Redtail you must be new in this business because the list is long of supplemental airlines that played with the rules, some got caught and some didn't. CK may have been a lose cannon operation in the beginning but in the end it was a very respectable operation with a descent management team (before Kitty Hawk!!). He operated close to 100 aircraft including the 135 at the peak. He had his problems and so did the ATI's, Arrows, Fines, Zantops the list goes on, even the new kids on the block as we have recently seen aren't without their problems of staying within the painted lines. Ask any true freight dawg and the stories will be nonstop about alot of carriers "procedures" many of which were due to "incompetent management" NOT "incompetent employees". So when u recieve ur info second hand realize most stories are about 50% truth and 50% embellishment. I wish all that have returned to CK the best with safe skies and prosperity, We all know Connie is not in it for the money, "It's the Love of the Game."

XCKS. .Yes that just about sums it up !!. .I have worked with all of the names on your list with certification issues and its amazing how everyone got different results from the FAA.. .What most people dont seem to realise is that there is no FAA !! There is a whole colection of FAA FSDO's that all have their own ideas.. .I have seen stuff accepted for one operator and thrown out by another region. Coupled with the increasing lack of experience and ability of FAA people, it is going to get worse.

When the NTSB makes comments like those above about lack of management ability and expanding too rapidily, where were the FAA when all this was happening !. .As the FAA man said "I'm not happy unless your not happy". <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

I just continue to be absolutely shocked at such talk about the FAA. But then of course I was accused of being scarcaztic on the Afgan prisoner of war thread . As you can see I dont even know how to spell it. . . Recently it was announced that runway incursions declined in 2001. The head of the FAA and NTSB promptly announced that this is the direction we want to go. I took a college class in statistics and our text book was titled " How To Lie With Statistics". Think about it , why were runway incursions down in 2001 ? ( in the USA)

Note : ex - c...... c... s....r

About Connie, I only had the pleasure of being there 2 years, was on the 8. Yes, the place was not perfect, but not for lack of trying. The odd things happened, as they do everywhere, but I certainly was never pressured to fly an unsafe airplane and never felt that the intent was not to fly safe at all times. Sure, the old 50' series had seen better days, but that is to be consdered normal.

In 2 years, I had the opportunity to fly with some great guys and gals, gone to some really neat places, gained a wealth of experience. They paid me on time and never really messed with me.

I am happy that Connie is back in business and I hope he stays around for a long time.

(Now if only his dogs had not peed on my tire)

Never worked for connie, but know him casually, never heard any real pilots say a bad word about him, old airplanes are old airplanes,good to see him back....

I worked at Kalitta for 6 years and the only reason I left was because of the KittyHawk buyout. It was a great place to work. Yes, there are the stories, many of them true. However I never felt pressured or was asked to take an airplane I considered unsafe.

The paychecks were on time and after the growing pains were over, it had become a great place to work. I'd go back in a heart beat if I could.