Phl Today

[Dog Wonder]

In every mainline station, policy requires some one be trained in manual weight and balance. You cannot work Ops if you aren't 'qualified'. One of two things happened. Either those 'qualified' couldn't do their jobs, or the rest of the system doesn't support the 'qualified' Ops agents well enough to keep flying.

In either case, what is the point of the expense of training people in the backup plan to keep planes flying if it doesn't work?

 

[tadjr]

One of two things happened. Either those 'qualified' couldn't do their jobs, or the rest of the system doesn't support the 'qualified' Ops agents well enough to keep flying.

In either case, what is the point of the expense of training people in the backup plan to keep planes flying if it doesn't work?

According to Hope777s earlier post, it didnt appear to be a "station" problem.

Hope777 said: The problem seems that Dispatch could not and would not figure out Fuel Loads or Fuel Burns for the flights. We had a aircraft FULL of Carib connections ready to go with a manual weight and balance for an ON-TIME departure. All we needed from Dispatch was the Burn and we could have left. Seems Dispatch couldnt or wouldnt figure out things the old fashion way to get the birds moving

 

[Dog Wonder]

If that is the case the second happened. The system did not support the agents in the station.

The question remains the same.

In either case, what is the point of the expense of training people in the backup plan to keep planes flying if it doesn't work?

 

[El Gato]

The Poblems U had yesterday morning could have and should have been handled better. First off, since Operations agents and Leads MUST be qualified to do a manual Weight and Balance, they should have be done manually. The problem seems that Dispatch could not and would not figure out Fuel Loads or Fuel Burns for the flights. We had a aircraft FULL of Carib connections ready to go with a manual weight and balance for an ON-TIME departure. All we needed from Dispatch was the Burn and we could have left. Seems Dispatch couldnt or wouldnt figure out things the old fashion way to get the birds moving. Also, where is the Back Up plan?

Q. How should CLP get the W/B data to you if the system is down and they can't even get the data to the stations, let alone to you on ACARS?

Q. You want dispatchers to file you on a carribean flight plan with an inaccurate fuel burn and reduced meteo access? Place you pilot's license on the table and back away from it, because if the local FSDO found them doing something like that, heads would roll.

No paperwork, no flight. If I were a fed riding your jumpseat and I saw you trying to go with no release, no flt plan, no full weather package(you cannot get it when sabre is down), but just a burn and a route filed through FSS....I would not let you go.

Sorry to hear that your precious carribean connections got inconvenienced, and that you were made late so you could not call your destination in advance on radio to say "I want my crew van waiting for me".

Speaking of which....you want those folks to go the extra mile for you, while they are being threatened with a 40% wage cut? A wage on the level of a crap company like AmWest? I think you know what they would say to that... :angry:

 

[WestCoastGuy]

when my lead called the dispatch yesterday he was told by dispatch there was no back up plan.

Isn't this the corporate culture at work? It all starts at the top... :blink:

 

[El Gato]

Isn't this the corporate culture at work? It all starts at the top... :blink:

One word buddy: COMPASS. That is the name of the back up system, and yes it works. If you really want to understand why it wasn't used, you should try paying a visit to them-could be an eye-opener.

 

[hp_fa]

A wage on the level of a crap company like AmWest?

I'll make ya a deal. You don't call my company crap and I won't remind you we are negotiating our pay upwards.

 

[WestCoastGuy]

You don't call my company crap and I won't remind you we are negotiating our pay upwards.

You guys deserve a new pay level after all the sacrafices you made over the last 10 years. Good luck to you!!

 

[diogenes]

I actually harken to the time when there were no computers in operations. Manual w&b was, and is, no problem. We used to work 8 flights at a time.

For a flight to operate, you need, sans computer;

1. A release. U has a form onto which the pertinent info can be transcribed via phone from dispatch to the field. This info has the fuel load and burn. Additionally, there are fuel burn charts.

2. Current wx package, including notams, field conditions, station reports, and wx for departure and arrival cities, as well as alternates. You can usually get the tower or wx bureau to fax some of this to you, or go to another airline at your location and have them print up the relevant data. While not as exhaustive as the full package, it meets fed regs.

3. W&B data - each mainline station has several qualified agents.

Remember when SABRE was rolled out, and it did not work? Only a few stations on the system got their originating flights out OT. Some agents had the foresight to plan for problems, and followed steps 1 thru 3.

Nuthin' to it!

 

[Hope777]

diogenes,
I think you have said it all. Thanks for replying before I could.