Virgin Ire.
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I'm just back off a long duty so sue me if this goes a stray.
To gyrohead and pininstauld thanks for the info, I managed to get an Irish Times from my friends in Lingus and had a look at the article in the Indo off their web site.
It would appear that Captain McHugh was the only one willing to stand by what the rest of us were thinking. Once the DFO, (you know the one, the one from the desert,TC) got involved compliance no longer became the issue, but rather how do we get 'around this'.
I for one am glad, that as a newbie, I was trained under the likes of 'Nick' and the others who instilled in us not only how to 'Pole the Aircraft Baby' but also to keep it legal and never, ever, ever, fold to commercial pressures imposed on you, particularly from management types whom do not know what they speak.
To Nick and the other trainers cheers for keeping it real for us.
To operate in an environment where the people you are directly responsible too, are competent and respected would be a novel idea.
IF this outfit survives, and I hope it does, a serious upheavel need take place in the area of flight operations management, if no changes are made I would expect advertisements for flight crew offering similar or better incentives than those of Easyjet to entice crew for the outfit as the majority here will walk, I for one am going.
To all of you thinking of staying, all the best, it was a pleasure to make your aquintance and an even greater pleasure to fly with you.
Seyonara!
To gyrohead and pininstauld thanks for the info, I managed to get an Irish Times from my friends in Lingus and had a look at the article in the Indo off their web site.
It would appear that Captain McHugh was the only one willing to stand by what the rest of us were thinking. Once the DFO, (you know the one, the one from the desert,TC) got involved compliance no longer became the issue, but rather how do we get 'around this'.
I for one am glad, that as a newbie, I was trained under the likes of 'Nick' and the others who instilled in us not only how to 'Pole the Aircraft Baby' but also to keep it legal and never, ever, ever, fold to commercial pressures imposed on you, particularly from management types whom do not know what they speak.
To Nick and the other trainers cheers for keeping it real for us.
To operate in an environment where the people you are directly responsible too, are competent and respected would be a novel idea.
IF this outfit survives, and I hope it does, a serious upheavel need take place in the area of flight operations management, if no changes are made I would expect advertisements for flight crew offering similar or better incentives than those of Easyjet to entice crew for the outfit as the majority here will walk, I for one am going.
To all of you thinking of staying, all the best, it was a pleasure to make your aquintance and an even greater pleasure to fly with you.
Seyonara!
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More on this issue from today's Irish Independent:
Airline given 'dispensation' over training
THE Irish Aviation Authority granted Virgin Express Ireland its air operations certificate for last year, despite the fact that all its pilots had not completed standard safety training courses, it has emerged.
According to a memo read out at the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Limerick yesterday, the regulatory authority allowed VEI a 12 month "dispensation" to ensure each flight deck member completed his/her annual safety training course.
Speaking on day two of the Employment Appeals Tribunal hearing into the claim for compensation by pilot Nicholas McHugh for constructive dismissal, VEI Director of Flight Operations Declan Connolly confirmed that the company had received the dispensation from the IAA, but under no circumstances would they be allowed to fly their planes if there were concerns about safety.
Mr Connolly said that they had hired pilots who had trained and undertaken safety courses with other airlines, and the dispensation was only given on the basis that the pilots and cabin crew who had not completed the course would do so by the end of the year. This, he added, was adhered to.
However, in relation to concerns raised about training for emergency engine problems, Mr Connolly said the airline put their crew through simulator training twice annually for this, and had in fact almost spent "too much time" in dealing with this specific drill.
Mr Connolly refuted claims that the Irish Aviation Authority had merely "rubber stamped" Virgin Express Ireland's air operations certificate, stating that if any safety issue was highlighted, VEI would have been dealt with severely.
No government, he continued, is going to give a certificate to an airline if it thinks the airline is "going to kill a lot of people."
Mr Connolly also rejected safety concerns raised by the complainant about an alleged specific breach of the Portuguese Aviation Authority's regulations when landing a plane at the Funchal Airport in Madeira.
Mr Connolly also said it was unacceptable for Mr McHugh who resigned on August 3 of last year, claiming his position was untenable to take on freelance work in July 2000 with the UK based Go Airlines while on a month's paid leave in with VEI.
The hearing continues.
Airline given 'dispensation' over training
THE Irish Aviation Authority granted Virgin Express Ireland its air operations certificate for last year, despite the fact that all its pilots had not completed standard safety training courses, it has emerged.
According to a memo read out at the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Limerick yesterday, the regulatory authority allowed VEI a 12 month "dispensation" to ensure each flight deck member completed his/her annual safety training course.
Speaking on day two of the Employment Appeals Tribunal hearing into the claim for compensation by pilot Nicholas McHugh for constructive dismissal, VEI Director of Flight Operations Declan Connolly confirmed that the company had received the dispensation from the IAA, but under no circumstances would they be allowed to fly their planes if there were concerns about safety.
Mr Connolly said that they had hired pilots who had trained and undertaken safety courses with other airlines, and the dispensation was only given on the basis that the pilots and cabin crew who had not completed the course would do so by the end of the year. This, he added, was adhered to.
However, in relation to concerns raised about training for emergency engine problems, Mr Connolly said the airline put their crew through simulator training twice annually for this, and had in fact almost spent "too much time" in dealing with this specific drill.
Mr Connolly refuted claims that the Irish Aviation Authority had merely "rubber stamped" Virgin Express Ireland's air operations certificate, stating that if any safety issue was highlighted, VEI would have been dealt with severely.
No government, he continued, is going to give a certificate to an airline if it thinks the airline is "going to kill a lot of people."
Mr Connolly also rejected safety concerns raised by the complainant about an alleged specific breach of the Portuguese Aviation Authority's regulations when landing a plane at the Funchal Airport in Madeira.
Mr Connolly also said it was unacceptable for Mr McHugh who resigned on August 3 of last year, claiming his position was untenable to take on freelance work in July 2000 with the UK based Go Airlines while on a month's paid leave in with VEI.
The hearing continues.
Guest
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Thank God someone has got the guts to speak out about the abuses of the system that happened on an almost daily basis at VEI. Rubber stamp operation just about sums it up.
The "confidential reporting system" was
a joke too, was I alone in being horrified to see someone waving a clearly marked confidential report around in BRU for all to see? Dead cert theres no credible system there now!
The "confidential reporting system" was
a joke too, was I alone in being horrified to see someone waving a clearly marked confidential report around in BRU for all to see? Dead cert theres no credible system there now!
Guest
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Apparently it's Aeroflot. To be announced on Monday (or Tuesday - heard that before?!)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/bus...00/1196928.stm
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Just keep it Ginger!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/bus...00/1196928.stm
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Just keep it Ginger!
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Come, on - there's no way on earth Aeroplop can buy VEI!
(a) they don't have the dosh; and
(b) most importantly - they are not an EU company!! The rules state very clearly that a minimum 50% ownership of an airline operating wholly within the EU must be EU nationals (which doesn't include Russians!!) - and if the carrier operates to destinations outside the EU, then the majority ownership must rest with nationals of the home base (ie the reason why VEX had to have a Belgian AOC to operate charters to Turkey etc from BRU).
(a) they don't have the dosh; and
(b) most importantly - they are not an EU company!! The rules state very clearly that a minimum 50% ownership of an airline operating wholly within the EU must be EU nationals (which doesn't include Russians!!) - and if the carrier operates to destinations outside the EU, then the majority ownership must rest with nationals of the home base (ie the reason why VEX had to have a Belgian AOC to operate charters to Turkey etc from BRU).
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Actually "Whip" just had a wee scan through the post and noted this to be your first contribution...... Don't see much evidence to betray the possibility that you might be a desk driver in Snn. Could be you trying to throw us off the scent huh?
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I'm finger lickin'
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I'm finger lickin'
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Irish Times 02/03/01
A former Virgin Express pilot, claiming constructive dismissal from the company, argued with his chief pilot last year over the difficulty rating for landing at Dubrovnik Airport, the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Limerick was told yesterday.
Capt Nicholas McHugh, who was due to pilot a flight to the Croatian city from Brussels, had telephoned about his concern over Dubrovnik being given a "B" rating and was quite agitated, Capt Terry O'Neill said.
Capt McHugh had cited a US Air Force crash at the airfield the previous year. A crash did not necessarily mean the airfield was dangerous, Capt O'Neill said. "If it was a dangerous airfield, it would not be classified or used as an airfield."
The rating, given by Virgin Express Ireland, meant a pilot had to do "a self-brief" on the airfield before getting on the flight. He believed Capt McHugh had subsequently flown the Boeing 737 to Dubrovnik.
Capt McHugh resigned from the Shannon-based company last August, claiming his position had become untenable.
He declined to meet management on August 4th. The day before, the director of flight operations wrote to the Irish Aviation Authority saying the airline and the IAA were in breach of international regulations because of Capt McHugh's actions. The case was adjourned.
A former Virgin Express pilot, claiming constructive dismissal from the company, argued with his chief pilot last year over the difficulty rating for landing at Dubrovnik Airport, the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Limerick was told yesterday.
Capt Nicholas McHugh, who was due to pilot a flight to the Croatian city from Brussels, had telephoned about his concern over Dubrovnik being given a "B" rating and was quite agitated, Capt Terry O'Neill said.
Capt McHugh had cited a US Air Force crash at the airfield the previous year. A crash did not necessarily mean the airfield was dangerous, Capt O'Neill said. "If it was a dangerous airfield, it would not be classified or used as an airfield."
The rating, given by Virgin Express Ireland, meant a pilot had to do "a self-brief" on the airfield before getting on the flight. He believed Capt McHugh had subsequently flown the Boeing 737 to Dubrovnik.
Capt McHugh resigned from the Shannon-based company last August, claiming his position had become untenable.
He declined to meet management on August 4th. The day before, the director of flight operations wrote to the Irish Aviation Authority saying the airline and the IAA were in breach of international regulations because of Capt McHugh's actions. The case was adjourned.
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Wing Commander Fowler my dear old Pal from days gone by, I jumped ship many moons ago for greener fields (well so i thought).
As for back to front, ya sure he is a desk driver & I could even narrow it down to a couple of faces.
As for McHugh I think that his case will be the first of many, a couple of other left seaters departed on a sour note!
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upstairs for thinking and downstairs for dancing....
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p.s have u taken that silly looking teddy of your center mirror????
As for back to front, ya sure he is a desk driver & I could even narrow it down to a couple of faces.
As for McHugh I think that his case will be the first of many, a couple of other left seaters departed on a sour note!
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upstairs for thinking and downstairs for dancing....
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p.s have u taken that silly looking teddy of your center mirror????