You are not THAT fat :} Just don't stop smoking. The tightening the belts, yes, I guess it must be done to an extent. How this is done is another matter.

Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant!

:ok: I love that site !

Amicule, deliciae, num is sum qui mentiar tibi? :}

I may HAVE to quit smoking at this rate !

Animadvertistine, ubicumque stes, fumum recta in faciem ferri?

BTW - Thanks for having a "butt" with me on that flight with Robbo ! That was priceless !

Air Atlanta. Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat.

My latin is a bit rusty, but I think that sentence puts the whole thing into perspective :}

A-D check your PM

Hey guys & gals, you're not alone. We expats at the established carriers are getting our heads dragged through the mud too. The feast is over. Now it's famine time again. And without a strong, organized pilots association that could stop the wheels from turning, the cut throat managers will squeeze you dry; and the more you bend over, the more you get screwed. It's like that everywhere in a non union envirnonment. :{

Good luck to all of you.

its a bad month to give up sniffing glue/...

In vino veritas!

Just for you "Lexxie"

its a bad month to give up sniffing glue


Suus a nocens mensis ut redono ut commoror gluten.

:ok:

FLASH MESSAGE from Direct Personnel -

AAI world-wide contract as of 1 Feb 09 will be offered to "SELECT" ex-pats at a flat 10% pay-cut, including 10% cut in perdiems from $50/day to $45/day. My buds with Airborne have not commented (maybe not yet notified).

No word as to when all the guys on unpaid leave will be called back to work. Still, I can't fathom the reason for "anyone" to sign an INTERIM contract - just to keep for your place in the queue - while on unpaid leave. Hmmmm - "Do I have a contract.... or a job .... or a promise.......?"

One consolation is that AAI management and office staff in Iceland have also gratiously accepted an "interim" 10% cut as well......let me cogitate that one for a moment. :{

Nope.... still sounds like the ex-pat contractors are getting rooted without the post-coital "Kiss".

FIA (aka FFF) still NOT happy with results .... but are much safer from the Icelandic tax man, now that their immediate nuclear families have all departed to the out-bases. I guess you can't tax someone you can't get back into the country to put in jail. :D Well done, Boge! a veritable coup ! (Is Helgi even talking to you these days?)

Just saw an interesting thread on Terms & Endearment regarding an EU Commission studying Rules for Pilots within the EU.

Need some help from an EU Legal Eagle, here....

Q1: As Iceland is NOT a member state of the EU, but AAI wholly owns the crewing agency Airborne Personnel HQd in Guernsey. Would this commission be interested in hearing from ex-AAI ex-pats recently shafted. Guernsey is also not a MEMBER, but has a 'special relationship'. WTF does THAT mean?

Q2: If you are contracted by a wholly owned subsidiary of an Icelandic Company, but your crew agency HQs are in the Channel Islands..... is your contract worth ANYTHING?

Paladini
FYI Guernsey is NOT in EU and has no employment laws whatsoever, not even a maternity/paternity policy for example as the place is not in EU, many other rights are not avail in this island, this place is just seen as a flag of convenience and tax dodge haven by some people it seems.

The "contract" is not worth the paper it's written on.

There is no Chief pilot to try and look after your interests, apart from his own of course. Need someone that knows right from wrong and act accordingly, as a Chief Pilot IMHO is there to help look after the interests of his pilots and not a management cronie.

Most of the contract crews at AA are being screwed. Most of the ex contractors at AA have been screwed. This sad state of affairs will continue as most crew members only think of themselves and will not stand together. From what I can see, the opportunity was there for the taking in the not too distant past to take some form of action over T & C's but it never really materialised did it? Too late now though I am afraid. Guess it is easy from this angle to say people are selling their souls to the system, as most of us need employment of some description.

There are some exceptions to the above. There was one person who drew 12 months salary (such as it was) and never did any work for AA and freelanced for another company. Hid in the system (chaos), submitted his/her invoice every month....

Good luck guys as I think you are going to need it.Don't throw that jar of vaseline away just yet:sad:

The point to remember here is that although Airborne is registered in Guernsey,its office is in the UK. All contracts are dispatched from there and all coms. are with this office.

I am taking legal action at this time against Airborne and AAI for unfair dismissal and I have been assured by my lawyers that the British legal system covers UK and the Channel Islands so they have accepted my case on a no win no fee basis and are confident of a resounding victory.

I am suing them for unfair dismissal over the incident where an Icelandic mechanic placed a wheel chock in the intake of #4 eng to prevent windmilling during servicing and forgot to remove it. There was no entry in the Tech Log nor was there any warning flag to indicate the presence of the chock which was not visible from the ground during pre-flight due to the height of #4 eng above grond.

The next day we started the eng with resulting damage. There was no enquiry or investigation of the incident, and as the mechanic was a union member the Captain and Flight Engineer where terminated immediately as contractors.

Since then the Chief Pilot, the Maintenance Dept and Flight Safety dept have said that the crew were not to blame and shoud be reinstated but the co-owner refuses to do so.

Hi Nippon1

Oh dear, there but for the grace of God go some of us. Good luck with your battle. If I may enquire, who signed the preflight inspection on the flight in question, presuming you were embarking on an attempt to get airborne?

Stand corrected on the contract. Never thought it was worth anything and still don't.

Rgds JLT

Just looking TKS

It is impossible to see into the exhaust of CF6 engine from the ground without having a ladder of some sort. Also it is extremely difficult to see anything put in the front of the fan and resting at the bottom of the intake. During the day time perhaps but night time very very hard.

I would be more inclined to ask the question as to the use of a wheel chock in the first place? An approved tool for the task that was performed? How does a wheel chock fit in the tool count? Remember all tools should be counted when starting to perform maintenance and then counted again to make sure that no equipment is left in the aircraft causing such incidents.

Apparently it was the Ice-engineers assistant who left the chock in the engine and the failure of the engineer to make sure that all work was properly completed and all tools accounted for.

Atlanta-Driver

Fair enough and point taken. It was just the first question that came to mind.

Hats off to the lawyer taking the case, on a no win no fee basis, as it is disgusting behaviour, even for a company that is morally bankrupt.

Don't worry guys/gals, every dog has it's day and what goes around comes around.

Just looking TKs

It was the Ice mech who signed .....the sameone who placed the chock...he was present when we pushed back and witnessed the start up of the #4eng....whilst starting #3 he ran out onto the pan trying to stop the start, and when we shut down he immediately held his hand up and said he was responsible.....incidently all indications on the flight deck were completely normal nor was there any vibration felt at any time. The idea of using a chock was totally non standard and a similar incident happened a few years ago....so they never learn.

Just to correct my post a bit. Naturally I meant the Nr 1 and Nr 4 engines on the 747 and something thats deep in the engine.

Dear Atlanta Driver, Joebananastreet and 18-Wheeler,

Just for the record would you please clarify who in JED OPS you class as **** heads??
18-Wheeler i thought whilst you were in JED earlier this year that you were a true gentlemen, i am sympathetic to all crew but you are not the only ones being shaffted.
The majority of us in ops are in the same boat contract wise as you guys are, AAI has taken a perfect opportunity to get rid of some moaning old dead wood in the company and its better for it if you ask me. Its just a shame that some of the best crew you could find in any airline have also been sent on unpaid leave to balance some numbers and to save some of the Rock crew.
As someone has said before if you don't like it and don't like the way things are done go somewhere else to moan!! sorry i mean work....

Nippon1 you are one of the best and a big misjustice was done to you and the PIC, i wish you all the best with your court case and i hope you get some kind of justice from it because if anyone deserves better you do.

Safe flying and happy moaning. :ugh:

It wasn't me in Jeddah last year sorry mate - I quit AAI in late 2007 and spent the last few months with the company in KL.
I had very few problems with people face-to-face, only occasionally those some distance away who did not have the full picture.
However I could see even in late 2007 that the company was heading downhill rapidly and it was time to leave while I had control over it. I spent a few months with Qantas, training to be an A330 sim instructor but I could see that job was not for me and so at the moment I am flying small Metroliner turboprops on night freight out of Brisbane. A bit of a come-down but I am needed at home to look after things and it's working out very well in that regard.

I miss working with so many people in AAI, it was a great experience.

Dear Atlanta747

I would suggest that you read the associated post where comments where made again carefully. Perhaps you will find that a few notes about spending too long in the JED sun apply to crew too, certainly applied to me.

Most ops where very nice to work with, KUL and the original lot in DXB. Unfortunately DXB changed when certain TCAS showed up.
However few in OPS that where in JED during my tenure there changed with their percieved growing power over crews, you really have none, you do realise that don't you.
Comments like " I will have you travel on a train and then plane and then on a car to operare a flight with minimum rest" when one is on an off day. Well it is how you guys put things. It was the could you do us a favour and when you did your favour was never returned and next week you where in the s.hits for refusing to do a flight when you had not had sufficient rest. My beef really was with Blandon from the rock and his cohorts as well as the way with some of the OPS ended up kissing the station managers hide so badly that it really made me sick.

Airport ops guys where all ok as far as I was concerned, felt sorry for them for sitting at the office there all day and covering flights with less than minim crew. Dimitri certainly was good fun. Abbas and others great to work with, splendid job with limited resources. No probs there nor with the loadmasters. I heard Rose left. What a pity, great loadmaster and worked all hours of day never a word of complaint.

Dear Atlanta-Driver and 18-Wheeler,

I would like to appologise for my blast at all of you, it just appears that people are quick to shoot us down when in hind sight we are only the courier pigeons for you guys from the powers that be.

Again please accept my appologies for my out burst and i wish you all happy flying...:ok:

Best regards,

atlanta747

ning69
 

TF-ARS was up for sale for $3M USD, they probably got $8M when a/c distroyed in DAC. I wouldn't call that a loss. They paid $11M for freighter destroyed in SHY it was insured for $18M. AAI and AVELON have announced that they have jointly ordered $400M worth of a/c, I would say they are doing pretty good

ning69
 

response to AAIguy

What makes you sad, the way AAI has been screwing their expat crews for several years, or maybe the way AAI pocketed the crew per-diem they received from IBERIA for 4 years, or maybe the way they have cancelled all expat base contracts in Kuala Lumpur and put junior Icelandics in their place, or maybe it's the new contracts that will come out reducing crew pay and per-diem by 10%. Or maybe it's the news posted on AAI website that they along with parent company AVELON GROUP have ordered $400M USD worth of aircraft. OH I know why you are sad, it's because all the great guys who made this company all their millions have been let go and replaced by junior guys, that must be it. You obviously have not worked for AAI to make such a stupid statement as you did by saying you are sad.

ning69
 

message for paladini

I have recently sought legal representation and will very soon be posting results with contact info on who to contact for successful action. As it turns out, it is against the law, and I mean International law to lay off people without using seniority. If you downsize you must adhere to the law, or you have a case as I did for wrongful dismissal. Something AAI has ignored, everybody including the legal firms know who is pulling the strings within Direct and Aerborne, it's blaitant

What's this about a $400 million aircraft order?

I would recommend you get a second opinion on this before commencing litigation.

I reckon you're on a hiding to nothing and it may cost you a heap of money!

Secondly, AAI are a good mob to work for if you :

1. Don't get pushed around.
2. Don't take life too seriously

Don't mean to pour water on your fire ning69 but this just isn't true. Many pilots like to think it is but it just isn't, sorry.

I'll stand corrected, but there is no 'Law' to say that redundancy MUST be done on seniority. :=

Rgds

CL747

Ah Beaten to it by seymour!

Not a problem, atlanta747 - I figured you had me confused with someone else when you said, "i thought whilst you were in JED earlier this year that you were a true gentlemen."

I knew immediately that wasn't me, for both reasons. :)

Now now 18wheeler. I thought I recognized myself there but the being a gent and all that would also be much misplaced with me. Good to hear that you are happy with the San Antonio Sewerpipe :}

18-wheeler
 

18-Wheeler,
Thanks for the understanding, for some reason i forgot we had moved on to 2009.... It must be the JED Sun!!! haha.:O

Does anyone know where this $400 million aircraft has appeared from or where it is published??

for atlanta 747
 

It's on their website about the joint venture between Avion Group and AAI and the purchase of $405M USD worth of a/c

Aircraft purchase
 

I think you may find that this aircraft purchase news was released back in 2006, according to their website.

There were a few 777 slots bought from Boeing, but then were sold to other airliners for more money later on. Pre-planned strategy I believe.

Hi Guys,

Am home on ULV and this is all very depressing stuff. Miss having beers with all of you on night stops. I really hope things get moving soon as I know all of you have families to take care of and bills to pay. 18 Wheeler how's the car racing going these days :ok:

Well chaps I think I am heading to Bangsar to have a beer or 10. Cheers and I hope everything works out for all of us.

Cheers,

Pete.:)

Pete!
How ya going matey?
The car stuff is going okay but I can't afford to do anything with them anymore, GA in Aus doesn't pay enough so they're sitting around collecting dust. Say gidday to Melvin if you see him.

Pete i found your door!!
come and collect it in ams, very best wishes, alex dorreboom

Hi 18 Wheeler and Lexxie 747,

Great to hear from both of you. Back to the old pencil mate !! Now that's a slippery turboprop and I remember you had a lot of time in that machine previously. I really hope you are having fun and enjoying life back home in Oz. Do keep in touch as one day in the not too distant future we will no doubt be in the same bar sucking on a cold stubbie. My shout.

Alex my buddy you finally found my door you devil you. Hope all is well and that you are keeping well. If I get to AMS will give you a shout and we can check out a few breweries. You guys take care and remember that good things happen to good people. At first it may look bleak and tough but after a while the cards fall into place and we will all look back and wonder what all the fuss was about. And you guys are the best.

Keep in touch and happy landings, :ok:

Pete.

podunk said
FIA (aka FFF) still NOT happy with results .... but are much safer from the Icelandic tax man, now that their immediate nuclear families have all departed to the out-bases. I guess you can't tax someone you can't get back into the country to put in jail. :D Well done, Boge! a veritable coup ! (Is Helgi even talking to you these days?)


Seeing and hearing this quite alot now these days. Do you guys really think that the "Codheads" aren´t paying tax since after they moved out on fixed base?