Petition for "College of Professional Pilots"?

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Would you sign a petition?

Poll ended at Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:14 pm

Yes, I would sign.
91
46%
Yes, I would sign and help get signatures.
57
29%
No, I would not sign.
19
10%
I need to know more before deciding.
29
15%
 
Total votes: 196

dthorpe
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Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by dthorpe »

Hello:
My name is Doug:
I've been involved with this industry as a Pilot since 1974 and I'm sorry to say it's going in the wrong direction. If you're like me and believe what we do, the responsibility we have, the money, time and personal investment we have devoted to our passion and carreer has been poorly rewarded with wages a taxi driver would sneer at then think about this.

Why are junior pilots spending $ 90,000 for a 4 year Bachelor degree in commerce and a Multi IFR, then flying for FREE to build hours ?? Why is it that our industry promotes an Airline Captain Career as the ultimate Goal of Aviation yet CALPA does nothing for safety , mentoring and the wage scales of the very people they hope to attract ?? (and is that really the ultimate for all of us ?????)
I'm a professional Float Pilot in a very profitable 704 operation and I make $ 50,000 a year. Had I chosen to be a nurse or teacher I would be making that in the first year of my certification.

It's time we change this sad story. I have been seriously considering starting an organization that would deal with safety pressures, Fatigue, working and living conditions, PILOT PAY as well as providing benefits if your employer forgot we and our families get sick too. An organization that would provide loss of license insurance at an affordable rate for those of us that might have a problem if TC lifted our medical. A mentoring program for the Junior Pilot that's in "the sticks" questioning the owner that says " this is the way we do it.....get at it ! or get lost.
THIS IS NOT A UNION BUT A LEGITIMATE ASSOCIATION. Like the Canadian Bar Association, The Chiropractic Association or the CGA, College of Teachers, ETC, ETC.
I want your input cause this is a very serious, very long and difficult endevour and I need to no whether the bulk of our 6700 Commercial Pilots in Canada are ready for this, or more of the same.
Thank you in advance for your input.
There will shortly be an individual web site for further info if I feel the time, money and effort has YOUR support.
Remeber vthough, everything comes at a price and I project your dues would average at $300 annually but based on a % of gross income. Therfore juniors would pay far less that seniors.
Sincerely
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Sidebar
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Sidebar »

Good luck Doug. This issue has been debated ad nauseum on this site, to little useful effect. I look forward to seeing your website.
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teacher
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by teacher »

I have advocated something like this for atleast the last 10 years. I would be 110% behind this kind of organization. I have family members that are part of several professional organizations and in my opinion it is LONG over due. Unions may serve an individual company but we need something that serves the needs of professional pilots as a whole.

I will be one of the first to sign up for the Canadian College of Professional Pilots.
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Last edited by teacher on Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Crobe
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Crobe »

Hey Doug,

Count me in.

Bear
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Widow
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Widow »

Hi Doug,

You are not the only one thinking this way. Check these previous threads ...

http://www.avcanada.ca//forums2/viewtop ... 54&t=54373
http://www.avcanada.ca//forums2/viewtop ... 54&t=48214
http://www.avcanada.ca//forums2/viewtop ... 54&t=47755

There are others already laying the groundwork.

Kirsten S.
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Sidebar
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Sidebar »

Just what would be the objective(s) of such an association? Better pay? Better benefits? Better working conditions? Better scheduling? Sounds like a union to me. No thanks, I already pay over $1000 a year to a union.
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Widow
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Widow »

As I was given permission to say at the Air Safety Roundtable:
I know there is a small group of pilots who, perhaps discouraged by the lack of regulatory initiative, are trying to form a professional college whose goals are to promote safety standards, training standards, technical issues and accredit Canadian pilots from the youngest commercial pilot to the Airline Transport Pilot near the end of his career. They are the aviation experts who wish to fill an obvious void - the void into which safety concerns fall due to the lack of filter, if you will, between Transport Canada and the owners and operators. Their goals, if adopted, will go a long way to ensuring Canada has the best trained pilots and a safer industry.
http://safeskies.ca/events/2009-04-21_a ... evens.html
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AOtterstrom
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by AOtterstrom »

Great idea, I would definatly be interested. Can't wait for the website.
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Sidebar
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Sidebar »

I know there is a small group of pilots who, perhaps discouraged by the lack of regulatory initiative, are trying to form a professional college whose goals are to promote safety standards, training standards, technical issues and accredit Canadian pilots from the youngest commercial pilot to the Airline Transport Pilot near the end of his career.
Interesting. Admirable goals. With the exception of the accreditation issue, it sounds like another alphabet soup lobby group.

I confess I'm skeptical about this accreditation idea. I read in one of the other threads Widow posted links for that TC supposedly wants to get out of the licensing business. I think there's an ICAO requirement for a state to issue licences, and somehow I can't see TC delegating that obligation, or ICAO accepting delegation of it.
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culver10
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by culver10 »

So you figure that the folks who risk all of their money and property by starting up an aircraft business are all rich fat cats who are out there to SCREW the pilot?!?! If you are such a f'n genius, go start your own god dam business and see what it is like! Transport Canada, Revenue Canada, WCB, province, insurance companies, lawyers, accountants and county are all there to “HELP” you out of your time and massive amounts of money. The only airline company left in Canada who pay the BIG BUCKS is operated like they did in the 1950’s, and guess what, they are F'N BROKE!! Flying modern airplanes is not like it used to be in the early days, and the airplanes almost do better now when the stunned pilot does not f with it. You are a bus driver now, so deal with it! If you don’t like it, start your own business and become a big rich fat cat like all of the other aircraft operators out there.
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glorifiedtaxidriver
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by glorifiedtaxidriver »

culver10 wrote:So you figure that the folks who risk all of their money and property by starting up an aircraft business are all rich fat cats who are out there to SCREW the pilot?!?! If you are such a f'n genius, go start your own god dam business and see what it is like! Transport Canada, Revenue Canada, WCB, province, insurance companies, lawyers, accountants and county are all there to “HELP” you out of your time and massive amounts of money. The only airline company left in Canada who pay the BIG BUCKS is operated like they did in the 1950’s, and guess what, they are F'N BROKE!! Flying modern airplanes is not like it used to be in the early days, and the airplanes almost do better now when the stunned pilot does not f with it. You are a bus driver now, so deal with it! If you don’t like it, start your own business and become a big rich fat cat like all of the other aircraft operators out there.
Wow, f you dude.
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aileron
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by aileron »

I have to say this type of discussion fires up from the middle of the gut, you know that absolute burning sense of indignation. Emotion erupts, the north/west/south/east perspectives come out - everyone has buy-in with this topic. Everyone owns a piece of responsibility on this one, and I too believe it's high time someone did something about it.

It is going to be very challenging to get enough people on board. It is going to take massive amounts of passionate peoples time to commit to the creation of such a beast. It will take a lot of money to barrel through all the points, all the perspectives. It can be done, but who is going to lead this one?

Sidebar, you're right - it's obvious you're fired up too, counting all the posts in sequential time. I too would want to know how spending more money to an association is going to help.

Culver10, you're right - the amount of red tape our industry needs to overcome to be in very existence is incredible, it's amazing there are any flying outfits at all!

Everyone has buy-in... pilots and owners, regulators and customers. Piss off the pilots, then mistakes are going to happen. Piss off the owners, then they'll close up the shop. Piss off the regulators, then... well then they're just the same... lol. Piss off the customers, then there will be fewer customers.

But I'll stand-up and take a side here, Doug is right - something is not right in this industry.

Sure it isn't reasonable to expect the golden era of the legacy carriers to come back... that was a different time, the flying public were much more refined and spent appropriately. *However, in comparison to the golden era, the reality is, yes, our aircraft have become very automated - pilots are now systems' operators; we are a well trained crowd, maneuvering highly engineered and very expensive technology through solar radiation across many time zones daily, safely... AND, we also continue to use our spider-senses operating classic, tired old aircraft, through the lower atmosphere in all types of weather, safely!*

Ahh, the old Bus driver analogy; a paradox and I'll explain why: Yes bus drivers do make more, and yes they do have the responsibility of peoples lives in their hands and yes they spend a hell of a lot less on their experience to get there... but guess what is true, most bus systems lose a ton of money; they are publicly funded equity measures by society - bus fare doesn't pay for the driver... your taxes do.

Maybe Plant managers is a better analogy, they go through a bunch of training. Safety/comfort/efficiency all their concern - pretty much guaranteed they get paid well. And they are accountable. Why aren't our experiences, our decision making, our god damned hard work not accountable?

Anyway, Pandora's box needs to be put away for now, got to go to bed. Eastern provinces, your turn to debate.


* Edited to refine my post made at 0130, to clarify the spectrum of aviators we are, not the contradiction Sidebar had read in my haste of poor editing late last night...
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Last edited by aileron on Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sidebar
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Sidebar »

aileron wrote:However, in contrast, the reality is, yes, our aircraft are very automated - pilots have become systems' operators; sure we're not flying with a needle and a high-ball of whiskey on the glare shield; but we are a highly trained crowd, maneuvering highly engineered and very expensive technology through solar radiation across many time zones daily, safely.
I think you might be out of touch with the reality of lots of pilots flying 30 and 40 year old Navajos, King Airs, etc in the 703 sector. Not to mention legacy 705 aircraft like the Hawker 748.

In any event, you're contradicting yourself.
aileron wrote:We are a lot of spider-sensed operators flying classic, tired old aircraft through the lower atmosphere in all types of weather, safely.
I just don't see some non-profit outfit taking over the licensing function from TC. Remember how the landing fees went up when TC got out of running airports, and how ATS fees went up when they got out of air navigation system operation? People howl now about paying 55 bucks for a medical certificate. Wait till some "College" tells them their medical is revoked because they refuse to pay whatever ridiculous fee is proposed.
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Thunderstrike
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Thunderstrike »

I like the idea. As a soon to be new entrant into the industry, I also appreciate the fact that there are so many people willing to improve conditions for pilots.....

So where do we start?
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by KAG »

culver10 wrote:So you figure that the folks who risk all of their money and property by starting up an aircraft business are all rich fat cats who are out there to SCREW the pilot?!?! If you are such a f'n genius, go start your own god dam business and see what it is like! Transport Canada, Revenue Canada, WCB, province, insurance companies, lawyers, accountants and county are all there to “HELP” you out of your time and massive amounts of money. The only airline company left in Canada who pay the BIG BUCKS is operated like they did in the 1950’s, and guess what, they are F'N BROKE!! Flying modern airplanes is not like it used to be in the early days, and the airplanes almost do better now when the stunned pilot does not f with it. You are a bus driver now, so deal with it! If you don’t like it, start your own business and become a big rich fat cat like all of the other aircraft operators out there.
So I guess then you feel justified in not paying low time pilots becuase hey there just learning? Or pressureing them to fly into really bad weather that you yourself wouldn't, but will bully the FNG because you know they are a dime a dozzen?
It's attitudes like this that this outfit will be trying to watch out for - The disgruntled owner who feels that the job must get done at any cost.

I'm interested.
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ng78
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by ng78 »

culver10 wrote:So you figure that the folks who risk all of their money and property by starting up an aircraft business are all rich fat cats who are out there to SCREW the pilot?!?! If you are such a f'n genius, go start your own god dam business and see what it is like! Transport Canada, Revenue Canada, WCB, province, insurance companies, lawyers, accountants and county are all there to “HELP” you out of your time and massive amounts of money. The only airline company left in Canada who pay the BIG BUCKS is operated like they did in the 1950’s, and guess what, they are F'N BROKE!! Flying modern airplanes is not like it used to be in the early days, and the airplanes almost do better now when the stunned pilot does not f with it. You are a bus driver now, so deal with it! If you don’t like it, start your own business and become a big rich fat cat like all of the other aircraft operators out there.
You're attitude is disgusting. I can also assure you that bus drivers often make a lot more money than pilots. A friend of mine is in his second year as a bus driver, and he decided at the time that I started my training that he couldn't justify spending the money on a pilot's licence to put up with the crap that you seem to think is acceptable. In the same period of time, I did my training, spent a small fortune, started working for an operated that recently shut down, and my salary is literally one third of what he is making without overtime in his second year with his present bus company.

How long will it take me to recuperate the lost investment and time to even catch up with my bus driver friend? He is well on his way in his career, already making approximately $70,000 per year - more than the captains at my company who have been flying for a number of years now. I could go on, but it's people like you who create the problem that we are facing in Canada, which unfortunately is worse than pretty much anywhere else in the world. I would not trade my job with my friend's, as I have a passion for my career path, but damn it, we should be doing way better than we are on many fronts.
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Stevo226
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Stevo226 »

A professional association can do much more than just bitch about pay and working conditions. They can stand up and fight to reduce all the ridiculous red tape, fees, insurance etc. that plagues all operators out there. At least I think they would be able to.

I firmly believe that this is long overdue and that if an association were to start, 90% of pilots out there would join up. All we need is somebody with some cash, a good lawyer and some spare time to start it. Count me out on that, I haven't the foggiest on what's involved in starting something up, but I hope somebody does
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Widow
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Widow »

Sidebar wrote:I confess I'm skeptical about this accreditation idea. I read in one of the other threads Widow posted links for that TC supposedly wants to get out of the licensing business. I think there's an ICAO requirement for a state to issue licences, and somehow I can't see TC delegating that obligation, or ICAO accepting delegation of it.
It would be interesting to know if there is indeed an ICAO requirement - a quick search did not turn up anything. Seems to me there is also an ICAO requirement for oversight, which TC also seems to be stepping away from.

For those who are working on the idea of a professional association, this link will be important:

Safety Partnership Programs Framework

Some key quotes:
“The purpose of this Civil Aviation Directive is to outline Civil Aviation’s policy on safety partnership frameworks and to provide a standardized approach for considering the establishment of a safety partnership between Transport Canada Civil Aviation and an aviation organization for the purpose of delegating to that organization, in accordance with subsection 4.3(1) of the Aeronautics Act, certain aviation safety oversight activities.”
“Delegation means authorization as per 4.3 (1) of the Aeronautics Act whereby any person or class of persons is authorized to carry out activities on behalf of the Minister.”
“Aviation safety oversight activities means those activities identified by the Transport Canada’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) and the Civil Aviation Service Line Model that support compliance by the aviation industry with the regulatory framework. Within the PAA, aviation safety oversight is broken down into two main categories:

(i) Service to the aviation industry which includes personnel licensing, provision of operating certificates to organizations; and certification of aeronautical products; and

(ii) Surveillance of the aviation system, which includes assessments, validations, inspections and audits.”
“Aviation organization means a legal entity incorporated under the laws of Canada”
“Prerequisites

(1) The organization has a Canada status and is legally incorporated under the laws of Canada;

(2) The activities of the organization are limited to aviation safety oversight activities;

(3) The organization has conducted and documented the results of initial consultations with its membership and affected stakeholders on the notion of a safety partnership and delegated activities, and there is a majority of members and affected stakeholders in agreement to pursue the proposed safety partnership.”
“Majority means more than 50 per cent.”
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Sidebar
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by Sidebar »

Widow wrote:Seems to me there is also an ICAO requirement for oversight, which TC also seems to be stepping away from.
Touche. I agree completely with this point.
“The purpose of this Civil Aviation Directive is to outline Civil Aviation’s policy on safety partnership frameworks and to provide a standardized approach for considering the establishment of a safety partnership between Transport Canada Civil Aviation and an aviation organization for the purpose of delegating to that organization, in accordance with subsection 4.3(1) of the Aeronautics Act, certain aviation safety oversight activities.”
“Aviation safety oversight activities means those activities ...broken down into two main categories: ...
(i) Service to the aviation industry which includes personnel licensing, provision of operating certificates to organizations; and certification of aeronautical products; and”
This Civil Aviation Directive Widow refers to certainly seems to open the door to delegation of licensing.
“Prerequisites ...
(2) The activities of the organization are limited to aviation safety oversight activities;
This final quote would limit activities of a "Professional Pilots College" to oversight only, limiting opportunity to also advocate for safety improvements, better working conditions, pay, etc.
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Re: Ready for change in our Industry ????

Post by 206 »

bitch bitch bitch.

That's all pilots seem to do. Never happy. Glass always 1/2 empty. Deal with it. You don't like it, get out and do something else.
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