Respect for pilot's

[Cargo Agent]

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a pilot. A number of factor's and life choices made this impossible. But I always looked upon the pilot profession with respect.

All that's changed reading posts here. The animosity fellow pilot's show each other here is disgusting. You all claim to be professional's. What a load of cow manure. If the way you act here is even 1% of the way you act in the cockpit, you don't deserve the money you are making.

This is of course a sweeping generalization, and I do still respect those few sane individuals that occasionally post here. I imagine they are also cringing at all the bitterness we read here.

Perhaps this forum should be off limit's to children, as it's become pretty obscene of late.

[Guest qtip]

Well said!!!

[LongTimer V]

These are trying times.In the over 30 years that i have been around i have to say that my experience with the heavy metal boys(ACPA)this rampie has always been treated well.The JAZZ boys well you guys have a long way to go.
Just "My Experience".Good luck in your fight ACPA

[Guest Terminated]

This is so true. This whole episode is so sad. It is much like a war, where no one really wins---there are casualties on both sides. As a Jazz pilot, I am hopeful that we get more flying, after the massive downsizing, downgrades, and layoffs we have witnessed. In all likelyhood, if we do get the flying the corporation wants us to have, there will be layoffs and downgrades at the mainline. And the ridiculaous thing is that we are all supposed to be working on the same side.

I would llike to think that regardless of how this plays out, if a company still remains, that gigantic lessons have been learned. That ACPA and ALPA can sit down and work out a deal, that will move towards ending this long running feud. It is hurting not only the pilot groups, but another 35000 employees. Unfortunately is is being shown again how many small minds are in our 'profession', and I am not hopeful.

It is a sad time.

[Guest 100 Above]

To all my fellow Air Canada colleagues:

I can compare this day to the feelings a prisoner on death row must have when he/she has one meal left.

Right now our company may have seen its last sunrise and it is us the employees who are waiting for a call from the governor's office for a stay in execution.

The only problem here is that for all of us employees, pilots, baggage handlers et al,we have been convicted for crimes we have not committed. And the ultimate price is not due to our doing, but due to our management, or lack there of.

I am proud to say that I work for AC, and my Dad before me for nearly 40 years. I have worked as a groomer and a baggage handler prior to being a 320 Captain all these years later.

We all want to look after our own best interests but at the same time must still show compassion for our fellow employee. To this end, obviously, we all would like a settlement but in fact that may not be in the cards.

If that case may be, to all of us employees, from whatever background we have, we have done our country proud and our customers.

Though we have been held hostage by a management team who have displayed dirty tactics stretching from contract negotiations to recent restructuring antics, for years and years, it is truly obvious where their hearts and our hearts lie.

The employees have been endlessly shat upon by them and as always, the same applies, in the public eye and in the media. We the employees have been held accountable for years of mess ups, blunders and bad moves, irregardless if we were original Ac or CAIL. The hatred that millions of Canadians and other airlines have towards us are not attributed to us directly, but as a result of these so called dealings by our management.

It is in no way our fault that our mutually agreed upon wages and contracts no longer fit the bill of today's industry. A mere 4 quarters ago, we made two consecutive quarters of profit, with our former wage scales and pension/benefit packages. The sorry story is that other players and circumstances have come into this industry and have made us obsolete.

HOWEVER, we all know what kind of a professional team we make and the lofty goals we always have set, and continue to set for our company and for our futures.

To that end I will not do anything but hold my head up high, knowing that I did all I could each and every time I went to work, meeting a lot of you along the way.

Whether we wake up tomorrow to still have employment or not, thank you for chosing Air Canada !!!

100 Above

[inchman]

A small percentage of pilots even visit here, let alone post on this forum. Just count the handles of those who post, especially the outrageous postings.

Don't draw conclusions about pilots based on a handful of people who use the anonymity of the internet to stir the pot and have not authority to speak for or represent me or any of my compatriots.

[LongTimer V]

I'll just bid away from Jazz,had my fill of puddle jumpers.

[DEFCON]

That's probably a good idea!

[Don Hudson]

CA;

Inchman, down below, is right CA. I know pilot forums and only a tiny percentage have the interest, the time or the need to visit them. Every poster here with the exception of those we can count on one hand post anonymously and so you have no idea who is speaking even though some talk a pretty good shop and may even be in the industry and further, may actually be flying with a major.

In my experience, such forums usually draw fourty or fifty visitors with perhaps around ten or fifteen who post really outlandish stuff. Out of the 4000 or so professional airline pilots in Canada, that isn't anywhere near representative.

Don't forget, there are very strong interests which seek to discredit pilots and cause respect for the profession to diminish. There are many interests served by such discrediting such as those which seek to turn the profession into just a job (another discussion) and so on. Not one of these anonymous speakers identifies who they are, who they work for, what their background is and what their agenda or goal is. It is difficult to grant respect to, and accept the word of people who do not identify themselves.

Also, (and we have seen a constant stream of this in the media), it is the easiest thing in the world to stand afar and pronounce on affairs when one is not directly involved or required to account for what is said.

Don't forget that there are very few jobs in the industry right now. An enormous amount of time, money, education, training and patience has been exerted by every one of these pilots in aid of fulfilling airline requirments where absolutely no guarantee of a career is offered. Those who have ended up flying for an airline guard that territory very carefully and strongly.

The tussles are real as are the emotions, but in the arenas that count, training and professionalism takes over and the political issues fall away very swiftly. I can speak for the flight safety community with experience and say that the discourse crosses political boundaries very readily.

I have always advocated using one's own name which forces one to take personal responsibilty for every word one writes. I have always advocated not discussing private union matters in an anonymous environment where all kinds of interests can marshalled against one. Why reveal one's thinking to strangers. Why wash the laundry publicly? It's the reason I left and I chose to join in the dialogue once again because the issues cried out for discussion.

Don Hudson

[Guest GDR]

Nice post Don

Greg Robinson

[Don Hudson]

Hi Greg;

Well, I think its the truth. Your own posts have always tried to keep the conversation open and I think that always results in learning. For many here who are more curious than opinionated I think the opportunity to talk with those in the industry is valued, even if we're equals but with different companies.

[Guest Q]

I have to agree with you C.A. after reading much of this crap. The one point I will offer is that this is just a small yet militant representation of our profession. the majority are level headed professionals who have a great deal of respect for each other and those they work with.

"Q"

[Cargo Agent]

Don,

Thanks for taking the time to give me your views. There is much I don't know or understand about all the specific issues you are all facing in your profession.

My views reflect not only my experiences here on this forum but also during the 17 years I have worked for AC. I try to understand as much of an issue before I form an opinion.

The discourse between ACPA and ALPA is one issue I can't understand. In my mind, logic dictates that as a group of professionals you are best served by one association. This is obviously a simplistic view, but as an outsider it is the way I see it. The impact 2 associations are having is painfully obvious today.

The anonimity that a forum such as this offers is sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse. It allows some to "stir the pot" and others to pass on important info that otherwise would not get out.

I do hope you are correct that the few that post outlandish remarks here are not representative of the majority. I just have my doubts.

Respectfully
Paul Lees
Cargo Agent
YYZ

[Guest HPT-TOUR]

LTV too bad you want to bid away, but if I may say, being on the "puddle jumper" I really do find the YYZ crews professional, I also found the above post rude and uncalled for.

[Guest rance]

hpt-tour;
your right they are true professionals in yyz.I would like to especially acknowledge the ramp attendant who marshalled us in by himself,got the g/p unit himself,unloaded all the bags himself as we were 15 minutes ahead of schedule.He did all this even though his shift didn't start for another 10 minutes.
I wish i got his name,but did thank him personally. Given the news the last couple days and morale i thought it was a job well done.