MAYDAY

This is an issue the GoC needs to deal with.

I apologise for being slightly OT but I'm always amazed that the people that are inconvenienced the most from conservative government tactics are typically the ones that voted them in. Over the years I've noticed an extremely high percentage of airline industry staff towing the pro-conservitive right wing line. Some of these same people are also the ones having their collective bargaining rights decimated by Lisa Raitt. Strange to say the least...

The current aviation crisis is more of a cost issue than a demand issue so I can't see how capacity cuts will help anyone right now....

AC/JAZZ are currently paying nothing for the use of Jepps.

Yes, everything makes perfect sense.

A Jazz pilot can quit and go to Westjet (the evil empire as far as RM is concerned) and be interviewed at AC and offered a job in a flash. Meanwhile, a Jazz pilot can devote years to transporting Air Canada passengers and the treatment when 'new-hire' positions become available at the mother ship is to wait in cue behind those same pilots from Westjet that they used to work with at Jazz.

Alternatively, a tier 3 pilot can avoid applying to Jazz and effectively enhance their timeliness for interview and job offer at AC.

The bizarre part is that the powers that be think that this is all O.K. - go figure! Pilot hiring at AC makes about as much sense as a Seinfield episode. Here is a suggestion - tear up LOU18 and make the process a free-for-all. At least it would level the playing field for all applicants.

As for Woxof - since you have stated that you neither work for AC nor Jazz, and you have purportedly never applied to AC - why don't you leave the debate to those that are affected and stop worrying about who is flying the plane, as if the AC hiring board was asking for your opinion.

Well said rudder.

According to avcanada the a/c was found and sadly the pilots did not survive. May they rest in peace.

I don't know about that. I flew on Cathay a couple of months ago and economy class service was better than many of my experiences in J class on AC. The problem with AC right now is consistency. One flight will be perfect and the crew will be great. The next flight might feel like a Haj charter. I do agree that AC is generally better than the US airlines across the board.

Cpdude,

You have got to admit that AC's international product is seriously lacking in comparison to the airlines listed as Top 10.

I guess in 5-10 years the viability of this whole plan will be evident. I just don't have the warm fuzzy feeling about it that you seem to.

Good military leaders are often respected by not loved or admired by their troops. What earns military leaders respect is not the ability to be a glad handing politician, but to deliver success. Ulysses S. Grant was a bloody butcher, while Robert E. Lee was beloved, and was viewed as the smartest tactician of the war. But the Union troops followed Grant, and gave him grudging respect, because after suffering through a barrage of fools at the helm, they were ready for a man who gave them victories. And after Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg ended in utter disaster for Lee, General Pickett (and his superior, Longstreet) never stopped blaming Lee for the loss of his corps. Patton was never revered by his troops. He demanded so much of them, it was brutal. They swore at him behind his back, but he delivered victories. It may well be that whoever is president of ACE is destined to be reviled by the unions. All that matters is that he deliver a few victories. I'm afraid that to ever earn your favor, he would have to surrender to outrageous union demands. Therefore, better he earn grudging respect than your flattery.

Nice Dagger. Thanks for your clear and concise explanation of the CRJ-705s role within the AC fleet. And I see your point about commanding respect by winning a few vitories. We sure knocked them dead with Tango and Zip. Soon the westjetters will flee into the hills.

There should be a Function key combination to transfer the display from your integrated LCD to the external monitor. You should not even have to touch the display control panel. On my dell notebook it is Fn-F8 but every laptop is different. Look along your F keys and you should either see a monitor style symbol or CRT/LCD text on one of the keys.

Perhaps from the bottom as well.

Where have you been? If taking cuts in pay, pension, benifits, and work rules does not constitute change then what does? Disagree all you want but as long as front line employees are blamed history will continue to repeat itself. A good military leader does not blame his troops for failure.

That’s all great but getting back to my original point, why the CRJ-705? If the ERJs are so perfect for the mission then why bother? Is it perhaps to assist in the tiresome labor whipsaw effect?

I have high hopes for AC but it seems like every direction I look the same stupidity that we have all seen before repeats itself. Morale sucks. The mainline is hiring 1500hr pilots with no post secondary education while Jazz recruits 5000hr+ jet pilots. I wonder how morale will be at Jazz in 3 years when these experienced pilots are stagnated watching everyone with over 1000hrs and a year in the industry cruise right into the mainline. Dagger I share a lot of your optimism about the bright future of AC but the one thing I have always noticed about truly successful companies is the attitude / spirit of the employees. I don't think Microsoft, Apple, Jetblue, Southwest, Westjet, Virgin, etc. got to where they are by treating their employees like crap. I spend more time than I would like to in the back of AC airplanes and although better than American / United, we have a long way to go before this is the world class product that Milton dreams of.

All I am trying to say here is that if AC is to grow into the world class airline that it hopes to be, the attitude is going to have to change from the top and so far it hasn't.

I still don't fully understand this restructuring plan. Wizard you say that it is a game changer. Why? -- Because it looks good? The cabin although better than a CRJ200, is no better than a CRJ705. The economics associated with operating similar size a/c (CRJ705 & EMB175) just don't make sense to me. Would it not have been much wiser in the long term to stay with Bombardier Regional products in the less than 100 seat market, and stick with Airbus for the larger than 100 seat market. If something was needed in between the A319 and the CRJ705 then perhaps the A318 may have been a better fit. Dagger?

Looks like Embraer 175 will be doing the following routes based upon the sked up to October 20, 2005.

YYZ-DCA

YYZ-ATL

YUL-ORD

YUL-LGA

YYZ-ORD

In many cases it replaces the ski-doo, I am sure the passengers will notice the huge difference.

I often wonder if passengers actually care what equipment they fly on. From personal experience, other factors such as Delays, Middle Seats, Grumpy F/As, etc. are much more likely to ruin the experience than the type of a/c. Some of the most uneventful flights I have had were on RJs or Turboprops and some of the worst were on A340 / 747.

Congrats on the new bird though.

There is a much newer and better simulator available. Try visiting www.atcsimulator2.com and see what you think.

Dagger,

I don't work for Westjet. Occasionally when you put thought into your posts I enjoy reading them. These kind of posts however make you look like a child.

Maybe I am missing something about the RJ but how is climbing to an altitude which is within the aircrafts operating spectrum considered "joy riding"?

These Americans are getting a little ridiculous if you ask me. If it is true that the aircraft was struck by lightning and deviating around weather without radios or a transponder, then who gives a flying %$^& if they brushed into the airspace around DC. How much damage could a 172 do anyway?

I forgot to mention: If you can manage, try to enjoy the job you've got now rather than chasing the ever changing prerequisites for the next one.

So true

Evening Jumpy.

Sorry to hear the environment at AC isn't compatible to your present situation. The fact is the newhire job at AC isn't compatible for most of the layed off folks either. Most have turned down the chance to return as they have found better employment elsewhere, hence the need to start a new-hire course in July. Some may return when their seniority allows for a better slot, though the word is it won't be many that return ...

It's sad really. Never before has AC had to deal with pilot's quiting, yet it's becoming an all to frequent reality. 'The' national carrier is no longer the be all and end all in aviation in Canada.

Your right about your assessment Dropzone..... it's absolutely pitiful.

KM,

Most of the people that are not returning to service are simply deferring the recall due to commitments entered elsewhere. Most of the people that I know in this situation do intend on eventually coming back when they fulfill their contracts so I don't think it is fair to say that they are "turning down the chance to return".

You are right. Threads do get hijacked here all the time. It would sure be a lot easier to follow the forum if people did not do that as much. Who am I to say what you can say? Just another opinionated poster putting my 2 cents on the table.

Cheers

cpdude,

It is not about which one is better. In this particular post people are talking about hiring at AC and I just think it is a bit lame to hijack the thread into a CX vs AC debate. Leave that to the post on Pprune or start another one on here if you really must. Now that we have already strayed way off topic, I will admit that I think CX is a better option than AC at this point but we all know how fast things can change in this business.

Cpdude,

Good for you that you are with Cathay but why are you always trying to sell it on everyone. Between this forum and the pprune forum it is starting to get old. Do you work in the recruitment department?

Fido,

Although I agree with your remarks, I see it a little differently. I think worth comes from what it takes (experience/education) to achieve a position. In order to be an airline pilot one typically has an average of 10 years of flying experience and an Airline Transport Licence. If you don't have the proper experience or qualifications then you can not do the job period. The same could be said for senior maintenance engineers. When looking at several other jobs within an airline however, it is obvious that many of them don't require any special experience or qualification...

Sammy,

Let me get this straight. You are leaving the forum because people are Westjet bashing? If you have participated in this forum for any length of time, you would remember all of the AC, JGO, TS, etc. bashing that went on here (much of it from your colleagues). I personally find the forum very entertaining. There are some "characters" on here but reading it for the most part reminds of sitting in a barber shop or pub. What did you expect from the forum? It is your decision to leave the forum but encouraging all Westjet pilots to leave with you is weak at best. Good riddance.