to say they don’t care. If they want the deal, they do what ever they need to get the deal at the expense of any AA employee, except for themselves. Read that to say senior management. They get their share.
The bottom line is, somebody loses when there is a deal of this size. I hope those of you involved anything like this with a large company make out better. I haven’t been so lucky with any such deal during my tenure at AA. When you are in this profession, you are a unit cost. When a code share, load share or any other name they want to call it happens, some employee loses their share. Beware! In the airline business, management is very generous with your share.
If you insist on pursing an airline job, make sure you have an education for a plan “B” to either replace or supplement your income. I’ve been supplementing my share with several business ventures over the years. Lately it’s been with a little project called STOR’EM. Check it out. I’ll be back before my favorite holiday, Christmas.
Aviation Earning Potential….or NOT October 14, 2009
Posted by aastrong in Uncategorized.Tags: Aviation Career, aviation jobs, Christmas light storage, Christmas lights, professional aviator, professional pilot
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I know, I know, I’ve been away for a while, again. For good reason though. I’ll get to the reason in a moment. What I want to talk about in this blog is aviation earning potential. I like to say “it WAS a great career”, then it became “a great JOB”, now “it’s JUST A JOB”. WHY!! Because the earning potential of a professional airline pilot has been eroded significantly over the past decade. Airline management has taken every economic hick-up and turned it into an opportunity to extract wages and benefits from the employee groups. Additionally, regional carriers have grown exponentially while mainline carriers have contracted. Regional carriers don’t pay very well and the resulting contraction of mainline carriers has limited opportunities for better paying professional airline pilot careers. If any of that is incorrect, or, if anyone has seen or heard good news coming from the airline industry contradicting what I just said, please let me know. The bottom line is career airline pilots bottom line earning potential has been very negatively impacted.
What to do. Well, work more to sustain you life style at your current job, find something ADDITIONAL to do, or change your lifestyle to something less. I see and hear the first two options being done on a regular basis, not so much the third. I’m involved in the second option, something additional. I’ve formed a product development company called Aloft Enterprises. What we do is design and manufacturer inexpensive products for jobs people want done. Our first product is currently being launched on the internet primarily and in some local retail stores where I live. It’s called STOR’EM. See all the details at STOR’EM. STOR’EM is a winding and storage device for light weight household items. It provides you with a portable winding, dispensing and storage device for things like extension cords, rope, chain, and, in its TARGET product launch form, specifically to a WIND AND STORE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. It is a stupid simple idea but does not exist. It will eliminate the mess, simplify the task and improve storage for your Christmas lights and more. It will help you get and stay ORGANIZED.
How will this turn out? I have no idea! Will it supplement my airline career earning potential? I don’t know. But, it is something I like doing. That is how you should approach your additional activity. Do something you like doing. If it pays off great, if not, you’re doing something you like.
So, please check out the website and let me know what you think.
Be Worth It August 4, 2009
Posted by aastrong in Uncategorized.Tags: Aviation Career, flight school, flight training, learn to fly, pilot training, professional pilot
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Back again for a short blog.
In reference to the latest airline accidents, there has been a lot of discussion on pilot training. For example, what is mandated training, what is minimum training and train to standards. Some light has been shed on what carriers provide training over and above the approved standards dictated by the FAA. I would like to comment briefly on how those questions apply your career as a pilot.
The bottom line here is, and I know this sounds like a cliche or “the party line, but “it is your training”. Most, if not all aviation departments have a training feedback method. If you are not satisfied with your training, write a lucid letter to the person charged with handling the feedback, and explain in good detail what you disliked, why you disliked and, if your experience warrants it, make suggestions on how to make those items better. Don’t send a letter that is just a bunch of complaining without examples and suggestions. It will come across like whinning. Also, keep it to training issues. In other words, the content of the material, the manner in which it was presented, the instructor and perhaps the facilities. Don’t make it personal, make it professional.
While you are in training, make the most of it. Take the opportunity to ask questions, ask for another ILS or another single engine approach, ask for techniques and experiences of the people around you and most importantly, focus on while you are there. Finish all the bitching about having to go to training on the trip there so when you get there you can “get in the zone”.
I’m sure some of you who’ve read my previous blogs see the above as a departure from my not so corporate friendly disposition. Why the change? Because my rear end is at the front of the bullet and I want to get home to my family at the end of every trip. And I don’t know about about the rest of you, but I don’t do a lot of studying on my own time. So, when I get there, I like to get “boned up” on the systems and hot topics. And I must say the training facilities and instructors at AA, if not best industry wide, have to be TOP 3.
Why all this about training. Two reasons. First, you should know your job. In our case as professional pilots, that means in large part your airplane, along with policies, procedures, rules and regulations. For this blog, the emphasis is on the airplane part. As professional pilots, we should always be striving to learn more about the equipment we operate to the point where nothing the airplane is capable of surprises you, ever! Thing about that a bit. Second, there was a time when a major airline captain’s salary would allow him to “buy a corvet a month”. Airline management views us as an expense. Nothing more, maybe less. They will continue their assault on our profession. It is our responsibility to stop the assault and return the airline pilot profession to the compensation it deserves. As we work toward that goal, it is also our responsibility to as prepared for our work as possible. So take advantage of what ever training you’re involved and be prepared. Remember this, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we can lose our lives and or our licenses every day we go to work. Not many professions can say that, and we should be compensated accordingly. But, we have to prove we are worth it every flight operate.
Back soon with some new stuff and a new project.
Other Aviation Programs September 15, 2008
Posted by aastrong in Uncategorized.Tags: collegiat aviation, learn to fly, NIFA, privat pilots license., Student Pilot
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Back with a short blog on a couple opportunities to learn about an aviation career. I ran across these on my last trip and would like to share them with you. As I’ve promised in previous blogs, I will have a blog about commuter flying next, no kidding. For now, share what you are about to read with anyone and everyone you know who is interested in flying. Why? Because in today’s world you should take every opportunity to learn about future endeavors. There really is no excuse for going into to something new completely blind. Way to much information on just about any topic is easily available. So, in my opinion, there is no longer an ignorance excuse. Be responsible, do your research and share it with like minded people. You get the point.
American Airlines has a company newspaper (company rag, as it’s referred to by most) to spread news about the industry, company programs, employee at-a-boys, and a lot of what they want us to believe. The latter part is referred to as “the company cool-aid”. Better explained as information they want you to hear and see to increase the chances you’ll believe what they say and act accordingly. Sometimes contained in the company rag are useful stories, good stories about people and activities. And American Airlines does sponsor some very, very good activities. They sponsor an award called the American Airlines Safety Award. It’s an award that is part of the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference- NIFA SAFECON-which is an annual event held for collegiate aviators. In fact, it’s billed as the Final Four or College World Series for collegiate aviators. Nearly 90 flight teams from across the country compete in regional meets for a chance at the national level competition. Only 30 teams make the national event. The American Airlines Safety Award goes to the team that made the greatest contribution to aviation safety through their own program’s procedures and methods of promoting aviation safety. Basically, competitors earn points for each eventat the conference. The team with the most points is crowned National Champion. The current American Airlines Safety Award winner is the U.S. Air Force Academy. The current National Champion is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Arizona Campus. The point here is two-fold; American Airlines has a number of worth whileprograms to promote aviation(probably more than most) but I’m sure they are not the only major airline who has them. So, if you are truly interested in becoming a pilot, do some research and look for activities like this to get involved in. You never know when something like this will turn into a future job. Have a quick look at the informal interview blog to see what I mean.
The other program I found in the company rag, better known as the Flagship News, is called ACE(Aviation Career Education) Academy tour. The tour was comprised of students who all have had some type of flight experience(translation-interested kids like yourselves if your reading this), simulator and or flying, and plan to have their pilot’s license when they turn 16. It included a tour of a 757 cockpit, hosted by an American Airlines Chief Pilot, a visit to the American Airlines Operations Tower, a tour of the Admirals Club(American Airlines VIP Club), a tour of the terminal along with several other aircraft. This was a school sponsored event supported by AA. Check our school for programs like this and if they don’t have one, here’s and idea, consider starting one. Imagine how being the originator of a successful program would look on a resume’?! Again, you never know what you may learn or who you may meet when you participate in an activity like this(see the informal interview).
I believe it is important to research your career field, at least a little, before you get involved. It is even more important when considering aviation as your career. The major airline jobs are, in brief, not what they used to be. Getting the training to become qualified for a major airlines is not what it used to be. However, there are some good flying jobs outside of the major airlines. Participating in programs like I mentioned above, and researching, may lead to a flying or aviation related job you never considered. So, keep your “heads-up” on your chosen learn to fly path. You never know where opportunity is hiding.
And yes, next blog will be commuter flying info. That’s all for now.
AIM & FAR Intro for Student Pilots July 8, 2008
Posted by aastrong in Uncategorized.Tags: AIM, FAR, learn to fly, Student Pilot
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So far we have discussed a little about a lot. In keeping with that trend, here is a little about the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’s) and the Airman’s information Manual (AIM). For starters, you’ll most likely find them in a book store as a single book. That’s the way I’ve seen them in the past. At least that is the way a dinosaur like me got access. To bring us into today’s world, the website for the FAR’s is http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFAR.nsf/MainFrame?OpenFrameSet . It’s a good website with a logical breakdown of the regulation contents. http://www.powells.com/biblio?show=TRADE%20PAPER:NEW:9780071479240:19.95 is a good website for the combination book. There is also an aeronautical information manual out there as well. http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/AIM/ is the shortcut for that.
So, that’s where you can find them. But, what’s in them? What do you need to know about them? Well, here is my attempt to explain. The FAR’s are a source for rules and regulations. For example, what is a part 121 operator, or more basically what is part 121? The FAR provides detailed definitions in legal terms. For more detailed explanations of operational regulations and how they pertain to you as a pilot, go to the AIM. For example, if you want to know what type of lighting is required for a specific type of approach, go to the AIM. It provides a detailed explanation and in many cases provides a picture. The same goes for holding instructions and entry parameters. You’ll read it in the FAR’s 10 times and may not really understand it. But, if you refer to the same topic in the AIM, you’ll probably have a picture to refer to and will most likely save yourself from reading the extra five times. As is said, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. And, as we say in the instrument flying world, “a peak is worth a thousand crosschecks”.
The first time you take an instrument ride, under the hood, you’ll understand what I mean. During my time at Air Force UPT, when you were sitting in the back seat of a T-38, under the hood on an instrument ride flying box patterns at 300 knots, a peak was priceless. I can’t say worth a thousand crosschecks because at 300 knots around a box pattern, you just didn’t have time for that many crosschecks. I might add that, although it has been a long time since I flew a T-38, I remember it like it was yesterday, and I lived it!! Helmet, oxygen mask, G-suit, skinny wing, the smell of JP-4 dumping into the after-burner, flying formation and all the stars you can imagine seeing on a dark night at FL390 and mach .95 like a dart in the sky, is all a permanently etched experience. It was 6 months of 12 hrs a day, 6 days a week work, but boy I loved it and wouldn’t trade it for anything. In fact, I’d do it again in a second. Sorry, got carried away for a minute.
Back to FAR/AIM info. While you’re learning to fly (civilian path or military path), you should become familiar with both. What I mean by familiar is to know and understand the layout and content of each. Even more to the point, know where to find things within the books. As you progress through your chosen “learn to fly” path, you’ll no doubt run across the “fire hose” treatment. The “fire hose” treatment is a learning philosophy that basically says throw more information at a student than they can handle. On average, the student will absorb enough to pass the course and the rest they’ll learn as they go. Guess what? The as they go part is the part where you learned the information is out there and where it is but you simply couldn’t remember it all. Now, the fire hose treatment is no fun while you’re experiencing it. You’ll feel stress and like there is no way you can learn it all. Remember, most of us can’t. Focus on the foot-stompers(emphasis items). If you hear something more than once, it’s a foot stomper. Also, understand this; in the aviation career field you simply can’t remember everything about your aircraft and or regulations. But, you do need to know the information exists and where to find it. Although you may not have retained or learned all the info, you most likely learned where to find it.
So, in summary, check out the FAR and AIM manuals. They are frequently sold in a combined format and are available on the web. Get familiar with the areas you’ll be working under. Understand the importance of knowing where to find “it”. Lastly, never fear the fire hose treatment. It’s just out there!
Next week, more on FAR’s and a bit about Captain.
