Xiamen Airlines
Is anyone here from Xiamen Airlines who can tell em about the scheduling there? I was told by a pilot that there is going to be a 5 week on / 3 week off contract starting in October.
The same pilot who told me that also said the scheduling is rigorous for those 5 weeks. They took punitive action against some pilots who would not fly and sent a memo to the others (from his email):
Safety Management Bulletin
XIAMENAIR
Flight Operations Department
Notice of the Cancellation of MF8732
Flight MF8047 floin Qingdao to Harbin took an altemative landing
at Tianjin due to thunderstonn which caused an expected excess flight
time of the flight crew. The Scheduling made several plans to make up a
crew for the subsequent flight but all failed, which leads to the
cancellation of the flight MF8372 from Harbin to Zhengzhou. Following
is the details:
On August 14th, 2013. the flight crew of Wang Fan was conducting
the flight MF8047/8 (Hangzl1ou-Qingdao-Harbin-Qingdao-Hangzhou).
The crew made an alteinative landing at Tianjin airport due to the
thunderstorm when flying Qingdao to Harbin. The flight time was
expected to exceed the limitations for 8 hours if the flight crew of Wang
Fan continued to conduct the subsequent flights. In order to guarantee
flight punctuality, the Scheduling ananged another crew to take over the
flight Harbin -Qingdao-Hangzhou, and scheduled a standby crew to
conduct the flight Tianjin- Harbin-Zhengzhou. Several plans were made
according to the manpower staying outstation but all failed due to
personal reasons of the crews and other objective causes.
Plan A: Flight Crew of Xu Delong staying over at Tianjin conducts
the flight Tianjin- Harbin- Zhengzhou. Xu's teamleader believed he was
not suitable for conducting a night flight due to a long-tiine sick leave
from operation before. This plan was objected.
Plan B: Flight Crew of Wang Fan continues the flight from Tianjin
to Harbin and the crew of Jin Dachuan conducts the flight from
Harbin to Zhengzhou (Jin Dachuan finished his flight in Harbin. total
flight time was 4 hours and 12 minutes). Jin Dachuan reported to the
duty manager that he felt fatigued and could not conduct the flight.
Plan C: Flight Crew of Wang Fan continues the flight from Tianjin
to Harbin and the crew of Duan Lei conducts the flight from Harbin to
Zhengzhou (Duan Lei finished his flight in Harbin. His total flight tirne
was 4 hours and 30 minutes). However, Duan Lei had violated the
regulations and went to Qiqihar so that he could not conduct the flight.
Plan D: Flight Crew of Lin Xu who was staying over at Beijing
turns to Harbin to conduct the flight. Lin Xu also failed to take the duty
because he had taken some medicine for colds.
Finally the flight MF8372 from Harbin to Zhengzhou was canceled
since all back plans failed.
We have to see some pilots violated the regulations in the manual in
this event. It stipulated in “The Crew Dispatching Rules of Flight
Schedule Adjustment All Pilots Should Obey“ in “The Administrative
Manual of Flight Operations Department“ MF/3404-8, No.2: When
staying at the outstations, if the department adjusts the assignments
pilots should act in accordance to the adjusted ones. No.3: If a pilot holds
a different opinion against the adjusted flight schedule. he should act on
the principle of “executing first and appeal later“.
It is stipulated in “The Administrative Procedure of Standby Crew‘
in “The Administrative Manual of Flight Operations Department‘
MF/3404l-7*‘ “No.1.4: When being on duty at the stay-over base, pilots
should keep eflfective communication and shoulder the responsibility of
emergency standby. The pilots who are on duty at the stay-over base and
has no flight tasks should act as the standby crew. No.2.2.1: The standby
crew should report to the duty manager of the Flight Operations
Department and keep effective communication if it desires to leave the
standby location.“
It stipulated in “The Rules of Flight Hygiene Management“ in
“The Operations Manual“ MF0406-8“ No.3.5: Both before and
during the flight, all crew members should not take the liberty of taking
any medications which are not authorized by the aviation doctor or the
Ineclicines which may cause physiological disorders and affect the
execution of duty. No.62: Without pelmissions. crew members are not
allowed to seek medical advice or take medications from unauthorized
sources.
Fly Dept.
9 September 2013