Unfortunately Phileas, the fact that I am a "team player" comes across by the fact that I DO give a monkey's about what happens to the other departments. After all, aren't we all trying to achieve the same goals?
If I went to the CP and mentioned about spares, then he would be correct in not acting directly, the state of the spares inventory is down to the engineering manager, NOT the Chief Pilot.
Phileas is not the MOB, though he is known to peruse and often post on PPRUNE, I find it sad that our 'dirty laundry' has to be aired in public on an anonymous forum, just to try and get some action.
Having a decent amount of spares may not be that usual, but most airlines usually have more than a couple of spare tyres, which we don't even have very often!
Why should any company be happy about being a stepping stone? Having a stable workforce can only ever be a good thing, currently the vast majority of flight crew (non LPL based) are looking to move on. Not because of the job or pay, but because of the contemptous way we are treated on a regular basis. For example, down in the Coventry base the toilet block lights failed, despite repeated requests nothing has been done and that was over 3 weeks ago!! How happy would you be at 1 in the morning trying to pee in the dark!
If the HSE ever made it into that hangar............
With referance to FTL's, as a professional pilot, you should know the rules and if you are rostered illegally, then you should do something about it BEFORE the duty starts. This has happened to me on occasion and with a phone call to Ops, it is usually sorted out. If you know the rules, then no matter what pressure they try to put you under, you can always refuse, safe in the knowledge that you are in the right. It may cause much wailing and gnashing of teeth, but that's their problem. My licence is worth far more to me Emerald is.
Should we be put in this position, no of course not, but the onus is on us to make sure what we do is correct.
Phileas, I can assure you that people are regularily rostered into discretion on Flight Duty, NOT total Duty time. I've lost count of the times I've seen people fiddle their FD, not a practise I condone at all.