Rumor

[WSurf]

Bet we will still have tons of crews overnighting in CLT after the base closure!! Yeaaaaa, that saves money!!

 

[FM2436]

You have to figure that within the next few years something is going to have to be done with the existing dash-8 fleet at Piedmont Airlines. I've heard the dash-8 that is being stripped for parts in SBY was due for a major overhaul that would have cost near $700,000. Apparently, it was determined the aircraft was better suited for parts. That can't go on forever. If and when the time comes, I like to see US Airways/Piedmont flying a large number of dash-8-300 (60+) throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic.

 

[Dash Trash]

maybe because they've been artificialy propping up flying that didn't belong in clt for years? they've(pdt mgmt) even admitted to as much, base closings suck, we've all been thru it, some make sense, some don't, orf and clt did make sense, no overnighting aircraft and trips that deadhead in and out and cause other based crews to sit for hours on end in clt so they can get the clt crews out on trips

Propping up flying in CLT for years my ass..... If that was the case there wouldn't be 24 hour overnights in CLT from the other bases. It's a total load of BS.

You're right. Nine bases and 55 airplanes doesn't match up. Hub base the whole stinking airline. That'll put an end to the base chess game the company seems to enjoy playing.

 

[Capecod]

America West had 150 planes and one pilot base. PDT had 55 planes and NINE crew bases. Do the math. This isn't the old US Airways.

You have to understand that PDT has so many bases because for the most part they have outstation basing. You can't put 55 airplanes in one outstation base. Outstation basing requires lots of small bases. AW and US use hub basing. Totally different. -Cape

 

[WSurf]

Doug Parker!! If you read this message board!! Just throw your hard working Piedmont Pilots a freakin bone here!!! Come on man, how about for Christmas 10 Dash 8 400's and 10 more Dash 8 300's!! Gas prices are suppose to hit the 3.00 mark this summer!! These planes can help!!! All the european carriers seem to think soooo!!
Come on man!!! We need some good news!!!
LOL

 

[ringmaruf]

I understand the disruption - but, assuming that every crew base costs money,

Sorry, but with regards to how Piedmont is set up, that's a completely incorrect assumption. They don't have a huge support staff at each base like mainline US might.

SBY, ROA, CHO, LGA, SYR, MDT, EWN bases are left. That's still seven bases for 55 aircraft. EWN is 220 miles from CLT and SBY is just 99 miles from PHF.

Er, what exactly does the distance from EWN to CLT or from SBY to PHF have to do with anything? :blink: EWN being 220 miles from CLT isn't helping to get crews from one to the other if they're needed at both but only based at one.

America West had 150 planes and one pilot base. PDT had 55 planes and NINE crew bases. Do the math. This isn't the old US Airways.

And Colgan Air, which flies about ~30 planes in the USX system, has USX pilot bases at ABE, ALB, AOO, AUG, BHB, BKW, BUF, CRW, HEF, HPN, HYA, ITH, JHW, JST, LEB, LGA, MHT, ORF, PQI, PVD, ROC, SHD, SYR. That's 23 pilot bases for about 30 planes. (There are fewer flight attendant bases, since only the Saab 340's and not the Beech 1900's need f/a's, but it's a similar ratio. Also, the list is a few months old, so don't freak out if it's one or two off, you get the point. At least you should get the point.)

I don't think you can accuse Colgan of running a high-cost or inefficient operation. That's just how many commuter airlines are set up with respect to bases, it can save greatly on costs for hotel rooms for overnighting crews.

Based on your math PDT doesn't deserve anything. No bases for PDT, close them all.

Maybe we should compare number of daily flights too.

Come on, you should know better than to argue with Tempe, since clearly the HP way is always best. Apparently, it's not only better than the US way, but they also know how to run Piedmont, even though they've got no experience running a commuter airline. And even the HP customers know what's best for Piedmont!

You have to understand that PDT has so many bases because for the most part they have outstation basing. You can't put 55 airplanes in one outstation base. Outstation basing requires lots of small bases. AW and US use hub basing. Totally different. -Cape

Bingo.

Some people just don't get it.

 

[FCYTravis]

Obviously then, according to your argument, US Airways was doing absolutely nothing wrong and was on a path to prosperity, riches and stability. Nothing that US Airways was doing should be changed - America West managers should just shut up and let y'all run your airline, right? Clearly, US Airways people had everything under control.

:blink: 🙄

US Airways was ready to liquidate, and then we'd have no Piedmont at all to argue about. If US West managers think closing a few PDT pilot bases will save money and make their operations more efficient without damaging service... well, it's certainly worth trying something different.

Or, well, you know, we could just do exactly what US Airways always did before the merger, because, you know, that worked so well the whole shebang wound up in bankruptcy court twice.

 

[Dash Trash]

Obviously then, according to your argument, US Airways was doing absolutely nothing wrong and was on a path to prosperity, riches and stability. Nothing that US Airways was doing should be changed - America West managers should just shut up and let y'all run your airline, right? Clearly, US Airways people had everything under control.

:blink: 🙄

US Airways was ready to liquidate, and then we'd have no Piedmont at all to argue about. If US West managers think closing a few PDT pilot bases will save money and make their operations more efficient without damaging service... well, it's certainly worth trying something different.

Or, well, you know, we could just do exactly what US Airways always did before the merger, because, you know, that worked so well the whole shebang wound up in bankruptcy court twice.

US West management has nothing to do with these bases being closed (other than taking PDT out of PHF). It's all SBY management. Period. SBY management has the old school US East management style down to a science.

Piedmont isn't even a blip on the Tempe radar yet.

 

[ringmaruf]

Obviously then, according to your argument, US Airways was doing absolutely nothing wrong and was on a path to prosperity, riches and stability. Nothing that US Airways was doing should be changed - America West managers should just shut up and let y'all run your airline, right? Clearly, US Airways people had everything under control.

:blink: 🙄

US Airways was ready to liquidate, and then we'd have no Piedmont at all to argue about. If US West managers think closing a few PDT pilot bases will save money and make their operations more efficient without damaging service... well, it's certainly worth trying something different.

Or, well, you know, we could just do exactly what US Airways always did before the merger, because, you know, that worked so well the whole shebang wound up in bankruptcy court twice.

Ah, yes, nothing like the wonderful "US was bankrupt, and therefore HP must have been doing every single thing better than US, and the US did nothing at all better than HP" argument. 🙄

Shame you didn't actually respond to any of my points.

Like how you keep bringing up the distances between CLT-EWN and PHF-SBY, talking about how that somehow justifies closing bases. I really wish you'd enlighten the rest of us by explaining how.

Or you could respond to my point about how Colgan seems to be doing just fine with 23 bases for 30 airplanes. It's not just them either. Air Midwest has about 17 pilot bases (AHN, CHS, CKB, DUJ, FMN, GCK, HOB, HON, HRO, JBR, LNS, MCI, MSS, PIT, PKB, ROW, SLN) for 20 aircraft.

 

[evprincess]

I'm not going to argue about what way is better, HP or US in regards to PDT. The thing is, the majority of those in CLT are super senior PDT pilots and FA. A lot of them were force moved from TPA and JAX to CLT.

I could be totally off base, but to me it seems as it's a matter of respect. These folks stayed with the company to CLT and a lot will stay and go to ROA and EWN until they can either retire or find something else. The things is, these are people you want to stay with the company. The majority of these people are those you don't want to leave. But like most companies, seniority stands for having to dish out too much money. And that is the shame.

PDT made the CLT base work for 3 or 4 years now. The few that are in CLT deserve some respect from the company in regards to continuing working the base in.

This is why I am not in management, I think about the people.

 

[WSurf]

Maybe Tempe will realize how great the Dash 8's were down in Florida!! We had a big following and the the point to point flying in that state worked for all the business travelers! The airplanes were always full (with a AA Jumpseater)!

 

[luvn737s]

Apparently, it's not only better than the US way, but they also know how to run Piedmont, even though they've got no experience running a commuter airline.

You might want to look into HP's history of operating their own Dash 8 fleet in the late 80's and early 90's.

 

[Rico]

IMO it all runs into the same issue as it has always been with the wholly owneds. There are areas in which the company wants to invest that are more pressing.

The real problem is that the Dashes are still profitable, so there is little motivation to address any fleet issues with PDT.

My guess is that delaying any fleet changes places more pressure on Bombardier to come up with a better deal to entice US Airways to buy in...

And if you really want to stir the rumor mill up, just toss out the idea that a merger between LCC and Alaska would bring in Horizon (and their dashes into the mix)

Sorry, I could not help myself on that last one. 😉

 

[WSurf]

This could be it!!!

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/chan...ws/BOM03156.xml

 

[chichi]

PDT PSA been bouncing for 3-5 years. with AWAC coming in, just natural they get included....

There will be a change in express ops.......down the road though. Bigger problems to work out for noow. I think DP means what he says about no new changes for now. They will have to address the aging fleet of PDT sooner or later. Whether it is with PSA or AW or both, who knows. Time will only tell. Too bad for displaced employees at CLT and PHF. The show must go on. My two cents.