Missinippi Air Now Requires Training Bond

[Freeride]

Why would you need sick days if you are running an air ambulance service into some of the least healthy communities in Canada???
Now you are pretty much asking staff to fly while they are sick. This puts pilots and medical staff at very high risk of contracting or spreading illnesses to or from the patients. Many patients have such weak immune systems that a simple cold or flu could could make them extremely sick or even kill them.

One more step in the wrong direction!

[AuxBatOn]

8000$ to live in The Pas? Who the hell is crazy enough to do that!?

[Rotten Apple #1]

I'm sure happy that I worked in the industry at a time when my employers not only paid me but paid for all my licenses, ratings and upgrades as well.

Cat Driver, surely you remember Carl Millard. You might also do well to read the history of ALPA. Nothing much has changed, it's all cyclical in terms of jobs for pilots and who takes advantage of who (company vs pilots).

It would seem that having a normal IQ is not a prerequisite for being a commercial pilot in todays world.

Similar revisionist story I heard from guys I flew with when I started flying commercially in the 80's. Perhaps your recall is a little off. I suppose your penis is bigger than the penises of today. Honestly, do you think it was all that rosy and your generation that much smarter? Consider how society today has changed perceptions on DUI, smoking etc.

I wouldn't try to base a high level discussion on a couple of anecdotes. We all have 'em and can roll them out at the same rate you do. The guys today are doing okay.

Other than that, safe flying.

JD

[Cat Driver]

You lost me there completely jonny, I can't connect the size of my penis with having my licenses paid for by my employers.....unless of course you are suggesting I used it as a tool to get my licenses and ratings?

[Rotten Apple #1]

Cat, I think where I was going with that is my impression of your posts (excepting the TCCA stuff) is that you appear to romanticize how great things were for your generation of pilots compared to the pilots of today. I understand that you've had a wide and varied career, and you should probably be proud of that. (I wonder did I meet you in a canso in deer lake, NF in the 90's?), but the industry of today, while different, is still the aviation industry. The pilots of yesterday were no better or worse.

You seem to believe that your generation were better aviators, and that employers were more generous. I find both ideas hard to believe.

Anyway, I'm sure you've got a big unit.

[Cat Driver]

(I wonder did I meet you in a canso in deer lake, NF in the 90's?)

No that was not me, I haven't flown a Canso since I quit water bombing in 1986. ( well I did ferry one from Ontario to B.C. sometime in the nineties.)

And no I do not think the average pilot was any better or any worse decades ago than those of today.

But from what I read here on Avcanada the working conditions and the average pay scale seems to have gone downhill. for sure I never was asked to sign a bond or pay for a job when I flew in Canada.

By the way I just flew in Canada for the first time in many years last month....this time it was private flying.

Anyhow I guess in the grand scheme of things it is all relative.....yes I knew Carl Millard as his son Wayne and I learned to fly at the same time at Central Airways in 1953, I never worked for Carl so can't really comment on how he was to work for.

[Rotten Apple #1]

Cat Driver, I guess as well, to further the thread drift, I feel a little taken aback by the intensity of some of your comments re: TCCA. I'm biased in some ways in my opinion of the department because I know so many current and ex-Transport Canada inspectors. My father worked Atlantic Region from 1984-1989 and I am very proud of the work he did there. As well, I'd need more than all fingers and toes to count all the friends from previous companys that are now employed by TC. I am proud to count these people as professional colleagues from a past life, but friends as well. Surely they couldn't all be participating in some grand charade to cover up their ineptitude, incompetence and illegal behaviour in attempting to regulate safety standards in the skies of Canada.

I met an old friend in Ottawa at lunchtime today for coffee during a layover, who is a TC inspector. He recently transferred into Flight Training branch. A dear friend and buddy from 1982 onwards when he was my flight commander in Air Cadets as I learned to fly gliders. Later, he followed me to 2 airline jobs, only to have both of the companys fail, leaving us employed.

On the other hand I recognize it's not perfect. I have a fair bit of perspective, having run afoul of them back in the 90's while in the flight training industry. They did their job. I was young. I learned.

It sounds like that on a personal level, your interaction with a number of inspectors has not been favourable. Score one for you. We need scrutiny of some sort to prevent abuses of authority and trampling of rights. I suggest the courts are a great place to start if you have the stomach and deep pockets. (I was gonna edit that out after I read your post on paying off an inspector. You do have the stomach. It would be cowardly to remove it now. I obviously don't know your back story.)

But it's quite frankly (aeronautical regulation) a necessary function that has to be done by somebody and I for one (who routinely flies across this continent) have to believe that the job is getting done in some manner, if not perfectly. Same could be said about apparent cutbacks in the meat industry. That's probably led to a whack of funny stuff on a local level; but I believe meat is safe in this country and will be having some tomorrow.

I dunno,

if I were Merlin Preuss, your posts might push me over the edge at some point and bite back.

Be careful.

JD

[Kelowna Pilot]

You seem to believe that your generation were better aviators, and that employers were more generous. I find both ideas hard to believe.

It's a statistical fact that wage and working conditions for airline pilots have eroded very significantly since, I think it was de-regulation.

There's a chart somewhere showing the deterioration in real wages... wish I could find the link.

[Rotten Apple #1]

Yah Kelowna Pilot, perhaps a little overdone there. I wonder how we have fared in a relative comparison to other occupations in a given period, save CEO pay. I think think that entry level pilot jobs always paid crap, and always will pay crap (taking into benefits et al.) except for periods of economic booms. Other levels pay differently.

You ever check out what the right seat guy in Mesaba's 340 in YQT in the middle of the winter is getting paid? Yup, American outfit. Their airline industry has tanked over and over again and unlike the times I remember in the 90's, none of my buddies anywhere is trying to get a green card. Times ain't so bad in our our domestic industry, in the the recent mid-term though the latest cycle has yet to manifest itself fully (as per any industry veteran's recollection of past cycles).

JD

[Kelowna Pilot]

Times ain't so bad in our our domestic industry, in the the recent mid-term though the latest cycle has yet to manifest itself fully (as per any industry veteran's recollection of past cycles).

Canada generally behind lags behind the United States by a year, give or take.

Those who argue that Canada is a economically independent of the US are by and large out-of-touch with reality.

What you're witnessing in the US aviation industry will hit Canada probably in 6 or so months.

The US had a big hiring boom the last few years. So did Canada.

The US is now going into furlough mode in a very big way. So will Canada.

[Rotten Apple #1]

KP I agree with your comments. Not hearing good things, like everyone else. I got my seat and there's 500+ guys below me who gotta be let go before they get to me. I'm watching this one from the sidelines (unlike the episodes of the previous three airlines from 1996-2001: failing (2) or laying me off (1).

HEAD FOR THE LIFEBOATS!!!

[Cat Driver]

I dunno,

It is obvious you dunno, based of the fact you are skewing my issues with TCCA's top management to defend your friends and acquaintances in TC, I have a news flash for you....we all have friends in TCCA but that does not change the fact that the upper management are corrupt.

if I were Merlin Preuss, your posts might push me over the edge at some point and bite back.

Be careful.

JD

Why don't you contact Merlin and express your anguish with the way I have been relating how he runs TCCA, after all you can't have someone like me out here making unfair accusations against someone in Merlin Preuss's position, why that would bring your friends employer into an uncomfortable light.

Here is some advice jonny, either get on the phone to Merlin and demand he take me to task through the courts for my allegations or just fly your airplane and maybe you will be doing something you understand.

I suggest the courts are a great place to start if you have the stomach and deep pockets.

You have just shown you do not have the faintest idea of what transpired in my issues with TCCA and Merlin Preuss, for your information I spent three and a half years in the legal system and it cost me my company to pay for it.


I get just a little annoyed with people who haven't a clue about an issue like this yet feel they are qualified to be judgemental. So either get in touch with Merlin and demand he serve me with a writ into Federal court or find another hobby horse to ride.



. .

[Rotten Apple #1]

Cat Driver, you're right. I don't have the slightest clue. I'll go back to my corner of the world and let you slay Goliath.

[Cat Driver]

I'm sorry you feel that way jonny, there is a big difference between slaying Goliath and standing up for the rule of law.

So maybe it would be best for us to end this now as we seem to have two entirely different outlooks on how the regulator should be run.

Hopefully Westjet remains a profitable company and you can live in peace in your corner of the aviation industry.

[Rotten Apple #1]

Actually, Cat Driver I don't have a particular viewpoint on how TC should be run. I had an OC in the early 90's for an FTU/single engine charter outfit and was CFI/chief pilot at several outfits prior to flying a/c 12,500 lbs+. Know full well about the bureaucracy.

I've been out of that side of things for a long time now and do hope that WJ's world keeps me employed for the next 18 years (at the most).

You have written so much that I have not followed your situation closely enough to understand.

Good luck with your endeavours.

John Swallow

[Cat Driver]

Good luck with your endeavours.

Thanks, I am out of the working in aviation end of things after fifty three years of being in the industry, retired when I hit 70 as I had planned to do for years...the ride was mostly good and I got to fly most everything in the industry....

.....As I have said many times before once I left Canada I lucked in and one thing led to another with the most interesting thing being flying for the movie industry.....being in the right place at the right time is everything in aviation.

My last flight before I left Europe was in the 763 and All of Europe down to Turkey was clear as a bell from 410 so that was sort of a nice final trip....got delayed in Turkey and the return trip was on the ragged edge of everyone on the flight deck falling to sleep......Amsterdam was autoland.....gotta love technology when you are tired. By the way I was flying under an age exemption in Europe...once again being in the right place at the right time makes all the difference.

So you see the Preuss thing is something I can afford to do...what the hell someone has to remind the industry of what really goes on in the background.

[Rotten Apple #1]

Well there you go. This young pup will now settle down.

Flew with a lot of true gentleman fromi Air Atlantic, Royal Aviation, Canada 3000 and now Westjet. I spent plenty of time listening to the stories from careers that outlasted the b%tch that is aviation.

I'm only just past half way through my career. Still lots to learn.

[Cat Driver]

jonny, your dad and many others in TC were the norm, just people trying to do their best in their jobs.

I also had many friends in TC and still do.

The real problem is entrenched in the upper management.

[square]

I'd really like to get the full story on your legal battles someday .

[stratcat]

Id like to know why anyone would go there for an 8000$ bond. Unless things have changed you will be a glorified ramp hand that has to do shit jobs all the time. Get to fly once in a while and listen to the maintenance bitch that everything that happens is the pilots fault. This is day in day out.