Back at it.

Yeah. That's right. Out of no where.

Heading into the summer schedule line pilots were being provided with 150% premium pay, extensions, and junior manning occurrences through much of May.

The seas were rough to say the least. Following the furlough of 136 pilots, 80 in February 2009 and an additional 56 in September 2009, the pilot group at Acey was highly demoralized. Stress was building amongst the pilot group as block hour growth was slowly returning ahead of marginal economic stability.

May brought about great news for the 136 furloughed pilots. Leadership had determined that they couldn't continue to run such a tight staffing forecast, jeopardizing high levels of completion factor and contract agreements with our mainline partners.

While many furloughed pilots expected minimal recalls this summer, very few expected to be back prior to the summer 2011 schedule - when solid economic growth and block hour increases were expected, coupled with increasing attrition numbers as retirements begin across the industry. Nevertheless, 40 pilots were officially recalled in early June.

Out of no where the company decided to recall all furloughed pilots through two further announcements of recalls. Officially, 14 pilots declined to come back to the company, yielding a significantly higher than average recall rate.

Nevertheless, I'm now back to flying planes for a living. I accepted recall and started requalification training on August 4th. Following a week and a half of systems and general operations class work, we entered into simulator training covering the usual items seen on an annual proficiency check.

Continuing my 100% first-time pass rate as a student, I started OE (Operational Experience) about a week ago.

OE consists of flying with a line check airmen. It serves to formally transfer the student from the training environment into the operational environment, dealing with all that comes with it. Operating outside the protected confines of the training environment and the cookie cutter training scenarios for a return to real-life operational experience. Dealing with ramp control, flow control delays, passenger interaction, aircraft swaps on short turns, reduced overnights, weather diversions and aeronautical decision making, etc.

Almost done with OE right now. Finished a four day trip with a little more than twenty-two hours of block time. Requal OE requires 25 hours of OE, so I have a two-day trip set up starting on Thursday to finish up OE and get released from training.

I'll leave you with one of the last photos I took before I started my furlough...coming out of cruise from Lexington to Atlanta.

Stress.

Promotion test tomorrow morning. Four and a half hour drive home afterward. I'll be sure to have some good news following the morning.

In other news, movement.

Delta Air Lines has indicated that they will begin hiring pilots this fall, in anticipation of increased block hours for the Summer 2011 season. Current expected new hire figures is set at 240 pilots, with the potential up to 300 new pilots. Some movement is better than no movement, with flow-through agreements in place at Compass and Mesaba, it'll be interesting to see how much movement occurs at other regional carriers and how many military pilots take retirement to fly for Delta.

Many around the Atlantic Southeast Airlines environment is hinting at a company rebranding initiative, to be displayed officially on May 21st. Speculation seems to be leading towards simply getting rid of the Airlines in the name.

The drama between Mesa and Delta also continues. Both legal parties have submitted proposed final judgments for the judge's review. Mesa contending Delta terminating the service agreement unlawfully, with Delta contending they terminated the service agreement lawfully.

You can read Mesa as well as Delta's final proposal below.

Delta's final proposal
Mesa's final proposal

Knock the dust off...

Has been the primary theme of my life over the past few months (if not longer).

Take this blog for example. Last posting was in January of 2009, prior to my furlough from the illustrious regional carrier based in Atlanta, owned by a company headquartered in the land of Salt Lake.

Since that time I spent a number of months on unemployment seeking stable employment, one outside sales job later, I found a good retail sales position with a leading telecommunications company. This position provided good benefits, healthy commission structure, and the joys of working inside while also offering the silliness that comes with dealing with people directly day-in-and-day-out. I have also managed to complete my undergraduate degree in political science from Troy University.

I have managed to keep in touch with a number of people I worked with while on active duty with the Air Force during this period as well. Toward November of last year I managed to find out about a comfortable Air Force Reserve position located once again in Sumter, SC - or more appropriately - Shaw AFB, SC. This position would provide living quarters, GA BAH, BAS, and daily per diem - and best of all - it was an E-5 (SSgt) billet position.

The requirement? Re-enlist in the Air Force Reserves for four years. And agree to forecast weather again. It being a weather forecasting position of course.

Towards the end of winter - around February 28th - I executed my opportunity to take advantage of the new position.

While the retail world has been enjoyable, it has largely become a pain in my side as I have grown extremely burnt out and am no longer motivated by the greed in which most sales people depend on to stay hungry for the sale. Knowing this, I had to aggressively determine what I should do over the next year.

The enlistment in the reserve unit does not require one to go on active duty orders, but the opportunity did exist and as such I'll be working out of South Carolina for the next year. During this time we (wife and I) will be aggressively trying to get our financial house is better order for some future plans we want to move forward on - principally purchasing land and building a house.

Beyond this blog, knocking the dust off of my meteorological skills will be quite entertaining. Only time will tell if I can still hack it.

Speaking of hacking it, after what has felt like a lifetime, I have been able to get back out and play some golf. Ashley has taken quite the liking to the game over the past few years. With her growing enthusiasm for the game, I decided now was a good time to get her some sticks of her own. We've been playing every few weeks now and she is getting a good grasp on the game and enjoying it as far as I can tell.

Over the next few months you'll begin to follow my journey while I'm back on active duty, playing golf, and potentially returning to general aviation flying.

All the best...