Man it feels good...

[meyers9163]

When you are already aware you are being furloughed. Then the company does not publish your schedule on the 24th by 5pm when they are suppose to. And then your line for the month ends with a 4 day trip, followed by a out and back on day 5, then one day off. Oh and then scheduling calls you and tells you, "You will have the 31st off, followed by 1-5 on rsv, 6-7 off, 8-10th rsv. So that's right in a 11 day spand I have one day off. Arent the airlines great. Let alone what a great contract we have that allows this ########.

So my schedule looks like August 26th-30th (trips), August 31st off, September 1st-5th Reserve, September 6-7th off, September 8th-10th Reserve.... Isnt it great ! This is the worst I've been ####ed by scheduling so far in my time here. Thus the reason I am a little hot. Normally we have two days off between. But guess some how our contract allows only one.

[jtrain609]

That's NOTHING.

I'm working the last 5 days of this month, have one day off, then I work another 5 on to start next month. The bidding software didn't take my bid so I didn't get awarded anything that I bid on and of course crew planning doesn't care that the software screwed the pooch on my bid. The software screwing up isn't normal, but being gone for 2 weeks at a stretch is whenever I start a month. In fact this has happened nearly every month for at least 5 months.

So now I'm going to be gone for 2 weeks straight, I'm working on my wedding and I didn't get ANY of my vacation days dropped because guess what? The line I was awarded didn't have me working any of those days.

[kellwolf]

5 on, 1 on off, 5 on is pretty common around here when you start a new month. I guess I've just gotten dulled to the pain.

I managed to get 5 on, 2 off all this month and no airport reserve, so I'm happy. Esp since our airport reserve shifts went from a couple of hours to NINE.

[meyers9163]

Man J that rough bro! haha like they say somone always has it worse! Just annoying because the fact they are keeping 10 pilots to cover the blend in the 1st place is quite odd! Oh well.

[CamYZ125]

Huh. My last turn got dropped today, getting me home at around 11am. Won't go back till Saturday morning. Weird, I guess Mesa doesn't suck as much as some say it does.

Juuust kidding. I got lucky during this "integration". I've had others where I've only had one day off in 11 or 12 days straight.

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by CamYZ125

Huh. My last turn got dropped today, getting me home at around 11am. Won't go back till Saturday morning. Weird, I guess Mesa doesn't suck as much as some say it does.

Juuust kidding. I got lucky during this "integration". I've had others where I've only had one day off in 11 or 12 days straight.

haha very true!

[ZapBrannigan]

Words to live by from my 2001 furlough:

"Sick time: You can't take it with you!"

[BobDDuck]

They are in the habit of firing people for that sort of stuff here.

[ZapBrannigan]

Hey this isn't a game. They're messing with your livelihood. If you're being furloughed, then being "fired" isn't really that big of a punishment.

Either way, it's no problem. Call up your friendly AME. Tell him that you ate some bad sushi and can't get off the toilet, but you need a letter to your chief pilot letting him know how long you'll be out.

Ok, so maybe you're not a dishonest person. Good for you! So here is your get out of jail free card:

FAR 61.53 Prohibition on operations during medical deficiency.
(a) Operations that require a medical certificate.
Except as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section, a person who holds a
current medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter shall
not act as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required
pilot flight crewmember, while that person:
(1) Knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would
make the person unable to meet the requirements for the medical
certificate necessary for the pilot operation;

Ok -- so you're getting furloughed. You're worried. You're worried about how you're going to pay the mortgage.
...You're worried about how you're going to put food on the table for your family.
...You're worried about how long it will take you to find another job, or when the next time might be that you're going to fly an airplane.

Clearly you are not mentally fit to operate an airplane safely at this time. It is your obligation to call in sick if you are not fit to fly.

In 2001 an AME in PIT (also coincidentally a US Airways FO) was writing letters every day. They can't fire you if you're legitimately "sick".

[fly6785]

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

Hey this isn't a game. They're messing with your livelihood. If you're being furloughed, then being "fired" isn't really that big of a punishment.

Either way, it's no problem. Call up your friendly AME. Tell him that you ate some bad sushi and can't get off the toilet, but you need a letter to your chief pilot letting him know how long you'll be out.

Ok, so maybe you're not a dishonest person. Good for you! So here is your get out of jail free card:

FAR 61.53 Prohibition on operations during medical deficiency.
(a) Operations that require a medical certificate.
Except as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section, a person who holds a
current medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter shall
not act as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required
pilot flight crewmember, while that person:
(1) Knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would
make the person unable to meet the requirements for the medical
certificate necessary for the pilot operation;

Ok -- so you're getting furloughed. You're worried. You're worried about how you're going to pay the mortgage.
...You're worried about how you're going to put food on the table for your family.
...You're worried about how long it will take you to find another job, or when the next time might be that you're going to fly an airplane.

Clearly you are not mentally fit to operate an airplane safely at this time. It is your obligation to call in sick if you are not fit to fly.

In 2001 an AME in PIT (also coincidentally a US Airways FO) was writing
letters every day. They can't fire you if you're legitimately "sick".

I think every pilot can use that one...

[TheOneMarine]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

They are in the habit of firing people for that sort of stuff here.

Good thing I didn't listen when everyone told me to call in sick that last trip

[inside0ut]

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

Words to live by from my 2001 furlough:

"Sick time: You can't take it with you!"

You are only a sick call away from a great line.

[Copperhed51]

I called in sick about 4 times during my last month before the furlough. Granted, I was actually sick and just couldn't get over whatever I had, but I figured I'd get a call from a flight manager at least. Luckily nobody questioned it. I wasn't in the mood if they had.

[JetsGoWhee]

I don't think you were alone in calling out sick either. I think last month we got a nastygram memo from saying in effect we need a doctor's note every time we call out sick over a weekend period. I don't have the memo in front of me, but I believe they cited the reason was excessive sick calls or some BS like that.

Until they pay to send me to a doctor, I will use my sick time however I damn well please. I'm not surprised at all they didn't call you. They never back up their threats, but I'd have done the same thing in your situation, Copper.

[DonAlejandro]

What about that big issue that the union made about "PSA pilots will not fly sick"...? i really have a problem with the company making sick calls occurances... if ur not really sick, try to be honest and show up to work, but if u have a legitimate issue, sickness, or emotional impediment to your well-being, it is actually a violation of that FAR mentioned above

[DonAlejandro]

oh, and señor meyers... i got the same call at 9am with the same stupid schedule, i hung up on the scheduler and called back later to discuss it with them... those of us that are here till the 10th should have been able to bid for september

[Gonzo]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

5 on, 1 on off, 5 on is pretty common around here when you start a new month. I guess I've just gotten dulled to the pain.

I managed to get 5 on, 2 off all this month and no airport reserve, so I'm happy. Esp since our airport reserve shifts went from a couple of hours to NINE.

I open every month with 6 on, 1 off, 6 on, 1 off, 6 on. I move days to set it up that way.

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by Gonzo

I open every month with 6 on, 1 off, 6 on, 1 off, 6 on. I move days to set it up that way.

Is that to get more days off at the end of the month? If I had that schedule, I'd wanna kill someone. I need more than one day off in a row. I know, I'm a wuss.

[Gonzo]

Yea I get a block of days off at the end of the month to go somewhere or pick up OT. Keep in mind I don't have a wife or kids.

[subpilot]

Originally Posted by Gonzo

Yea I get a block of days off at the end of the month to go somewhere or pick up OT. Keep in mind I don't have a wife or kids.

Man, if you did have a wife and kids and were doing the 6 on 1 off thing, you would have been single faster than you could say "junior manned."

[joliet]

Originally Posted by meyers9163

When you are already aware you are being furloughed. Then the company does not publish your schedule on the 24th by 5pm when they are suppose to. And then your line for the month ends with a 4 day trip, followed by a out and back on day 5, then one day off. Oh and then scheduling calls you and tells you, "You will have the 31st off, followed by 1-5 on rsv, 6-7 off, 8-10th rsv. So that's right in a 11 day spand I have one day off. Arent the airlines great. Let alone what a great contract we have that allows this ########.

So my schedule looks like August 26th-30th (trips), August 31st off, September 1st-5th Reserve, September 6-7th off, September 8th-10th Reserve.... Isnt it great ! This is the worst I've been ####ed by scheduling so far in my time here. Thus the reason I am a little hot. Normally we have two days off between. But guess some how our contract allows only one.

Are they paying you for all of September? Doesn't the contract say you need to have 10 days off per bid period? If they want to go outside the contract, make them pay for it.

[joliet]

You must also have two periods of three days off. They may schedule you for one day off in the blend.

Please consult our union before accepting this schedule.

Should it matter if we are apprentice members, when we are flying outside the contract, it violates the rights of union members.