Gentlemen...
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It appears that (as mentioned a few times here) that two different issues are discussed about seniority. I do not oppose seniority, as to the privileges for bidding line schedules, time off, vacations, choice of equipment flown. I am only opposed to upgrade by strict seniority. Besides seniority, there are other standards to be considered when it comes to selection for a first command. I talk about experience standards and ability to complete training succesfully.
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I have to deal with many different facts here in Argentina, such as nepotism, and also "relations" at high government level. As an example, last year, I did receive a personal letter, as flight training manager, from a former president of this nation (we had many presidents in a period of a few months in the period of 1991-1992), the letter requesting that his son, a 737 F/O, be selected for upgrade as captain, in the shortest possible delays. The chief pilot received the same letter, as well as the director of operations. I know this 737 F/O, but I never flew with him as I am not 737 qualified, except that I occasionally instruct in 737 classrooms or simulators, if an instructor is not available for subjects I know.
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The director of operations and the chief pilot asked me (thank you for that) to see if he could qualify as captain, and to give him an evaluation ride in a simulator. I would have gladly "bailed-out" of this diplomatic mission. I also got many reports from the captains he flew with, many were quite negative. So when I was in Miami, instructing in 747 simulators, he "demanded" to be given an evaluation ride the next day, as he had to go back ASAP... I had to juggle my whole 747 training schedule for him...
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We spent 90 minutes in a 737-200 simulator, during which I gave him a basic proficiency check, nothing nasty... holding patterns, steep turns at 45º bank and 250 kts, a ADF approach circle to land. He failed every maneuvers, even by F/O standards. I even suggested he flew in the RHS (seat he is accustomed to) but insisted in occupying the LHS. He flew a good all-engine ILS, and a passing engine-out ILS, but "crashed" during the missed-approach. I stopped there... and had to spend 2 hrs on the phone with Buenos Aires to document my disapproval of his performance.
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His daddy, sent a letter to the chief pilot about me, to the effect that I was not a competent 737 rated instructor... and demanded another evaluation ride... which he got a few weeks later, by a "real 737 instructor", who got the same opinion as mine... so he continues to fly as F/O... and I do believe, will be for long... I suspect that he will be "bypassed" a few times, in the future.
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Thank you
Glue Ball about my "seniority" with PanAm... but you know little about the PanAm instructors at the Academy, we were outside of the seniority list, we were assigned "training lines" without bidding... And JFK-GIG-GRU-EZE-SCL was not a training line... generally it was JFK-FRA...
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I was an instructor at the Academy, teaching in classroom and simulators since 1972, F/Es and pilots, 727, 707 and later the 747, when I was given the option of doing the 747, as many instructors went to UAL at the time PanAm sold the Pacific division, then became a line-check pilot and finally a proficiency-check pilot, simulator and line. My PanAm seniority was only sufficient to be a rather junior MIA based 727 captain... I shall also mention that I got nearly 10 years of furlough, in part, thanks to the merge with National (recalled and furlough again 3 months later).
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I have my opinions, right... I hate new generation electronic gadgets and push-button-proficient pilots, who lack airmanship, I hate 747-400s designated "2 pilot aircraft" as 3 are always required for the long sectors they operate, and for me, to upgrade to command, I see that those who qualify are proficient.
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I am flight training manager, and not in a popularity contest. Above all, I try to manage a training department to the best of my abilities, and try to qualify pilots with the highest possible level of training and airmanship. All my "boys" are my friends, I dont want to see them do a CFIT in the Andes. They can come any time to my office, and draw a beer from my little fridge to discuss problems... And if you do not like "old school pilots" and me sharing today's airspace, I am to retire soon when the last 747-200 is gone...
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Happy contrails