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MERGED: Alligator Airways Grounded

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MERGED: Alligator Airways Grounded

Old 1st Aug 2011, 05:50
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I suspect compliance with flight and duty times will now become mandatory rather than pencil whipping exercises
If it hasn't yet with GS as the chief, I doubt it will. It'll just become more creative on how they hide it.
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Old 1st Aug 2011, 06:38
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Having him appointed is a very positive thing. He will be able to stand up to the owner and mentor the 200 hour new hires.
I do hope you are correct GG but there is a long list of ex gator pilots that have been dismissed over the last few years for refusing to bend rules or fly aircraft that they deemed unsafe...including ex cps.....Why should the new CP be any different?

I suspect compliance with flight and duty times will now become mandatory rather than pencil whipping exercises
I hope you are right but I doubt very much that RK will want someone who is only going to allow his slaves to work for 90hrs a f/n.

More than anything the place needs a new owner. A CP that is willing to stand up for the boys and lead by example is a good start but I'm not really sure if that is what RK wants in a CP.
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Old 1st Aug 2011, 06:48
  #43 (permalink)  
 
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Who's this GS bloke? Last I heard CE was doing his CASA checkride to be chief at the 'gater. Did that fall through?
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Old 1st Aug 2011, 10:00
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If it's the GS that I know - a fairly seasoned GA individual, with stints at a few organisations at Jandakot as Chief Pilot, RFDS and Regional Airline experience to boot.

I don't know too many CP's, or in fact anything about the "up-north' scene or Alligator, but if anyone could turn things around in an organisation, I'm pretty sure GS has the experience to do so....
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Old 1st Aug 2011, 10:43
  #45 (permalink)  
 
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but if anyone could turn things around in an organisation
Past Chief Pilots have tried to "turn things around" ..... it's not for want of trying! Unfortunately there is this teeny weeny problem of the owner trying to make his own rule book (which is vastly different to the regs) and then getting rid of anyone who values their life enough to stand up to him and tell him no.

Past CP's and line pilots alike have been given the flick because they questioned (and rightly so) maintenance standards, aircraft servicability, flight and duty breaches, pressure to operate well outside the regs etc etc etc.

Make no mistake, Alligator has the potential to be a VERY good company. The problem is that it's not being allowed to realise it's potential because of the owners arrogance, skewed ideas and mismanagement.
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Old 2nd Aug 2011, 01:12
  #46 (permalink)  
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If it's the GS that I know - a fairly seasoned GA individual, with stints at a few organisations at Jandakot as Chief Pilot, RFDS and Regional Airline experience to boot.
Gawd....don't let him read this, we'll never hear the end of it!

Go down to Albany and have a look at the scrape marks on the runway from 6 weeks ago, then go have a look in West Stars hangar at the 210 with its guts scraped out. The thing didnt even get to do 100 hours after coming in from the states before it was gutsed.
That and maybe the 310 he gutsed a few years ago and CASA probably decided welded gear only is the best option for this bloke
....not the work of GS.

Having him appointed is a very positive thing. He will be able to stand up to the owner and mentor the 200 hour new hires.
I hope this turns out to be the case, he definitely has a lot to offer the company. (It will be interesting to see how he handles his first wet season.)
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Old 2nd Aug 2011, 01:31
  #47 (permalink)  
 
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GG are u saying that MB as a chief pilot is a positive thing ? Or the new chief pilot for gator cause the rumor was or is that he is leaving
I'm sure MB did his best, at the end of the day though he was a pawn of RK from all accounts.

A little bit of unethical Bongo flying sealed his ultimate fate - silly bugger!

GS is one of the good guys and being a friend of RK, RK will listen to him. If GS does not agree with what he is being told he will leave. As can be attested why he left Cobham. He will stick to his guns.

I also heard he is being paid quite well with a house, meals and perks to boot!

Pity about leaving Perth for Kununurra though, perhaps he just needed to escape the bull****!
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Old 2nd Aug 2011, 05:42
  #48 (permalink)  
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I also heard he is being paid quite well with a house, meals and perks to boot!
Is there anyone he hasn't told?
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Old 2nd Aug 2011, 08:22
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Whether MB did his best or not is one thing, but he was quite happy at the time to buddy up with RK to sneak in the back door and bone N O whilst he had his back turned.
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Old 2nd Aug 2011, 11:27
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Whether MB did his best or not is one thing, but he was quite happy at the time to buddy up with RK to sneak in the back door and bone N O whilst he had his back turned.
And they were supposedly mates, and living together which made it even worse

Karma has a way of following you in this game.
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Old 2nd Aug 2011, 13:28
  #51 (permalink)  
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GG agree with you there .... I hope the attitude at gator does change .. Its good that it's a stepping stone for cpl holders to get a start and learn how the industry works but treating jobs as a lotto draw and how pilots work all hours of day is not the way to go ... I hope the new cp makes some good changes .. Well he can't be as bad as MB even if he tried ...
 
Old 6th Sep 2011, 01:48
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Thanks Lethal! :-)
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Old 6th Sep 2011, 02:16
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Hey Keg...when are you coming home for a visit?
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Old 6th Sep 2011, 02:20
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From the office of the CP.

Gee... I never gave PPRuNEe the time of day until now. Had one of my crew come in, concerned about what 'they' are saying about Alligator. Generally I can't abide people who hide behind pseudonyms and then make accusations. I had enough of that kind of thing fighting DS over NAS 2b. But, thank you to those who think the new team can turn it around. We can! And we almost have to CASA's specifications. Then, we embark on re-writing the Ops Manual to reflect the new systems.

I'm sad to say I inherited a litany of neglect and inaction. The crew were afraid to approach me at first and were amazed (visibly) when I told RK to knock before entering my office - I mean jaws hit the floor! My goodness, what kind of systemic brow beating did these young bucks go through before? Not all from RK I am learning. And the crew are already showing their appreciation. They love some advice and guidance made freely available to them. Isn't that what the CP is for, guidance? Seems to be a new concept to the crew.

Yes, I will approach the wet with caution and if I say no to RK, he knows its NO! At least he doesn't go behind my back as many owners I have worked for have before. My reputation in the Industry is the thing I value most and nobody will force me to jeopardise that or my license, which is my livelihood. In turn I will protect my crew to the best of my ability.

Alligator has turned a corner.

Thought du jour: Never tell a Training Captain he couldn't train a train up a track. Walk if you must!

Stay safe out there!

Ged.
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Old 6th Sep 2011, 03:08
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Dunno Mate, planning an OS holiday at Xmas, come too! Thanx TQ although, you know, you may never hear the end of this! ;-) Thanx to GG too, you are right, I don't risk my reputation, license or livelihood for anyone even a friend - or should I say, especially a friend!
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Old 6th Sep 2011, 03:49
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Can't come...won't be allowed any leave. Handed in notice with S's yesterday. New job starting in october.
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Old 6th Sep 2011, 14:15
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GS will be good for gator as long as he can keep standing up to RK's nonsense.

I know MB and he has admitted that he wasn't the right person for the job and didn't want to risk his career resulting in him handing in his resignation in June wanting to leave the company for good. He regrets the way he was placed as CP at gator and never wanted to burn any bridges with NO as that was not his intention.

Unfortunately it seems the attitude isn't changing, at least 6 newbies were made redundant and offered a spot next year and seems like there will be a few more to follow shortly, not only that but the Chief Engineer has also resigned from the company. Most of the pilots working there are all searching for new jobs and don't want to be with the company and this has nothing to do with GS as they all commend him on the good job he seems to be doing.

With no twins online still, how is GS going to say no to RK if GS is away on an OS trip at xmas?? Only having newbies and no senior pilots who have experience in wet is going to hurt the company a bit i think.

Ged you have a huge task ahead of you and I hope you can get the company back on track and keep Mr CASA away...
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Old 6th Sep 2011, 23:55
  #58 (permalink)  
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See Ged....pprune's not all bad!!

Woohoo, 1000th post for me!! (It's only taken 11 years.)
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Old 7th Sep 2011, 02:28
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I dare somebody to print this forum off and leave a couple of copies scattered around the alligator office
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Old 7th Sep 2011, 06:18
  #60 (permalink)  
 
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I dare somebody to print this forum off and leave a couple of copies scattered around the alligator office
and just what would that achieve? If you think it is such a great idea and so important, why not print out a copy and personally present it to RK yourself? I can tell you now that he, like many others in this game who have had their character assassinated by anonymous unsubstantiated malicious gossip, probably doesn't give a frig.
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