Aviation Discussion

#676
#676
Tri-CitiesVol said:
CPDLC in its current form is more of a tool to improve efficiency. Technique only, but I use it for frequency changes if I’m busy and to issue preferential routing. I can verbally switch one while doing the key command or clicking the release TOC on the CPDLC session on another. I’m a fairly new controller, but it really seems like pilot’s are paying less attention on frequency. Trying to hit a guy up multiple times to switch them when you’re busy is frustrating. Data Comm has its quirks, though. Sometimes the route/altitude/comm change will time out and when you query the pilot they at least claim it was never received. Also, if we don’t hit FRC when issuing the route it can lead to anomalies where you get sent direct the next fix, but the rest of the star or waypoints aren’t loaded in.


So many of the guys I fly with in the Guard are getting their Restricted (750?) and heading to regionals/ULCC/cargo. These guys have 300-400 hours in a helicopter, the rest in a Cessna and the next thing they fly is a 737 or A320. Unbelievable and can’t be particularly safe. Safety is being compromised on both sides through of mix of lack of experience and fatigue. 6 day work weeks and 10 hour days will grind you down in the summer months.
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Yeah CPDLC has been a game changer from our perspective as well. Hopefully for you it is a one or two button push to send us a frequency. And with all the new traffic out there we certainly don't have the blocks we used to have (or would be getting). Now if we can only get rid of HF, but thank God for SELCAL.

As to the second part; safety is being compromised imho. And it is the union's greed that is doing it. The head of ALPA flat out LIED to congress regarding safety studies for pilots over age 65. (They really haven't been done.) If you want an unscientific study, when the age went from 60 to 65; after that five year period safety metrics at the corporate level went down, meaning that 65 year old pilots that subsequently retired from the airlines entered the corporate aviation world made it safer. So... in the most ridiculous irony ever, 75 year old senators decided I will no longer be safe to carry 300 passengers around. So I guess if I want to keep flying I will have to carry billionaires to Davos or some such. Maybe carry Taylor swift to the Super Bowl. (ahhhhhh nope). I do have a 757 type rating and I'd love to fly for President Trump and his family.
 
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#678
#678
SpaceCoastVol said:
Yeah CPDLC has been a game changer from our perspective as well. Hopefully for you it is a one or two button push to send us a frequency. And with all the new traffic out there we certainly don't have the blocks we used to have (or would be getting). Now if we can only get rid of HF, but thank God for SELCAL.

As to the second part; safety is being compromised imho. And it is the union's greed that is doing it. The head of ALPA flat out LIED to congress regarding safety studies for pilots over age 65. (They really haven't been done.) If you want an unscientific study, when the age went from 60 to 65; after that five year period safety metrics at the corporate level went down, meaning that 65 year old pilots that subsequently retired from the airlines entered the corporate aviation world made it safer. So... in the most ridiculous irony ever, 75 year old senators decided I will no longer be safe to carry 300 passengers around. So I guess if I want to keep flying I will have to carry billionaires to Davos or some such. Maybe carry Taylor swift to the Super Bowl. (ahhhhhh nope). I do have a 757 type rating and I'd love to fly for President Trump and his family.
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I’m kind of on the fence, honestly. I’m sure in some cases there’s no decline in abilities or reaction time, but we have the mandatory retirement age of 56 and a couple guys in the area bumping up against that you can tell have lost a step. They can’t keep up with the volume as well, make weird decisions when it comes to spacing, maybe turn someone they really didn’t need to. They are a wealth of knowledge and have seen just about everything you can imagine, so the perspective they bring is still really appreciated. I’m sure the FAA did studies on controllers and found that 56 is the sweet spot for us before a sharp decline happens. I’ve seen more and more stories of incapacitated pilots. I guess a heart attack or stroke could happen at any age, but the risk factor surely goes up in the sixties.

My dad is a corporate guy and his company’s policy mirrors the 121 world of age 65. I think when he hits it, he’ll either just do contract flying or maybe become a flight safety instructor. I definitely don’t see him walking away. He’ll tell you flying is all he’s ever known and the only thing out there he is good at.
 
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#683
#683
Tri-CitiesVol said:
@ATC_VOL

I’m not sure Memphis is doing it, but Indy is offering a 15% raise on your base to be a sup. Would you do it for that money?
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They’ve done that here the last year or two. I just can’t see myself being happy doing that job. It’s a nice raise but I can’t complain with how much my pay has gone up since being certified. Lost seniority would suck too.

Obviously things can change but I can’t see becoming a supe unless I did it to get somewhere else or just get really bored later.

I have a friend I went to the academy with and we went through training in the same area. He left to become a FLM and hated it. He’s an OM now though and enjoys that. He’s moved two or three times to accomplish that though, which doesn’t interest me too much.
 
#684
#684
ATC_VOL said:
They’ve done that here the last year or two. I just can’t see myself being happy doing that job. It’s a nice raise but I can’t complain with how much my pay has gone up since being certified. Lost seniority would suck too.

Obviously things can change but I can’t see becoming a supe unless I did it to get somewhere else or just get really bored later.

I have a friend I went to the academy with and we went through training in the same area. He left to become a FLM and hated it. He’s an OM now though and enjoys that. He’s moved two or three times to accomplish that though, which doesn’t interest me too much.
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That kind of money is hard to pass up for me. And I don’t have much seniority as is haha. The crazy thing is, our brand new supe got weekends this year. Plus, you still get to work planes. I think I would hateeeeee being an OM. At least an OS can make moves to help the area or get a session in. OMs just sit behind that desk all day seems like. I think the best perk of management is the freely moving around.

Did you know Brad?
 
#685
#685
Tri-CitiesVol said:
That kind of money is hard to pass up for me. And I don’t have much seniority as is haha. The crazy thing is, our brand new supe got weekends this year. Plus, you still get to work planes. I think I would hateeeeee being an OM. At least an OS can make moves to help the area or get a session in. OMs just sit behind that desk all day seems like. I think the best perk of management is the freely moving around.

Did you know Brad?
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Yes, I went to r-school with him and we were in the same area. I guess I know two OM’s then, he wasn’t the one I was referring to.

Certainly tempting for you, especially with no loss in seniority. Are you a CIC yet?
 
#686
#686
ATC_VOL said:
Yes, I went to r-school with him and we were in the same area. I guess I know two OM’s then, he wasn’t the one I was referring to.

Certainly tempting for you, especially with no loss in seniority. Are you a CIC yet?
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I’m on the books for the next CIC and OJTI classes. Perfect timing to get a first trainee heading into weather season haha.
 
#687
#687
Tri-CitiesVol said:
I’m on the books for the next CIC and OJTI classes. Perfect timing to get a first trainee heading into weather season haha.
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Haha yeah nice. Mine was like that too, that’ll keep you on your toes.

Work the desk for a couple of shifts and see if you still want to be a supe lol. Of course if you think you do, the sooner you get in the better for seniority purposes.
 
#688
#688
ATC_VOL said:
Haha yeah nice. Mine was like that too, that’ll keep you on your toes.

Work the desk for a couple of shifts and see if you still want to be a supe lol. Of course if you think you do, the sooner you get in the better for seniority purposes.
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That’s great advice, unfortunately the bid is open now.

Why don’t sups work a session a day? Is it that rough on staffing?
 
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#689
#689
Tri-CitiesVol said:
That’s great advice, unfortunately the bid is open now.

Why don’t sups work a session a day? Is it that rough on staffing?
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I think when you want to get time is kind of up to you. You only need 8 hours a month as a supe though, so definitely don’t have to work everyday. In regards to staffing, at least here a lot of supes get currency on a sector that is usually combined. So when they open it to get time it doesn’t really help us.

I guess worse case scenario if you apply and get it, and hate it, it is possible to return to being a controller, I’ve seen that happen more than once. Being a supe also would open you up to more staff jobs and such if you ever wanted to go that route.
 
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#692
#692
ATC_VOL said:
They’ve done that here the last year or two. I just can’t see myself being happy doing that job. It’s a nice raise but I can’t complain with how much my pay has gone up since being certified. Lost seniority would suck too.

Obviously things can change but I can’t see becoming a supe unless I did it to get somewhere else or just get really bored later.

I have a friend I went to the academy with and we went through training in the same area. He left to become a FLM and hated it. He’s an OM now though and enjoys that. He’s moved two or three times to accomplish that though, which doesn’t interest me too much.
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2nd level manager is one of the best gigs in the FAA regardless of your LOB. A nice perk is you never have to deal with grievances outside of advising your direct reports or own supervisor.
 
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#695
#695
FLVOL_79 said:
ATC at my facility is throwing "a pizza party" to encourage air traffic not to call out sick all day.
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I am working this morning and we only lost one. We had 12 for the evening (1 over) and have lost four so far. You learn a lot about the people you work with when something like this comes through or bad thunderstorms are predicted haha.
 
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#699
#699
You gotta have a chat with your TMU folks. Every morning I work we have a gaggle of DFW come through. They wait until they are 3/4 of the way through the airspace to drop the spacing requirement. If it were 10-15, it wouldn’t be so bad but it’s usually 25-30 MIT.
 
#700
#700
Tri-CitiesVol said:
You gotta have a chat with your TMU folks. Every morning I work we have a gaggle of DFW come through. They wait until they are 3/4 of the way through the airspace to drop the spacing requirement. If it were 10-15, it wouldn’t be so bad but it’s usually 25-30 MIT.
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I honestly don’t even know why they put it out. We do nothing with it. The area two west of me does the DFW spacing.
 
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