Whitebug-speed

Well rumour so has it that SAX will soon buy out Link via Transnet, sell the now defunct J41 and allow those deprived souls a chance to fly real aeroplanes, namely DASH-8's ! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

nugpot

A SAX/SA Airlink/SA Airlink Regional merger can be and hopefully will be beneficial to all the airlines concerned. With the combined route structure and a/c capability, money could be saved and hopefully used to pay the pilots <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> (who will form the second largest pilot body in the country).

If a merger will happen and if it does, what form it will take is unknown and speculation unfortunately won't change anything. I know that SAXPA and APA are looking into the situation and will have the necessary structures in place if a merger does happen.

The R700 million question is what role SAA will play in any combined company?

As for Rodger Foster, I have had my run-ins with him and do not trust him, but he IS a good businessman and his input will be valuble for any merged company. I cannot see him as CEO though. SAX is an empowerment company and Transnet will own 55% of a merged company (100% of SAX and 10% of Link) and will have a lot of say. Rodger and Barry each own 19.35% of Link and nothing of SAX. Their voices will be small.

The merger makes good sense economically and frankly I do not think that SA Airlink can survive on their own. Airlink Regional has 4 jets with at least 11 more coming and they currently only have work for 2 (and those on SAX routes( OK except JHB-UPN-CPT and DBN-GRJ-CPT)). Open skies Africa is a dream that Rodger gambled on and he may have cost himself control of his airlines.

Be positive guys and girls. We have no influence over the economic/political decisions that will be made, but our attitudes and work ethic can make or break a merged company. In any case, we'll know by March 2002.

On the a/c front. I think the CRJ is a more mature and solid product than the ERJ, but it is vastly more expensive so I can see myself doing a conversion soon.

4g_handicap

BB,

I justs sits here and minds my own business.

I did mention that there were some unhappy fellas at Link.

There are of course 2 sides to every issue - there are a lot of J41 pilots that are still flying the J41 because Airlink took pilots from outside the company for the ERJ - some of them have been with the company for several years and understandably they are angry.

I don't neccesarily agree with all their sentiments(I particularly feel the union is a bit extreme), but I do understand. Also camelhorse is a colleague(one plenty senior to me), so I have no intention taking issue with him. I will stick to providing factual info to those that are interested. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

beechbum

White - bug speed, me theeenks its fargin war declared!!!!!
Wouldn't mind it though but I'm sure many of the Link lads would think otherwise. Anyway I don't think Meesta Foster and his affluent backers are going to give up their their airline they fought so hard to build. Are you not perhaps mistaken that Foster and the gang are going to buy SAX out, get rid of those CRJ jobbies and fill them with Brazilian lawn rockets!!!! Don't forget there is 30 on the way and he's also looking at the ERJ 170/190.With the help of Price and his Waterhouse or whoever is looking in to this setup I think it will be resolved forthwith. The aircrew I think must have all their ducks in a row cos after all he i.e Foster will be looking after his own interests and the pilots will be the last in the food chain and we've all seen that before!!!!!!!!!
Lets hope that all this will be for the better and that everyone will come out on top!!!!!!

Only time will tell!!!!!! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Whitebug-speed

4_G,

On average how many hours do you fly per month on the EMB135 ?

The Claw

Whitebug-speed, I have to agree with you on the Dash-(Late), it is about the only thing that SAX has got right! If I look at the two clowns ruining....er....running SAA or the "infamous" engineer at SAX racing through the ranks, give me Roger Foster anyday. At least he knows how to run a business. <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Good luck guys! <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

4g_handicap

WSB,

It started off slowly working about 1 day a week and probably 40 hours a month.

Now I want an increase - this working 5 days a week is nonsense and has to stop.

I am probably going to hit 90 hours for this month, but that may be due to people on leave.

To sum it up since joining on 2 July 2001 to date I have done 240 hours including the 40 on the sim.
<img src="smile.gif" border="0">

126.9

What's happened to Barry Webb? Is he still in the picture, or has Foster finally ripped him off too?

nugpot

4g

Just a few points to ponder.

The CRJ is not the right a/c for the Eros run, but until your company joined the jet age, there was no alternative. The ERJ 145 will propably have the same problems out of Eros. I hear from SAXPA that there are still some questions over your RTOW and obstacle clearance status out of Eros. The less said about Nelspruit, Pietermaritzburg and Malelane, the better. The Jetstreams are still using WAT limit tables instead of computed obstacle clearance RTOW tables and I suspect that the ERJ's are as well.

Power by the hour is nice until RR start auditing your engine data. You might find that high ISA's take the same toll on your motors. At least you have the higher thrust rating on the 135. Considering that we take 14 pax more than you and burn the same fuel at 290/310 that you burn at 350/370, I am happy to stay low and out of the wind.

There are quite a few ex-Link guys at SAX and when mergers are mentioned, they immediately say that the most difficult part of a merger will be to get Link training and ops up to SAX standards. I sincerely hope that is not true.

If you look at my previous post, you will see that I am quite happy about the prospect of a merger. Our companies have different cultures and there will be a lot of growing pains if we joined forces, but it is propably the best move.

The Guvnor

I wonder if Roger is aware that by going into partnership with Flywell, he's working with a rather iffy character by the name of Andrew Smith - who is currently being sought by Joseph Kabila for ripping off his old man (allegedly in conjunction with Leo Mugabe) to the tune of quite a few million dollars? This was after he had supplied the DRC (via Harare) with numerous shipments of arms, many flown from Eastern Europe on aircraft (mainly IL76s) belonging to former KGB Major and close associate of Osama Bin Laden, Victor Butt.

Butt (a former long term resident of the Sandton Intercontinental, who allegedly still owns property in Sandton and Morningside) previously traded as AirPass on a Swazi AOC out of Pietersburg supplying UNITA (amongst others) before being closed down when things got a bit too blatant. AirPass was closely linked with Norse Air Charter.

[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]</p>

jabrie

No!! I must say that 4g must be quit junior with Airlink if he thinks anybody must be far senior to him. He is right, a lot of pilots is @$%** off at Airlink, or so I hear from all the stories. Or does some think I am yellow for not flying the ERJ!! And for the spelling, sorry my "bra"

126.9

camelhorse You're not a private investigator are you? I think if you read 4g's postings, you'll find he gave you a reasonable clue to his seniority in his company; his date of joining, genius!

4g Your postings are amusing, entertaining, and most of all enthusiastic. Thanks and keep it up! Now get rid of that fff signature that ruins your originality. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

Avi8tor

Having only recently stumbled onto this thread, I thought it was about time that I set some of the records str8. Nugpot seems to have some views on issues he seems to know little about.

I am interested to read his comments on the NLP & PZB operation. He goes on about 'WAT limit tables' vs. 'Computed Obs Clearance RTOW Tables. He obviously never has seen the computed RTOW tables in either the J41 or the ERJ.

The computer program considers the ASDA, TODA & TORA, Slope and Obstacles. It then comes up with the RTOW and the restricting factor, i.e. Field, WAT, OBS Clearance or BE. The Aircraft Manufacturer supplies both computer programs.

The only jippo for NLP is that the landing distance is factored as an alternate, not a destination. This is done with the CAA approval. On both runways for PZB all obstacles are considered. There is an IMC flight path designed & practiced in the sim on both initial & recurrent training. I think that most people forget that there was a prototype J41 here in SA, doing water-meth trials, all under the eye of the then DCA. Sorry for all the Dash late drivers, the J41 is just that much hotter.

Interesting comment about the ‘power by the hour’ and RR audits. RR gets the engine data on all 4 ERJ’s 2x a week. The FADEC data is downloaded & emailed to RR. (Clever stuff is FADEC). In discussion with our Chief Engineer, he said that the engine history is totally within RR parameters. It may interest you to know that 95% of all our T/O’s are at reduced thrust. However, he is right, if X% of our T/O’s are at Max thrust, then there is a penalty.

I like the comments on the 290/310 vs. 350/370. I also think the fuel burn on the ERJ is a little high, but performance come at a cost somewhere. I had to smile about his comment about ‘staying out of the wind’, I think that’s simply sour grapes that the CRJ’s engines are poked & SAX can’t afford the bucks to get them fixed. (That’s me having a cheap dig, sorry….J)

As for the ex Link guys at SAX. ‘Quite a few’ is 3, if my memory serves me correctly. All of which jumped ship 4 or more years ago. So they would have little or no knowledge of the current state of Training or Operations at Airlink.
(In my humble opinion, I would only want the ‘lawyer’ back flying with me. The other 2 you can keep.)

It will interest you to know that SAA it totally happy with the standard of training at Airlink. The ex-head of the cadet scheme is rated on the J41. He flew regularly on check rides with the cadets. Also in the Delta Code Share Audit that was held last year we received mostly positive comment on the operation. In fact, the B767 fleet captain that went on the jump seat to NLP was mighty impressed. Said something about it was ‘like being back in the navy….’

I think at the crux of the whole SAX/Link debate is the issue that SAX has never managed to grow beyond its 12 aircraft. In the same period, Airlink has grown from 9 to 20 (soon to be 21) aircraft. This had been achieved without taxpayer’s money!!! Also SAX is largely an ex 21sqn retirement home. They bring a whole lot of different baggage with them. I hope in the merged airline the Airlink management style remains.

With all that off my chest, I look forward to the merger, it won’t be without its challenges. The industry is in for a hard ride next year. It has already started with the cutting of routes & 20 pilot jobs at Comair. The merger is the only sustainable way forward for both SAX & Link.

All I do hope is that we as the pilots, get our sh*t together, and work out all the differences soon. I don’t want management telling us how its gonna be. I hope that both Len & Phil get our total support at this.

[ 22 December 2001: Message edited by: Avi8tor ]</p>

jabrie

Stop this!!! Roger Foster knows what he is doing!! SA Airlink is a great airline, the Embraer is great!!! everyone will be happy soon, SAX as well. By the way the Airlink Zimbabwe move is legal with Zimbabwe pilots.

Happy landings

4g_handicap

126.9

Thanks for the support - I do try and keep things light-hearted, as it is sooo easy for some-one to take offense(refer to earlier posting by Spool-up).

I will have to try and think of something original before I can change the signature - watch this space.

Avi8tor, good on you.

Sorry nugpot, I just can't resist

Vat so

[ 22 December 2001: Message edited by: 4g_handicap ]</p>

Avi8tor

Yeah..ur right. I think we musn't take ourselves too seriously. However, the issues facing the merger & the the airline industry are grave. We musn't underestimate the challanges.

There has to be a lota healthy debate next year between us at Airlink, & the guys at SAX. We have to stand together against 'the dark side'. Otherwise there maybe more than a few unhappy campers.

nugpot

Hello Avi8tor,

I am sure we know each other. Semi-chastised, I accept your word for the RTOW data and the current Link standards. Last time I had a jumpseat there was in April 2001, so things might be different.

I was not negative about the ERJ performance, I just pointed out that the SAX engine policy changed after 5 years of operation to save the engines and that the ERJ has a bit of time ahead to reach 5 years in SA service. BTW, the CRJ engines are not damaged and need to be fixed, we just realised that high ISA's are taking its toll and that we need to operate differently to save the engines.

Also I might have had a little dig at the ERJ fuel burn. Obviously at FL350 and above we will have even lower burns, but we need to run the engines too hot too get there, so when we're heavy, FL 290/310 is it.

I re-iterate that I am in favour of a merger and that my reply to 4g was just that - replying in kind.

BTW. I hope your comment was supposed to be " achieved WITHOUT taxpayers money".


See you in SA Airpress, or is it SA Exlink? <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

4g_handicap

Aaarg - now we can all be friends again.



[ 22 December 2001: Message edited by: 4g_handicap ]</p>

Avi8tor

I look forward to the merger too. I think we must all make a huge effort to get our collegues thinking positively about it too. I think if the like minded pilots in both airlines drive this thing, we have a great future.

p.s. nugpot mail me.

The Claw

With the merger the stakes will be a lot higher for those unfortunate to be unemployed. The chances for some to regain employment within the industry will be almost zero. Think of them.

Lookout for hidden agendas within SAA management. If enough people work together, hopefully you'll get a merger for the right reasons?

4g- Keep up the good work!!

Good luck and Merry X-Mas to all. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">