Great post Resistance. As a former member of our management, I can only be ashamed of what they have done to this once great airline. The current management mindset is something to behold; 'blame everyone for everything, admit nothing, listen to no one, continue blindly on the road to ruin'. The arrogance and stupidity of the people who have the responsibility to represent the aircrew and their issues of concern is truly saddening to behold. Could we have a more useless group of sycophants.....I doubt it. Everyone of them willing to sell every moral fibre they possess for the chance of a bigger provident fund payout...! You will certainly get your reward in the next life, I assure you. The best day of my career was the day I resigned from their corrupt and malignant empire. Over on 'Rumours and News', there is an interesting thread discussing the impact that aircrew can have on the bottom line. I have cut and pasted several of the most pertinent postings for review. Don't let up on CC, it is working and the operation is crumbling. It is the ONLY way we will ever force these incompetent individuals out. Remember, we all have only this one career, and we better damn well do what is necessary to maximise it's value. You owe it to yourselves, and your families.
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pilot survey
Pilots do play a significant role in airline economics, but it may be hard to quantify.
Some areas;
Fuel useage, by flying technique and planning( tankering, aircraft cg,speed and altitude selection, climb and descent planning,etc,etc). Perhaps as much as 5% between the worst case and best case.
Knowledge of aircraft systems, so that they know what is going on and how to report defects to maintenance, when to go and when not to.
Knowledge of rules and regulations, so that in tight situations, they can choose cost effective options, e.g. ( but by no means limited to) weather minima, fuel reserves, alternates, flight and duty limits,etc,etc.
Experience is a very useful factor in decision making, knowing where to get info, which airport to divert to(crowding, passenger handling, maintenance support,etc,etc) are all things that cannot be learned in books, but can cost big time if the wrong decision is made.
Even day to day handling of aircraft has an effect on maintenance costs.
Rapid taxi costs brakes and tyres, and steering and undercarriage wear. Sudden power changes and using more power than necessary cause increased powerplant deterioration. Extending flaps, gear, or other devices at the maximum end of their operating envelope means extra strain, and this shows up in overhaul costs.
Nothing is for free, and aircraft are notoriously expensive toys. How you play with them makes a big difference.
On the
PR side, pilots can have a great influence on passenger perceptions in their use of PA, and this all redounds to the bottom line.
So, pilot survey, pilots have a significant effect on the bottom line, but not many managers are smart enough to realise how much, because it is not obvious. Our friend Herb at SouthWest is probably one of the best to consult on this.
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Nice words ClearDirect. May I add that we smooth-flow the operation by covering for poor coordination (fuel loads, ETOPS preflight inspection requirements, cabin requirements, etc). An example: We have a jet with no APU. The paperwork clearly states same, yet on the walkaround there is no start cart. I walk over to Ops and start asking around, eventually talking to the people that will coordinate what we need. This takes time, and I very well could have simply returned to the cockpit to do the FMS programming. Then at push, when they ask if we are ready, we explain that we need a start cart. This would delay us easily 10-15 minutes, which in turn will delay the next departure, etc. While it's not part of the job description, from experience we know to check on items that will delay us. Mgt does not see this, or the many other things we do to make sure our aspect of the operation runs trouble free. What they see is that it just gets done..........for now. Happy employees (all) will ensure a well run operation.
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Wise words mate! We don't fly no loss would also apply in some cases! The capacity of some pilots to reduce profitability is quite remarkable. Any company will tell you that plotting technical delays against pilots over time will show a clear correlation. At one end you will find the risk takers who bend the rules, often through misplaced loyalty, sometimes through bravado, and at the other the compulsive snaggers whose motivation is more complex. There is nothing more expensive than an accident. Is it safe? Is it legal? If the answer is yes to both we'll go.
The pilot force can effect profitability profoundly because they are themselves a direct cost. Their agreement for service will inluence the cost as much if not more than actual salary levels. This is particlarly true in terms of flexible working practices. However, there is a balance that needs to be found between flexibility for the company and lifestyle for the workforce. A happy and stable pilot force can work wonders while a group of disillusioned bitter guys flying for you while they look for a better deal elsewhere is a cost nightmare. Some companies never seem to work that one out. I would love to see the results of your work. e-mail coming!
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As a student of business, i would assume u may have studied Human resources management, if so u would realise that in order for an organisation to achieve goals and objectives (profitability), the members of the organisation must be motivated. There are a number of theories of human motivation, all applicable to organisations of people incl. airlines. In an airline, the sub-groups (pilots, engineers etc) will affect the operation/profitability of that section of the organisation to which they have a direct influence thereby affecting the entire organisations profitability. The degree of positive influence (profit) and negetive influence (loss) will be, generally, aligned with the degree of motivation of that sub-group.
In other words, if the pilots are pissed off, the plane gets abused, the departure times are not met and decisions left to the pilots which could save or lose money, will depend on how the pilots feel that particular day....if the company's upset them they'll upset the company.
I think maybe Harry Wragg might be adversely affecting the profitability of his/her airline!!.
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Flight Safety
Short list of some parameters that I (we?) would like to see in our managers.
1.Honesty
2.Integrity
3.Ability to listen and understand what is being said.
4.Intelligence.
5.Common sense(does not necessarily follow from 4.)
6. The ability to recognise problems and figure out solutions, and implement and follow up said solutions.
7.Willingness to "go to bat" for subordinates when appropriate.
8. Dependability, to be available when needed.
9. Positive outlook with sense of humour.
10.The ability to accept constructive criticism without becoming hurt, angry, or vindictive.
There you have my (our?) wish list.
I am sure that others will be able to improve and expand on it.
I know this is not the list of "things for management to do", because the situation varies from company to company, but if a manager conforms to this wish list, he will have covered most of the bases, and will iron out most of the problems in the natural course of things.
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If u want to know how to successfully manage an airline, consult a compatriate (assuming you are of USA origin )of yours, a Mr Gordon Bethune, of turning around Continental fame.
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What do I want from the management?
1. My money!
2. My time off!
3. My leave!
4. Their loyalty.
5. Their support.
6. Their common sense.
7. Free jump seat rides.
In return they get a motivated and passenger friendly pilot who makes an optimum contribution to the bottom line. Every little helps, in both directions!
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Well, if the pilots are pi$$ed off by the managements, we can always do "low-drag approaches" (the ones where you come in very low and dragging it all the way in).
By that I don't think the airline will be scoring big anytime soon in the "profitability" league.
Any company that is fantastically porfitable today by squeezing and screwing its staffs will be queueing for chapter-11 tomorrow; After all, unhappy staffs NEVER care about the company. A bit like killing the hen now to have a feast and foregoing all future eggs production
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