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This got a few laughs in the squadron today.

Ok, you asked. Fedex 777. Mission is to make the company billions and for me grab some of the crumbs to the tune of $250K a year as a co-pilot(First Officer). Typically work 12-14 days per month either all at once with the rest of the month off or week-on, week-off. Much of that work time is soft time (i.e. not actual flying hours). Typically, I'm paid for 80-90 flight hours each month, but it's rare for me to actually have air under my ass for more than 50 hours each month. Since I'm an FO, many trip are as a relief pilot which involves deadheading around the planet in business or first class to various locations where I will meet up with the crew and act as the "free agent" third or fourth pilot on a long haul flight and then part ways. For the last 10 years straight, I've made the highest level in American Airline's frequent flyer program annually and have 1.5 million miles to use for family leisure travel. I can choose how I orchestrate my passenger deadhead flights using the company money available and any extra $$ is available for various travel expenses incurred in conjunction with any trip. Next month, I will be picked up at my house by a limo (paid for by Fedex) and driven to O'hare to begin my journey to Tokyo. My trip is due to start on a Thursday but since I'm not going to follow the deadhead schedule, I will stay home on day one getting paid. Friday, I will fly from O'hare to Tokyo in a lay flat business class seat sipping single malt and maybe catch a movie. From there, I'll take the bullet train to Osaka and have about 48 hours off before I have to work. My only flight on this trip is a 4-hour leg from Osaka to Guangzhou, China. Once I arrive in China, I'm done. I have a quick 12-hour layover and then I'm scheduled for 3 day deadhead sequence to get back to Memphis. Since I don't want to go to Memphis, I'm going to stick with the original plan of a private car driving me to Hong Kong which will get me to my first flight out. Thanks to my frequent flyer status, American has upgraded me from business to first class on my HKG to DFW flight. Once at DFW, I'll hang in the lounge until my flight back to O'hare. Once back to Chicago, another limo will take me home, dropping me off on Wednesday, 5 days after I was picked up. Since I shaved some time off my trip home by deviating, I'll be on the clock for almost 24 hours after I get home. For my trouble, I'll have about 30K more frequent flyer miles and my paycheck will be about $10K fatter (before taxes). Now the rest of the story........ About the time I'm landing in China after the 4.0 from Osaka, my family will be doing the Christmas morning routine. Being an almost empty nester, that's okay and gives someone with little ones a shot at being home. Hardly as noble as it sounds. I'm just a lazy MFer. Getting paid 10-grand to deadhead in style back and forth from Asia so that I can fly a single 4 hour flight is a fair trade off. That trip plus another for the first 6 days of Dec make up my month. So, that's one snap-shot of the Fedex 777 thing. Believe it or not, I've had better months, but this will definitely be a good one. The bad ones can be tough but with a little seniority, the good far outweighs the bad. Our bad doesn't hold a candle to the long days those of you still doing the job for big blue deal with. So, when you decide to bail, come on over - the water's fine. I usually get a paid commute via private car and first class international deadhead every month. There's lots of "Q" in the QOL and I definitely recommend it. Also, WTF is a "stewardess"?

I had a commander that didn't want to sign a certificate for a gay spouse citing religious beliefs. The OG said sign it or you're fired. Then he signed it. Over in about an afternoon.

Unless you fly the Eagle. Still rockin the fix to fix because they won't upgrade us to GPS. [whining] Every time we go cross country (ANG so XC for all my friends!!) it's the same story. "Jazz01, cleared direct BISBY" "Jazz1, unable - need a vector, a navaid or the lat/long" "Oh, ok, um... Jazz01 cleared direct FTBOL then." "ugh.... Jazz1 unable FTBOL - I don't have GPS, cannot go to a GPS point" "Uhhhh, well lets see, uh....Jazz1 fly heading 260" "260, Jazz1" "Jazz1 contact Memphis on 124.8..." "(doh!) Jazz1 still needs a Uniform freq..." [/whining]

I actually just received an automatic email from MyPers today soliciting 89 AW applicants with an 8 Dec suspense.

The 122nd FS in New Orleans is having an experienced hiring board on 21 January 2018. This is for current or previous fighter pilots - Eagle experience not a requirement, but it certainly helps. We have full and part time opportunities available. Send resumes or questions to 122fspilothiring@gmail.com

Given your background, would you be interested in flying with the 89th in Andrews while she works at HAF?

0.0

API 1, 2, 9, flying on the line 3 &4, fly no more 5 will keep you alive 6 & 8, the flying's great

There go my plans to do the full 20.

Just don't mention it to a certain someone...

Just relax and be yourself. My personal 0.02 is not to get too wrapped up with your interview Q&A. I did ECIC, but elected not to do the phone follow up because I didn't want to come off as having canned answers. Rather than try to think of stories for every possible TMAAT scenario, I tried to pick 6-9 stories that each covered several question areas so I could apply one to a number of different questions. Below is what I summarized for the AA hiring process to several people who followed me. I have attached a close version of the cognitive test they use. ------------------------------- Here’s a bit of a timeline of what you can expect during the application / hiring process. For me it was about six months from when I submitted my application to when I received an email for a video interview, but this was in mid-2015 when the high number of furlough recalls and flow-through guys caused them to stop interviewing for a while. The first response you'll get is an email from AA Support Department (aasupport@pilotcredentials.com) asking you to do a video interview. Make sure you check your junk mail regularly and/or add that e-mail to your filters. I've heard of lots of folks who missed notifications that went to junk mail. You have a few days to do the video interview. If you already have your suit, wear it. If you don't, at least wear a nice shirt and tie. Do it against a neutral background and remove any distractions (wife, kids, pets, turn off phones, etc.). Have a piece of paper and pen handy. It's not an interview per se, you'll be asked five pre-recorded questions and after a 60 second prep period to compose your answer, it will start recording and you'll give your answer (which can be up to three minutes). If you don't already read Airline Pilot Forums, I would recommend it. There are a lot of topics, but for American there is long running thread about the interview process. Here is my best memory at the expanded video interview questions: 1 - "Why do you want to fly with AA?" 2 – You are given a brief about an approach (frequencies, altitudes, runways, etc.). You’re not specifically told to write it down, but you’re told to have a pen/pencil and paper beforehand, so I recommend writing it down as it’s being given to you. When you brief it back, try not to make it too obvious that you’re reading it from the paper. 4 – I was given a notional airport and five NOTAMs about the airport. You needed to pick your top 3 concerns and brief why they might be a problem. I don’t remember them all, but the ones I picked were nearby VFR traffic (might be a hazard, especially if they’re not talking to anybody or on flight following), tendency to be switch to a different runway on final (potential for runway incursion/violation), and potential for fog to pop up (possibility to have to hold or divert with short notice). 5 - TMAAT you had to deal with a delay with customers. I explained that I have never dealt with it in a traditional sense, but that my job as a fighter pilot was always to be in place on time to support troops on the ground (my customers). I explained having had weather delays while flying commercial, and chatting up other folks who were likewise delayed and explaining that it was beyond the control of the airline. Most folks consider the video interview a formality - they just want to make sure you don't have three eyes, and you can compose a few sentences and not sound like a bumbling idiot. About two weeks after the video interview is done you should receive an email from the AA support department asking you to input additional info (SSN, DOB) into Pilot Credentials (check your junk mail). I'm guessing they start your background checks with this info. A week after I entered the info I received a call for a face to face interview. The interview is a two day process and they will get you a round trip flight and hotel. The first day is business casual (slacks and a collared shirt). They collect your paperwork and give you a cognitive test called Pilot Skills Test. It seems very similar to Delta's test, however, the unofficial word is that these tests are a data point for reference only and it does not affect your outcome. They are designed to test you to failure - I felt drained and like I failed by the time it was complete (it's about four hours total). The attached PPT covers what you can expect to see. Second day is the interview process. They read from scripts and a list of questions, but it still led to a good amount of back and forth and seemed very casual once we started going. The first interview is with a pilot crew - one Captain and one FO in most situations. They start with introductions of themselves and don't ask about your background (they have studied your resume and will tell you what you did...."So when you were flying XXXX at XXXXX, tell me about....") Here's the questions I got... TMAAT you had a crew member give you criticism you didn't like or didn't think was warranted. Tell me how important communication is, how you communicate and break down barriers to communication. TMAAT you intervened in something flying related that you thought was unsafe. TMAAT you didn't get along with somebody TMAAT you disagreed with a policy Then they went to scenarios. They had a 3x5 spiral notebook with what I'd guess was at least 20 scenarios. They picked three total, and for each one they read it aloud and gave me as much time as I wanted to think. During my response, it was somewhat interactive - I feel like it was supposed to cover several areas of responses, and if I was missing something, they would give me a prod in the right direction. My Scenarios: - You're holding #3 for takeoff on runway 27 with a thunderstorm six miles off the field to the west. An aircraft taking off requests an immediate turn to 180 to avoid the storm. An aircraft landing on 33 reports windshear on final and loss of 15 knots. Winds are 290 at 15G23. Now you're #1 and cleared for takeoff - WWYD? I tried to gather as much SA on the weather from available resources (departing aircraft, weather, dispatch), and after conferring with the FO the decision was basically that if we could do it safely, we would take off. If there was any doubt that the weather (thunderstorms and windshear) were going to be a factor, we would delay on the ground. When I directed all my attention to taking off (or not taking off) from runway 27, one of my guys said, "What about runway 33?" which prompted a few more points of discussion since it wasn't a takeoff directly into the storm. - You're at FL350 going into JFK and you're at the point where you need to descend. Weather is right at CAT I mins at JFK and very low at nearby alternates. You query the controllers and get no response, and when you go back to your previous frequency you likewise get no response. You're doing 530 GS - WWYD? I basically ran NORDO procedures in detail from approach to rollout. - Third scenario was that you show up to the gate as the Captain and find that the aircraft has a hydraulic malfunction that is going to delay it for 3.5 hours. I said I would standby the gate crew as they made announcement (or make it myself if they weren't around to do it), then be ready to calm down angry passengers. They asked how I was going to calm people down; explain that I had the same interest in getting home - maybe it was my last flight of the day and I want to get home to see my family - but I can't have my passengers on an unsafe aircraft. Try to coordinate for alternate flights with open seats, maybe a standby aircraft. Keep in touch with MX for the status. Regarding the information or wait time, they asked if I would lie to the passengers to calm folks down, and I told them absolutely not. The next was a one-on-one HR portion that seemed very (almost too) short with only two questions and a little paperwork. - For the first question, she took out the first (NORDO) scenario from my previous interview and said, "I'm not a pilot, tell me what this scenario means in layman's terms." I dumbed it down to civil speak and there was no follow up discussion. - Question 2 "What are the factors that affect airline profitability?" This seemed completely out of left field, so I stumbled for a bit, but then talked about the number of airplanes, routes, and pilots. Talked about assessing routes and streamlining or removing routes were passenger numbers were low. I mentioned the recent US Airways merger and combining forces., as well as gas prices I didn't feel like my answer was great, but I couldn't gauge her impression on my answer. AA Cognitive Test V4.pptx

All valid points and I won't even pretend to defend his comments. I would not have threatened no-notice check rides, not the place on a DOV guy. On the other hand if I was the SQ/CC and my IPs were sitting in a circle talking about the airlines at work I would justifiably not be happy. We all bitch about the bullshit queep that keeps us from flying and focusing on the mission, shouldn't that apply both ways? "Good Dude" in this context...really means good leader. I know many people on here know who he is, but I will still attempt to preserve his anonymity. Let me give some examples of what I am talking about. He is MOST certainly NOT part of the management club, on multiple occasions I saw him say no to STUPID shit from above. The Command wanted to deploy someone to a useless position...NO, he stopped it and took the heat. Being told his wing needed to perform some dopey make-busy tasks on a weekend..."Fuck NO" was his answer. Performing and tracking bullshit queep tasks that had nothing to do with mission..."Don't fucking do it." He hates the career model and is straight up PROUD he was never an exec and never did a pentagon tour. One final example, THREE days after met him he pushed a set of G Series orders for the Wing across the desk and told me he was leaving for almost a month. The Wing ORI was going to kick off four days later so I asked "what is your guidance"...his response was "don't fuck it up...they know what to do." He didn't call during the ORI, no second guessing, no micro-managing...zip. When it was over I called him and he said how did it go? I answered "we got an Excellent" and he replied "those fuckers should have given us an Outstanding...anyway here is what is happening down range." For those who think we need the second coming of Robin Olds (and we do), please remember Olds was fucking his wing secretary and was not exactly easy on those around him when he was drinking which was often...even the great ones have warts. I am sure none of this is translating, I am too close and truly respect the guy. I have other stories I can't share. Also, if he came back to read this he would be pissed to see me defend him.

I still peruse the forum but rarely post. Mostly because I'm a dinosaur and understand no one really wants to read my opinion on the topic of the day. Also cuz i read the forum on a phone and posting on a phone is a bitch for me. I've posted advice and sarcastic snarky quips and occasionally PMd with some of you young'uns. Occassionally, Ive posted something someone found controversial, which can be fun, and sometimes reading the threads challenges my own perceptions and beliefs. But in reality, I retired in 2015 and the USAF of 2017 is one I barely recognize -- my opinion is probably less valid as anyone currently serving. Reading through a thread if i see a post i agree with, then theres no sense in my "piggybacking" or "piling on".. I have no idea if I've ever met CH or Liquid or Chang or any of the other senior members. But I served with only 1 toxic leader in my career. I mustve been lucky...or I spread my own share of toxicity. Either way, im not qualified to address it..or many of the other issues on the board. I was a ROTC-recat: non-rated officer, then went to SUPT. IP/EP in Lears, KC-10s, and Hercs thru crossflow. Took the big 20YAS bonus the first day I was eligible. Ended up on staff and retired when it was clear I wasn't returning to fly or being considered for command. I think Fingers is actually trying to address the combat readiness of the force. To that end, I did what I could in my little sphere of influence. I encourage you do the same. Unfortunately, I think xaarman might be right...feet on the ramp is very effective at getting folks to show their cards early--therefore making the management of the red and blue lines easier to predict. And Im sure theyre looking at it as an option. Hope they dont choose it.

I completely disagree.

Management buddies? Liquid is a good dude, he has been promoted again and I think his job and circumstances keep him away from this forum...I am assuming. We are friends but I don't discuss this place with him. As for other senior folks, I wish I had a better answer. I am admittedly disillusioned having run in those circles and I am truly sad to say many are sycophants that could care less what you post on here because they believe alternate realities and nothing you can say (even the facts), will convince them otherwise. When you try to tell the MAJCOM/CC there is a retention train wreck coming and his response is "they will stay because they are patriots"...you reply, but sir they have done their duty over and OVER again...then he replies "fuck them, we will just make more." Some of these assholes made it worse out of pure malice...one in particular REALLY fucked some good people over and they got out. One dude had a life-long dream to fly the B-2, the now 2-star select refused on principle (our manning would have allowed it), so a Great pilot bailed. The same guy then stopped another guy from going to TPS (another life-long dream), because he was a CV-22 flight lead and we were short...so they guy got out and now flies for Delta. Much of our senior leadership is septic...the only reason they are pretending to care is because we are indeed 1920 pilots short and it is only going to get worse...MUCH worse.

Great collection here: https://www.usafupt.com/id131.htm

Similarly enjoyed the flying-the-nukes OG spending an hour of our time saying, "it's not my fault, there's nothing I could have done, and I'm not sure why I'm talking to you."

Where are you and how do I go there? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk