Notice theafter the link? Besides, every real pilot I know would recognize the direct reference to the line out of Top Gun!
Even a lowly dispatcher was able to catch that one...
NYT Article
- Thread starter wnbubbleboy
- Start date
Even a lowly dispatcher was able to catch that one...
Busdrvr,
The reporter did make it up. When confronted by the union president on the phone, he began to backtrack & claim he wasn't sure. He couldn't recall from his note the exact date of the interview or whether the quote came from a call to the pilot or if it was a callback....a professional reporter knows those types of details.
Other actions are being taken toward the NYT & the reporter, so once again to clarify;
the article up to the alleged comments from the Southwest Airlines has not been checked for accuracy by SWAPA but the last two paragraphs are filled with inaccurate & unsubstantiated quotes attributed to a SWA pilot. The reporter and/or editors have stepped way over the line.
For those wishing to give a fellow pilot the benefit of the doubt until verifying what was printed was accurate, I say thanks (Corl737 & others). You're an asset to the profession. Just wanted to clarify & add more supporting info.
chase
The reporter did make it up. When confronted by the union president on the phone, he began to backtrack & claim he wasn't sure. He couldn't recall from his note the exact date of the interview or whether the quote came from a call to the pilot or if it was a callback....a professional reporter knows those types of details.
Other actions are being taken toward the NYT & the reporter, so once again to clarify;
the article up to the alleged comments from the Southwest Airlines has not been checked for accuracy by SWAPA but the last two paragraphs are filled with inaccurate & unsubstantiated quotes attributed to a SWA pilot. The reporter and/or editors have stepped way over the line.
For those wishing to give a fellow pilot the benefit of the doubt until verifying what was printed was accurate, I say thanks (Corl737 & others). You're an asset to the profession. Just wanted to clarify & add more supporting info.
chase
Sure he did. And SWA does not have a runway overrun problem either. The guy is just trying to cover his tail and I know that is one name and that will never set foot on my airplane. What a dirt bag. While it is no surprise it just continues to show the professionalism that is lacking at SWA.
Last month I helped a couple of SWA guys get out of Asia back to the states on separate trips. Juggled some seats and got the guys a First class seat on one flight and a business class on my other trip. That is the last favor I will ever do for the ungrateful bastages at SWA.
Flufdriver
Senior
- Aug 20, 2002
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Mags...your going to get the "KCFlyer" going again!
KCFlyer
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 11,284
- 1,427
No he won't...I have him on ignore.
corl737
Veteran
- Jun 13, 2005
- 565
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How about posting your REAL name, base, and aircraft so I can make sure that you receive credit for the statment you made above? Afterall, a professional wouldn't be afraid to stand behind their opinion, right?
Busdrvr,
This comes from another forum in which the Capt involved addresses the issue head on. I will assume you will listen to the person who was allegedly quoted & assume his word is to taken over the reporter. You don't know me from Adam but I will vouch the pilot in question is the one writing this reply. Hope that may change your mind
chase
____________________________
Gray Skies, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried to post earlier and it disappeared into cyberspace so if it eventually shows up please forgive the two posts. This thread and forum was passed on to me this morning and I decided to join so I could personally address the controversy.
I am the much maligned and detested Jeff Hefner that is the topic of this thread. Let me say first and categorically that this "interview" never took place and the "quotes" attributed to me are not factual and are fabricated. I have never spoken with this individual nor any other reporter about this topic and the quotes are not my views. Now how this happened is anybody's guess but I think from the conversations that the SWAPA President has had with this reporter might shed some light on it.
I am the current SWAPA Air Safety Committee Chair and the Go-Team Chief Investigator. The events of 8 Dec. 2005 at MDW have unfortunately somewhat heightened my visibility in the national aviation community. In January I authored and released a SWAPA Air Safety Alert which dealt with winter operations and some programming issues that involved our on-board performance computer. This Alert was distributed to our pilot group and a copy of it found its way into the hands of this reporter. Our staff here at SWAPA has a record of this guy attempting to contact me after the alert was released but he was not put through. I don't do interviews nor am I the public face of our union. When confronted with my denial yesterday by our union president the reporter began some creative story changing and now has no recollection of when he actually might have spoken to me. Fact is he never has, and never will.
For those of you that gave us the benefit of the doubt until the facts could be determined, thanks! For those of you that did not, well, think about your initial reaction. Try not to use the jumpseat as a weapon, we are all much better than that
Jeff Hefner
This comes from another forum in which the Capt involved addresses the issue head on. I will assume you will listen to the person who was allegedly quoted & assume his word is to taken over the reporter. You don't know me from Adam but I will vouch the pilot in question is the one writing this reply. Hope that may change your mind
chase
____________________________
Gray Skies, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried to post earlier and it disappeared into cyberspace so if it eventually shows up please forgive the two posts. This thread and forum was passed on to me this morning and I decided to join so I could personally address the controversy.
I am the much maligned and detested Jeff Hefner that is the topic of this thread. Let me say first and categorically that this "interview" never took place and the "quotes" attributed to me are not factual and are fabricated. I have never spoken with this individual nor any other reporter about this topic and the quotes are not my views. Now how this happened is anybody's guess but I think from the conversations that the SWAPA President has had with this reporter might shed some light on it.
I am the current SWAPA Air Safety Committee Chair and the Go-Team Chief Investigator. The events of 8 Dec. 2005 at MDW have unfortunately somewhat heightened my visibility in the national aviation community. In January I authored and released a SWAPA Air Safety Alert which dealt with winter operations and some programming issues that involved our on-board performance computer. This Alert was distributed to our pilot group and a copy of it found its way into the hands of this reporter. Our staff here at SWAPA has a record of this guy attempting to contact me after the alert was released but he was not put through. I don't do interviews nor am I the public face of our union. When confronted with my denial yesterday by our union president the reporter began some creative story changing and now has no recollection of when he actually might have spoken to me. Fact is he never has, and never will.
For those of you that gave us the benefit of the doubt until the facts could be determined, thanks! For those of you that did not, well, think about your initial reaction. Try not to use the jumpseat as a weapon, we are all much better than that
Jeff Hefner
So let me see if I understand you properly. You believe everything that is written by the media. Even that which is written by a newspaper that had two writers fired for making up quotes and stories. However you will not believe the facts as presented by a union President, nor by the person who was suuposedly quoted. If that is the case what do you think of the administration of President Dewey, aren't you glad he defeated Truman.
You realize, of course, that trying to paint all SWA pilots based on the supposed actions of this one guy is just as wrong as, say, someone trying to paint all UAL pilots based on your behavior on this board. Neither would be the right thing to do, correct?
But, alas, it's a moot point. Statement's from the SWAPA prez and the supposedly quoted pilot himself have cleared up the issue. I'm sure you'll continue to disbelieve that, but hey, you can lead a horse to water...
whaledriver
Advanced
- Jan 20, 2003
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"It's hard for me to feel sorry for them,"
"They're a bunch of spoiled brats,"
Cpt. Jeffrey Hefner, safety chairman Southwest Airlines
You've got to be kidding...are most SWA pilots this stupid or is this guy the token SWA Pilot Idiot!!!!
I hope this guy is the only SWA $%&^&#@! pilot on the property.
Attention ALPA & Non-ALPA carriers : Please place SWA Capt. Jeffrey Hefner in your book. Do NOT allow him to Jump Seat on any flight. Who would place a nut job like this guy on the JS? :down:
"They're a bunch of spoiled brats,"
Cpt. Jeffrey Hefner, safety chairman Southwest Airlines
You've got to be kidding...are most SWA pilots this stupid or is this guy the token SWA Pilot Idiot!!!!
I hope this guy is the only SWA $%&^&#@! pilot on the property.
Attention ALPA & Non-ALPA carriers : Please place SWA Capt. Jeffrey Hefner in your book. Do NOT allow him to Jump Seat on any flight. Who would place a nut job like this guy on the JS? :down:
whaledriver
Advanced
- Jan 20, 2003
- 140
- 0
Let me say first and categorically that this "interview" never took place and the "quotes" attributed to me are not factual and are fabricated Jeff Hefner
Well Jeff,
It's very simple : Public Retraction with NY Times. The NY Times would NOT dispute a false 'interview' or 'quote'.
Intead, I think someone is trying to back pedal...pilots like you make SWA look bad.
:down: :down: :down:
Well Jeff,
It's very simple : Public Retraction with NY Times. The NY Times would NOT dispute a false 'interview' or 'quote'.
Intead, I think someone is trying to back pedal...pilots like you make SWA look bad.
:down: :down: :down:
SWAPA is currently working on the legal action to get this resolved with the NYT. Look how long it took to get their 2 other reporters fired for making up quotes, and that only happened when the major news media got involved.
PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH
Veteran
- Oct 9, 2003
- 1,401
- 2
Maybe if the senior pilot's at the major airlines had said "NO" to the "b" or "c" scale back in the 1980's, the airline pilot "profession" wouldn't be in such a nosedive.
When the "b" scale pilot was created, all it did was create pilot's who would fly for "peanuts" hoping to finally one day make it to the "A" scale. The senior pilot's created their own monster when they threw the younger generation of pilot's under the bus with their "I got mine!" mentality.
The same thing happened to the AMT profession because of similar attitudes, and now the airline job has become just that "a job".
When the "b" scale pilot was created, all it did was create pilot's who would fly for "peanuts" hoping to finally one day make it to the "A" scale. The senior pilot's created their own monster when they threw the younger generation of pilot's under the bus with their "I got mine!" mentality.
The same thing happened to the AMT profession because of similar attitudes, and now the airline job has become just that "a job".
corl737
Veteran
- Jun 13, 2005
- 565
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Jeff is in my book ... on the page identifying individuals who have been judged and executed before being afforded the right of a trial.
I don't know Jeff personally - nor do you, I'd bet. At this point in time, however, I'll take the word of him and SWAPA over the reporter. As was pointed out in an earlier message, this reporter seemed to be on a mission to ridicule pilots for their work rules without understanding the facts. He had quotes. He had a name. Unfortunately for him, the quotes don't appear to have originated from that named individual.
Based on what I've heard through the SWAPA internal channels, the supposed interview never occurred ... and one reporter and newspaper are squarely in the crosshairs of our legal counsel.
This is a time for us to unite together against the media types who are trying their best to minimalize our profession. Save your jumpseat threats for when (or if) you can substantiate Jeff deserves such treatment. Until then, such rantings only serve to pit pilot groups against each other.
-- Corl
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