MCDU2 - Nothing going to name companies - but that is one thing 90% of the crews I have worked with have been great - I have to admit that, I have nothing but praise to say about them - of course being "new" you are still getting to know guys wherever you are going, being sent - I personally believe the link of enjoyment must include a pay that you feel satisfies your worth - and a value, and in time a home base where you have the chance to have a life!
Being in it now, makes me see things differently in many ways, specially towards the attitude of many who would give their arm and leg and work for candy bar and a cup of tea, and would happily do the rest of the job for free, or some even pay to get the chance just to fly!
Now I have NEVER advocated or supported P2F - but I have in the past maybe tried to understand why some people would accept such conditions, however now, it makes me see this from a complete different view!
And it is because of idiots like that, that we all get pushed around like cattle with some companies, and have no choice but to accept forever degrading T & C's.
However amongst wannabes / newbies, it seems to be an absolute taboo to say something negative about this "dream job" - as so many are blinded by the actual struggle to get the job, that we nearly don't care under what terms we accept the job!
This has to be a wake up call for many wanting to get into the business, but of course, to many are willing to walk upon others to get the chance. It is clearly seen by the attitude here, of people calling me not worthy, ungrateful, if I left there would be hundreds/thousands waiting to step in to my place! And many would even be willing to accept even worse terms!
The attitude, you should have re-searched better, vow... of course I knew of this potential issues in advance, and accepted them, does not mean that I can't try to give people a view of my experience!
Some say, if you did it for the money, aviation is not the right thing, sure most of us don't start doing this for the money alone - however let's also be adults here, when working as a pilot, you are doing it for the money! Of course there certain other self-pleasing satisfactory aspects with the job, that you don't have with other jobs, and is also a part of the reason you are doing it!
But for you who wish you was in the job, when you are in your 3.rd or 4.th day in a row, with 4 sector days, having been waking up at 3.30 every morning, and had 10 - 12 hour day, and you wake up in the morning and see the weather reports with snow storms and max cross winds at 3 or 4 of your destinations, you than think of the money they are paying you for get up and fly these odd 200 passengers and crew safely out and safely in these conditions - of course the challenge is there, but clearly it is you up there at the end of that 4.th sector, and after a Go Around because there was no contact with ground - believe me you know what you doing, and get all the right things done, however for this effort and experience, you are being paid peanuts! Sorry that is wrong, and yes that does not match my expectations of what the job is worth!
All these things are a combination of causes that factors that gives you a perspective over things.
As an example, of what made me feel angry inside, and which I feel does put pressure on crews, I will tell you a true story event that I experienced.
In one of these days, where the weather was really crap, we was flying return leg to home base airport X, however airport X only have NPA, and the last 2 days, all flights had diverted and taken of from airport Z!
Than of course this was the last of a 4 sector day, we get a text message on the MCDU from Ground Ops., saying "Please try to land at airport X!"
I read it, and thought to myself, what do they think? That we are not going to try to land there? I mean seriously - all day no aircraft before us had landed there, but my captain and me agreed we would make an attempt, RVR was reported ok, but cloud base was the issue!
Anyway on reaching minima, I said Minima - No Contact - Captain initiated the Go Around - and we diverted without further delay to airport Z!
On way to airport Z, the captain told me he thought he had seen some lights at minima, but because I had said minima - No contact, he had no other choice but to initiate the Go-Around!
However ground crew at airport X, that they had heard us, but had not seen any lights or anything from us!
However this kind of message, makes me think.
Maybe a less assertive, who wanted to try to please Ops and the company operations, would have stretched the boundaries of this kind of operations /approaches, as I had the feeling that is was almost with regret that he had initiated the Go Around at that point!
Finally landing at alternate Z, after almost 13 - 14 hours duty, ops called us, and asked us if we could stay on the Aircraft, because improved weather reports for the morning, so they wanted us to ferry the aircraft back to airport X! Again the captain did his best to please the company, but after discovering that the weather was not improving, and that we would actually have ran out of duty time, the captain phoned Ops back, and told them it was not possible!
Now for me the diversion was of great inconvenience, as I had a morning flight in few hours home again, but rather have this inconvenience than making a hole in the ground!
I noticed, in this company, many are very company orientated, however far will they stretch it I don't know - maybe this is also an attitude issue I personally have, however if the rules tell me how it should be, I will follow them to the best of my ability!
These kind of moments are interesting, but I would not call them fun! It gives you experience! However for me, it was completely wrong of ground ops to put additional pressure on the crew by sending a message about to try to land, I mean what else was we going to try to do at the destination???
Do a flyby just for the fun of it??
