jb747's last operational flight

[jb747]

Are the returning QF pilots part of the reason for the reported shortages of flight crew at EK and CX?

No. Basically I think that can be put down to their respective versions of HR.

CX has been at war with their pilots for years. Hostilities only seem to be increasing. QF has recruited a few from there. One was a 350 Captain....

EK has a lot of issues. It was really popular when there were no other choices. That's not the case now.

I don't think any of our pilots on LWOP were with Cathay. EK might have had a dozen or so. Not big numbers.

 

[jb747]

What’s attractive as a SO instead of command?

From the perspective of the job, nothing. But you get to live somewhere else.

 

[flyer89]

A good friend of mine is at Cathay and I can vouch for all of that. He wants out but will be upgrading to FO soon so will stay in order to get some RHS time. It’s a sad state of affairs up there though.

 

[mjt57]

Why is Cathay on the warpath? Are the pilots agitating for better deals or something?

 

[Quickstatus]

Why is Cathay on the warpath? Are the pilots agitating for better deals or something?

Maybe a bit here. In any case going a bit off topic
Redirect Notice

 

[jb747]

Why is Cathay on the warpath? Are the pilots agitating for better deals or something?

I'm no expert on Cathay, but they have been at war with the pilots for years. It is, by all accounts, a miserable company to work for.

 

[mjt57]

Maybe a bit here. In any case going a bit off topic
Redirect Notice

Ok, thanks.

 

[flyer89]

If you want to torture yourself you can look through the various threads in the fragrant harbour forum on Pprune. As always with Pprune, take things with a rather large grain of salt.

 

[Quickstatus]

https://www.quora.com/What-is-an-airline-pilots-day-on-his-very-last-flight-before-retirement-like

Some pilots will never know their next flight will be the last.
How common are medical retirements?

 

[jb747]

https://www.quora.com/What-is-an-airline-pilots-day-on-his-very-last-flight-before-retirement-like

Some pilots will never know their next flight will be the last.
How common are medical retirements?

I can't put an exact number on it, but I suspect that it would be in the order of 20% over the course of a career.

 

[Quickstatus]

What would be an example of a medical retirement that would still allow an unrestricted car drivers license
And presumably there is a process and it’s not on the say so of 1 Dr?

 

[jb747]

What would be an example of a medical retirement that would still allow an unrestricted car drivers license.

I don't really know. Minor heart issues. Diabetes. What restricts your driver's licence? They've relented a lot in the past years, but there are many issues for which they'll tell you to come back in a year...

And presumably there is a process and it’s not on the say so of 1 Dr?

It basically comes back to one GP working for CASA. The last bloke caused masses of trouble, with seemingly random decisions. Kept lawyers employed though. I expect that any doctor who works for CASA isn't actually the best in his field...otherwise he'd be working with actual patients.

My dealings with the medical side of CASA have never been happy. Right now, they aren't renewing my medical because THEY have lost the trace from the cardiac specialist's stress ECG. They have the report. They did this once before, but eventually found it. The report should be all they need, but no, they think I should do a test that costs a few hundred dollars again, just because they can't keep their paperwork sorted. Thankfully, the current medical expires after I need it to, so I won't be doing anything. Not having to have any dealings with CASA is amazingly attractive, and is the reason why I'll let my licence expire totally.

 

[VPS]

Do you have no desire to even be able to fly at all once your time with QF finishes?

 

[jb747]

Do you have no desire to even be able to fly at all once your time with QF finishes?

No, not really.

I guess that's something that many can't understand. But, I don't see anything attractive in the aircraft that would be available to me. Light aircraft were steps along the way, but not something I want to go back to. Many of my contemporaries do a lot of flying, with quite a few owning warbirds. The Russian Roolettes (sic) are mostly QF or ex QF.

 

[flyer89]

I guess that's something that many can't understand. But, I don't see anything attractive in the aircraft that would be available to me. Light aircraft were steps along the way, but not something I want to go back to. Many of my contemporaries do a lot of flying, with quite a few owning warbirds. The Russian Roolettes (sic) are mostly QF or ex QF.

You can always buy yourself a Cirrus for a cool 800k. Comes with parachute and all. Almost as good as an ejection seat right?

 

[jb747]

You can always buy yourself a Cirrus for a cool 800k. Comes with parachute and all. Almost as good as an ejection seat right?

But, I don't see anything attractive in the aircraft that would be available to me.

Already answered that....

 

[mjt57]

Regarding your comments about CASA, I recall the old aus.aviation newsgroup being a repository for all that is or was bad about that organisation.

A local fellow had a PPL. Got a heart condition. Licence suspended, or whatever it is that these people do. Had an op. Doctors cleared him to fly. CASA vetoed this. No real good reason given, except that they could, I spose.

So, he went out and bought a Harley....

 

[Hvr]

@jb747 I have purchased my ticket and will be on your final flight.

Am currently in Y+ with a request to upgrade to J .

Any other AFFers booked their flight yet? A pre-flight lounge get together is obviously in order. I found it cheaper to book SIN-MEL-SIN returning in June for the famous AFF lounge run.

 

[kookaburra75]

D

@jb747 I have purchased my ticket and will be on your final flight.

Am currently in Y+ with a request to upgrade to J .

Any other AFFers booked their flight yet? A pre-flight lounge get together is obviously in order. I found it cheaper to book SIN-MEL-SIN returning in June for the famous AFF lounge run.

Yep - I'm on QF1 from SYD. Are you starting your trip from SYD or SIN?
EDIT: Just saw your post on the other thread for upgrades, so you're starting in SIN. We should get together sometime and compare notes on JB's last landings

 

[jb747]

...We should get together sometime and compare notes on JB's last landings

Now the pressure is on. I might just revert to navy style.