276 And Going Lower

[justaumechanic]

I will throw my 2 cents in here..

The fleet is still at or above 279. Why? Just because it is parked does not mean it is inactive in the fleet..

Keep in mind that 702, 703, 704, 706 and 350 are all still on the Operating Certificate. So long as that is the case they are "Active".. Sure the company is not flying them but if you read your contract it says the fleet will not drop below 279.. Says nothing about flying.. Just have to be active and inclusive of Mtc and Spares.

So on a technical note the company is still in compliance with the CBA's..

As the fleet stands right now we are at 280.. We were at 281 before 428 departed for JAT in Yugoslavia.. So they can launch another aircraft and still be in compliance.

As for the chairs.. You are sooooo right about everything when it comes to the leadership of PIT Mtc and US Airways MTC in general. The VP of MTC should be fired along with his band of merry morons.. Allowing all of these aircraft to park is totally unacceptable. 2 757's in CLT and 1 in PIT out of time. Aircraft parking all over the system running out of time.. And of course our leadership says its all our fault.. Yes us.. Never mind the fact they cut the manpower in CLT down to nothing. 307 mechanics to service 3 tracks of Widebody aircraft over 7 days, 3 shift.. Who comes up with this crap!!

No our leadership is more interested in chairs.. Yes thats right chairs.. Chairs are the root cause of aircraft parking.. Not poor management, not poor planning, its chairs.. The chairs are evil.. The ACTING DIRECTOR of PIT BASE says Chairs are why nothing ever gets done around here.. He gets tired of hearing about "Parts, Tooling, Manpower, Material, paperwork".. Those are not management issues in his mind.. You dont need those things to complete aircraft in Maintenance.. No those are not the reasons, its chairs.. He said so himself.. As a matter of fact he comes out into the hangar 3 times a day or more to check and verify that the chairs have not come back..

If he cant do it he sends out his Utility Supervisor who scans the hangar high and low for chairs.. Why? Why does everyone ask.. BECAUSE CHAIRS ARE WHY THIS PLACE DOES NOT MAKE MONEY.. Its the chairs stupid..

Thats the level of mentality in the US Airways Maintenance Department.. And it is all supported by the VP himself.. A guy that ran a Mtc Operation where their biggest airplane was a 50 sear RJ 2 years old.. They are all lost..

 

[repeet]

Chairs?

PIT needs a Union!

Third shift Hanger three, you should be ashamed of yourselfs. You know better than this, STAND UP.

Now, everybody stop cowering and join the chorus:

 

[AP Tech]

Rumor control has it 3 new positions will go up for COB tomorrow, Sr Director Chairs, Director of Chairs, and Supervisor of Chair Monitoring who will report directly to VP of Mtc. Posters are correct in noting the first hour of each shift the supervisors job is to "police " the hangar for unauthorized chairs. By creating these new positions it will free up the current supervisors for production problems such as lack of parts, engineering support, tooling ect, ect.....Yes chairs do seem to be the #1 priority of the maintenance managment team. :blink:

 

[700UW]

Your fleet count is wrong and planes in Heavy mtc being worked count, not parked for storage.

Scope and Job Security.
The Scope and Job Security provision in the 2002 Restructuring Agreement is
eliminated and replaced as follows:
• The Company will maintain a minimum fleet size of 279 Total Mainline*
Aircraft (inclusive of maintenance and spares), subject to a force majeure
clause that includes acts of terrorism.
*Mainline excludes MDA RJ aircraft

Fleet Count:
38 737-300
32 737-300LR
11 737-400
11 737-400OW
25 737-400LR
31 757-200
10 767-200
61 A319
23 A320
28 A321
09 A330
-------------
279 Planes

Now subtract 701, 702, 703,706, 428, 350(stored) and one 757(Stored)

279-7=272 Planes flying including maintenance.

Now add 707 and 101 and that brings the fleet count to 274.

Now on the 29th of January A/Cs 101 and 707 run out of time.

274-2=272 Planes.

 

[propdoc]

279 Planes

Now subtract 701, 702, 703,706, 428, 350(stored) and one 757(Stored)

279-7=272 Planes flying including maintenance.

Now add 707 and 101 and that brings the fleet count to 274.

Now on the 29th of January A/Cs 101 and 707 run out of time.

274-2=272 Planes.

Question; What are the A/C that are parked/stored being parked/stored for? Is it that they are in need of something such as a maintenance check or what? If so does that not fall into the "maintenance" category? Just curious....

 

[700UW]

Maintenance is airplane in our hangars being worked, not parked in the desert cause this company is too stupid to realize that it is IAM Mechanic work.

All the airbus are parked due to being out of time and need their first heavy check, 428, was sent back to the lessor and the other two are parked due being out of time also.

 

[X-U]

"As a matter of fact he comes out into the hangar 3 times a day or more to check and verify that the chairs have not come back.. "

Sounds like Captain Queeg looking for the "stolen strawberries".

 

[AOG-N-IT]

"As a matter of fact he comes out into the hangar 3 times a day or more to check and verify that the chairs have not come back.. "

Sounds like Captain Queeg looking for the "stolen strawberries".

You nailed that one Buck-a-roo

 

[PITMTC]

Chairs?

PIT needs a Union!

Third shift Hanger three, you should be ashamed of yourselfs. You know better than this, STAND UP.

Now, everybody stop cowering and join the chorus:

repeet

Could you please elaborate on this comment about hangar 3 third shift?

I have a personal interest on this item.

 

[propdoc]

Maintenance is airplane in our hangars being worked, not parked in the desert cause this company is too stupid to realize that it is IAM Mechanic work.

All the airbus are parked due to being out of time and need their first heavy check, 428, was sent back to the lessor and the other two are parked due being out of time also.

Set me straight on this. If the airplane is due a check or whatever, and it is in the hangar it counts in the total as far as being in maintenance? What happens if something untimely happens to the one that is in the hangar and backs up the schedule for the next one coming in (assuming there is one). Does the one or ones that has/have to wait in the queue get subtracted from the total count? I would think that the fact that it was due or in the case of the desert parked airplanes awaiting a court ruling, they would be considered as waiting for maintenance or something like that. What is the distinction between being in maintenance and being removed from the total fleet count? If something is retired, sold, returned to lessor, that is clear, they would drop off of the total. The maintenance concept is not so clear. Who determines what the active fleet count is? Is it the company or the FAA through the certificate like somebody else posted earlier?
The scope that was quoted just says "• The Company will maintain a minimum fleet size of 279 Total Mainline*
Aircraft (inclusive of maintenance and spares), subject to a force majeure
clause that includes acts of terrorism." <-- Per an earlier post... it does not elaborate on whether the A/C is actively engaged in maintenance or waiting for it. This exception seems to be open for interpretation from both sides of the proverbial fence. Has a clarification been made on just what maintenance means. This would be important to any legal proceeding of breach of contract right? Very interesting......I think.

 

[700UW]

The company voluntarily parked the planes and made the choice not to overhaul them, it is their responsiblity to keep the fleet flying, they have lost three court decisons all ready and keep making the choice to park the planes, not bring mechanics back to work to overhaul them and keep them flying.

It is a circumstance in their control, therefore the fleet count is below the 279.

 

[justaumechanic]

It boils down to a difference of opinion..

Yes the aircraft that are parked are backed up due to the "S" check or "C" check.

Parked aircraft waiting for Mtc do count against the 279. Use the CCDAS screen in Merlin and look in the upper right corner of the display field to see the aircraft
status.

If there is an I in the Field that means Inactive.. If there is nothing in the field that means Active. Active fleet including Mtc and Spares.

You can add and subtract all you want.. So long as the aircraft remains on the
US Airways Operating Certificate and is considered "Active" regardless of location it counts against the 279 requirement.

Most likely why ALPA and the IAM have not filed any grievence with the company. They can park the aircraft any place they want.. Nothing any of the unions can do about it..

Bottom line.. Its Poor Management that is causing this.. Poor..

 

[Piedmont4US]

The company voluntarily parked the planes and made the choice not to overhaul them, it is their responsiblity to keep the fleet flying, they have lost three court decisons all ready and keep making the choice to park the planes, not bring mechanics back to work to overhaul them and keep them flying.

It is a circumstance in their control, therefore the fleet count is below the 279.

Isn't it because Dave said US has never ever done heavy maitenance on the A319? Therefore recalling workers would mean they would have to be trained to do the check.

I personally thought the outsourcing was the best way to handle this, as US mechanics haven't been trained to do the check, nor does US have the extra hangars/facilities to do all these planes that are coming up for time.

Plus saving the company a few bucks on training and new equipment.. I don't get why you are very upset 700UW. Is it because all work should be done in-house? I would agree with you if US was in very good shape to spend the funds to bring back furloughs and train them for the 319, i'm sure Dave and Company have weighed the costs and i'm sure our Bronner got a 'sweet deal' with that company to overhaul.

But wait.. wasn't the lone A319 that the judge allowed them to finish working on.. have a problem after coming back?

 

[High Iron]

The company voluntarily parked the planes and made the choice not to overhaul them, it is their responsiblity to keep the fleet flying, they have lost three court decisons all ready and keep making the choice to park the planes, not bring mechanics back to work to overhaul them and keep them flying.

It is a circumstance in their control, therefore the fleet count is below the 279.

Isn't it because Dave said US has never ever done heavy maitenance on the A319? Therefore recalling workers would mean they would have to be trained to do the check.

I personally thought the outsourcing was the best way to handle this, as US mechanics haven't been trained to do the check, nor does US have the extra hangars/facilities to do all these planes that are coming up for time.

Plus saving the company a few bucks on training and new equipment.. I don't get why you are very upset 700UW. Is it because all work should be done in-house? I would agree with you if US was in very good shape to spend the funds to bring back furloughs and train them for the 319, i'm sure Dave and Company have weighed the costs and i'm sure our Bronner got a 'sweet deal' with that company to overhaul.

But wait.. wasn't the lone A319 that the judge allowed them to finish working on.. have a problem after coming back?

I've read the entire post several times, and I'm still not clear on the gist of it; Can't figure out if it's a support for the company's position, or an epiphany of sorts...a latent realization that maybe their compass is off on this issue.

Still, I can't get past some comments without addressing some of them, but again I hope I'm not taking them out of context, as I'm not clear on your view:

---"....Dave said US has never ever done heavy maitenance on the A319? Therefore recalling workers would mean they would have to be trained to do the check."

Qualifications aren't even an issue, no problem here. Every other type of A/C operated was a 1st as well. The record of fleet airworthyness speaks for itself.

---"I personally thought the outsourcing was the best way to handle this"

Why, because the company said so?,

---"...as US mechanics haven't been trained to do the check"

No, "the check" isn't some monolithic entity unto itself, rather, a series of defined tasks, of which many were already performed on other A/C, including narrow and wide body Airbus. The level of specific qualification varies depending upon scope, the amount of qualification/training tailored to the scope of responsibilty. I'd like to know how many people in Mobile ( that is, those who actually perform the work ) are fully trained on the 'Bus as well...if at all. That would be a juicy comparison.

---"nor does US have the extra hangars/facilities to do all these planes that are coming up for time."

Or so they claim...I wonder why. Or maybe it's really not that humorous afterall...

---"Plus saving the company a few bucks on training and new equipment"

Previously refuted...

---"I don't get why you are very upset"

If one has no skin in the game, one is likely to be less upset than one who does. In any event, If one has followed the saga intently from day 1 ( when it's that important, one tends to be more than mildly interested ), and still doesn't understand, then there's no point in further debate.

---"Is it because all work should be done in-house?"

Yes, or what was agreed to.

---"I would agree with you if US was in very good shape to spend the funds..."

So the issue then is that it is empirically correct to do the work in-house...except if you can't*... -- *Or spend money on retention or "performance" bonuses.......

---"....to bring back furloughs and train them for the 319..."

Not necessary, even less so when one considers how many fully qualified people were furloughed.

---"...i'm sure Dave and Company have weighed the costs"

Yeah, I'll bet. Pie-charts and all I'm sure. I'm also sure a dime is heavier than a dollar bill.

---"...and i'm sure our Bronner got a 'sweet deal' with that company to overhaul"

But all that glisters is not gold...but it may make a great payola.

---"But wait.. wasn't the lone A319 that the judge allowed them to finish working on.. have a problem after coming back?"

"A" problem? There's been plenty noted/written on the subject to see where THAT's an understatement. Must've been one helluva "sweet deal" on the balance sheet.................

 

[sfb]

Piedmont4US-

The big issues here for the mechanics (which are intertwined) are the fortunes of the mechanics who are currently on furlough along with the futures of their own careers. Let's assume that either the union were to cave and allow outsourcing or the company were to win in court (this is hypothetical, not an endorsement of an outcome). In that situation, the company would have no need to recall furloughed union members to do the work. Moreover, it's easy to foresee that the company would likely accelerate the retirement of Boeing aircraft, replacing them with new or used Airbuses. With the ability to outsource heavy maintenance on the Airbus fleet, the company wouldn't need as many mechanics, meaning still more furloughs. The mechanics have little choice -- it's down to fighting or lose their jobs.

And with that "sweet deal," well, sometimes you get what you pay for. Does the vendor perform the task with acceptable quality in the agreed-upon timeframe? Does the company have the ability to make sure the job is done right before the vendor delivers a shoddy finished product (and the ability to get compensation if the workmanship is shoddy)? Is there a reason why that company is the low bidder (or were they, even)?