U.S. NAVY CAPTAIN FRED CLEVELAND

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

I see we have a new Vice-President of base maintenance. Seems very strange that a total outsider has been brought in to run AA's overhaul bases. Is this the beginning of the"spin off", that we all know is coming? This guy has no airline maintenance experience. He only knows how to run Continuous Improvement,Lean manufacturing programs,etc. I'll bet there are some real ticked off AA managers who were passed over for promotion to hire this guy.

 

[xmarlin]

I see we have a new Vice-President of base maintenance. Seems very strange that a total outsider has been brought in to run AA's overhaul bases. Is this the beginning of the"spin off", that we all know is coming? This guy has no airline maintenance experience. He only knows how to run Continuous Improvement,Lean manufacturing programs,etc. I'll bet there are some real ticked off AA managers who were passed over for promotion to hire this guy.

You would have preferred that they hired from within?

 

[777 fixer]

I've heard people say M&E needs to bring in new blood, maybe this is a start. At least you can say he didn't get his job becasue he hired in as a mechanic with twenty years ago with so and so. Or that he's fishing budies with people making the hiring/promotion decisions.

 

[The Goose]

I see we have a new Vice-President of base maintenance. Seems very strange that a total outsider has been brought in to run AA's overhaul bases. Is this the beginning of the"spin off", that we all know is coming? This guy has no airline maintenance experience. He only knows how to run Continuous Improvement,Lean manufacturing programs,etc. I'll bet there are some real ticked off AA managers who were passed over for promotion to hire this guy.

I'll give anyone a chance to prove all isn't as it appears, but ...

The Navy, in the officer corps (as with all uniformed services), for years has had an "Up or Out" policy; that is, if not promoted (passed over two or three times for promotion) one is asked to leave.

An O6 ( Navy/Coast Guard = Captain, all others = Colonel) makes about $10,000/month (military pay) and upon retiring with 20 years service gets approx. half that as a retirement benefit (approx. 75% after 30 years), reserves excepted (they will receive the same pay but at 65 years of age, not from date of retirement).

Either the guy really wants to work (in which case, he may actually help us out), or he has alimony payments that necessitate his continued employment, in which case he'll be no different than what we already have.

With any luck, he'll be able to convince Arpey that regardless of what his balance sheet says, a business can't be run efficiently while warring with the employees.

 

[The Goose]

You would have preferred that they hired from within?

I doubt if the Princess meant her comment that way. Hell - there ain't nothing "within" worth having excepting Durst, perhaps. He seems to have a bit of common sense, but that's probably what disqualified him from consideration. God forbid someone who's able to think get too high up in the management ranks.

Also, to 777fixer - Yes, new blood is needed, but consider the US Senate and House of Representatives.

Those who wrote the US Constitution felt it necessary to not be able to oust all House and Senate members at the same time (only 30% stand for election at a time) due to their fears that a wholesale replacement would disrupt government operations; it would have quite the effect on accountability also. 30% can be "persuaded" to join the dark side (if they're not there already, read 'business-as-usual) but 50% replacement or greater could conceivably be of some influence.

New blood, one or two at a time, can easily be dealt with if their "performance" is not up (or down, as in the case of AMR) to expectations or if the newbies don't care to be a lackey as those already entrenched.

 

[jimntx]

Gee, considering that we are the world's largest airline, you would think we could get at least a Vice-Admiral. Only a Captain?

 

[TWU informer]

A Military Guy is likely going to have real conflict and difficulty with the lack of accountability and discipline within the Overhaul bases.

 

[The Goose]

Gee, considering that we are the world's largest airline, you would think we could get at least a Vice-Admiral. Only a Captain?

At least he didn't come from the Uncle Sam's Misguided Children (just kidding).

Admirals are strictly for PR purposes - they haven't a clue as to what reality might hold. Be very thankful we didn't get one of those.

 

[The Goose]

A Military Guy is likely going to have real conflict and difficulty with the lack of accountability and discipline within the Overhaul bases.

Dave, Dave - if you really believe the military is accountable for anything, especially O5 and higher, you have much better dope than I ever had. Who's your dealer? Can he/she get more? How much a bag?

Kidding aside, a Navy Captain may fit in rather nicely due to the lack of accountability at that level within the military. As I said earlier, time will tell.

One may remember good ol' Ollie North (a Marine Colonel, another O6 rank) and the trouble he got in, then try to say he was accountable for his actions. Bull. North was true to his oath and protected his Commander-in-Chief. He was a fall guy.

One might also remember a Lt. named Calley during the Vietnam Era. Another example of the protection of the Generals. FYI - Calley "committed suicide" a few years ago; not that you'd ever collect the bet, but ten bucks says he was going to tell all because he got stiffed and the "superior" officers really responsible for the Mi Lai massacre didn't like that idea at all; consequently, the fall guy had to go away.

 

[jimntx]

Admirals are strictly for PR purposes - they haven't a clue as to what reality might hold.

But, wouldn't that make one ideally qualifiedl for working in and around Centerport?

 

[The Goose]

But, wouldn't that make one ideally qualifiedl for working in and around Centerport?

Around Centerport, sure.

But ... I was under the impression he would be taking Parmesian's old job at TUL.

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

A Military Guy is likely going to have real conflict and difficulty with the lack of accountability and discipline within the Overhaul bases.

One of the first things this guy will probablely do is make the wearing of uniforms mandatory. Next thing shops and hangar tool racks will all be "shadow" boarded. If you only need five washers for a job, that is all the washers the fastener crib will give to you. All tools from the tool crib must be checked out and returned. That includes drill bits,clecos,sanding disks,acid brushes,etc. No more give-a-ways.

Things are gonna get real interesting at the overhaul bases after the first of the year.

 

[xmarlin]

A Military Guy is likely going to have real conflict and difficulty with the lack of accountability and discipline within the Overhaul bases.

Sounds like the right person for the job to me...

Accountability and discipline....across all ranks? Be still my heart.

 

[eolesen]

Princess is correct when he says the guy has no airline experience, but it looks to me like he's got a shipload of maintenance experience...

* former Blue Angel (pilot? mechanic? announcer?)

* Maintenance Officer for the Navy Fighter Weapons School, “Top Gun" @ Miramar

* Naval Air Forces maintenance officer for flight-line operations on eight Naval Air Stations, 12 aircraft carriers and 160 squadrons

* Oversaw day-to-day maintenance operations, engineering and logistics support for aircraft at the Naval Air Depot in North Island which included all carrier-based Navy aircraft and all West Coast Marine Corps and Navy helicopters


This actually sounds like AA hired someone with qualifications and the ability to lead for a change....

 

[The Goose]

Princess is correct when he says the guy has no airline experience, but it looks to me like he's got a shipload of maintenance experience...

* former Blue Angel (pilot? mechanic? announcer?)

* Maintenance Officer for the Navy Fighter Weapons School, “Top Gun" @ Miramar

* Naval Air Forces maintenance officer for flight-line operations on eight Naval Air Stations, 12 aircraft carriers and 160 squadrons

* Oversaw day-to-day maintenance operations, engineering and logistics support for aircraft at the Naval Air Depot in North Island which included all carrier-based Navy aircraft and all West Coast Marine Corps and Navy helicopters


This actually sounds like AA hired someone with qualifications and the ability to lead for a change....

I know you'll tell me I'm too negative, but if anyone with real leadership ability was hired at AA, he won't last very long at all.

Airlines are typically a mismanaged mess and any attempt to straighten one of them out is a fool's errand - that said, I do believe in miracles but not Santa or the Easter Bunny.

"Those who do not believe in God should look at this company, then ponder its prosperity and survival". Anon.