Anna6PP

My uniform is my battle attire the blue sky is my antidote

[Fahad Naim @Fahadnaimb]

Got lucky at KLIA

This is the kind of view you only get if youre lucky. two aircraft crossing right in front of you on that airside skybridge stretch.

Hong kong has that skybridge too. ive been on it. different airport same feeling.

Not every crossing looks this clean.
if youve got time dont rush it. wait by the glass. you might get nothing. you might get this

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@LeaL0v3 @TheFlatEartherr Would it be OK if I added you as a friend?

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@LeaL0v3 @TheFlatEartherr Well done to your father in law 👍

[vir sanghvi @virsanghvi]

Aviation nerds on my timeline: is this the A 350-1500 (just come in from JFK I am told), the wonderful new Air India aircraft you guys are so excited about? Or is this an older aircraft ?
Configured like an intergalactic prison ship. Dismal
@airindia

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@LeaL0v3 @TheFlatEartherr In fact, pilots are reluctant to give up their flying skills.

[KC-10 Driver ✈️ 👨‍✈️ B-737 Wrangler @MCCCANM]

I was asked if it’s weird flying on 9/11. The answer is not really, but there is reflection.

Other accounts commemorate the attack better, as it should be remembered. I’ll cover the aftermath in aviation.

What would come to be called “The Lost Decade” had begun.

Nobody knew how much it would hurt, but they knew the career had changed. After flights resumed, it was clear it would take a while to return to normal.

Airlines were bleeding money. Furloughs began. Concessionary contracts were negotiated. Pilots lost a lot of ground; a little over a year prior they were celebrating the latest contract agreements. Now they were taking big cuts to keep the airline alive. Adjusted for inflation, today’s contracts still don’t pay as well as the one Delta approved in 2000.

A contract provision known as “Force Majeure” made it possible. It basically means an outside event – war, disease, changes in law, etc. – beyond the control of a party to a contract releases that party’s liability / responsibility in the contract. The airlines invoked it to do many things they otherwise couldn’t, like parking older jets, changing staffing levels, etc.

Despite all of this, the airlines were still bleeding money. A flurry of bankruptcies & mergers ensued; even a merger can have dramatic effects on a pilot’s career path. You may find yourself back near the bottom of seniority. Which hurts, but is better than a furlough.

Pilot hiring at the major airlines stopped overnight. The furloughed pilots had recall rights over any new hires, but it became clear this would not be a rapid recall. Many in the industry left forever…I’ve seen estimates of 25%.

The airlines discovered they could increase the flying the regionals did for them, saving money. Initially, this was great for young pilots trying to get to their first airline, but they quickly realized the majors were frozen & there was nowhere to move up to. There was no impetus to improve the low pay, and it would take years after the major airlines were ready to grow again before all furloughed pilots would be recalled. They were stuck, the career path derailed.

Then in 2007, Congress raised the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 60 to 65, aligning w/ the international standard. Previously, retirements were about the only people airlines were replacing w/ recalls…now that pipeline had just been set back 5 years.

Around 2009 or so, the forecast began to improve. It wasn’t happening yet, but the numbers would eventually move in our favor…it was just going to take a few more years.

The unofficial end of the “Lost Decade” was around 2012, but I think it went a bit further. Around 2014, the talk of a “hiring boom” went from “maybe this year” to “oh wow, it’s happening!” The last of the furloughed pilots had been offered recall a few years prior, but big hiring numbers didn’t exist yet.

By 2016 or so, hiring started to become a frenzy. Everyone was getting hired & a long theorized “Pilot Shortage” started to be the talk of the town.

From 2017 to 2020, hiring was frenetic. Covid meant furlough notices again. A fickle industry.

(Keep in mind, these dates are my recall & none of this is officially designated)

On the military side, suddenly all the squadrons were full. Reservists who’d be furloughed scrambled to get back on active duty. Some did it for country, others to feed their families. Those about to leave the service after a 10 year commitment found themselves signing to stay. Applications soared.

Before 9/11, the Cold War was won, China & Russia were paper tigers, it was “the end of history” & there would just be “brushfire wars” like Bosnia. I was lucky to be accepted & didn’t think I’d fly much combat when I joined in 2000, but 24 years later retired w/ just under 200 combat sorties.

The world changed overnight, it just took a while to understand.

I hope this isn’t disrespectful – people lost their lives – but educational from a different aspect. I’m out of space, hope it helped.

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@av8rgb They really haven’t given any thought to passenger safety

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@scottiebateman I’ve seen this video. The pilot handled the situation correctly; it wasn’t as they claimed.

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@damienraine @25YearsAgoLive Haha, if I come to work at your company next time, don’t you dare ground me!

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@moonbeamboy I imagine there must be quite a few people who are absolutely smitten with him.

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@EmpireMerica @DaOfficialVigil I don’t think it’s too late for aviation enthusiasts to emerge now; it’s just that times are constantly changing.

[peach @Mmapjpeach]

HL8083
N884FD

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

@speedbird020 @xAviation @Keg767 @Turbinetraveler @16right_media @MarkRWheeler2 @CAlloing @Kent_YVR @AvgeekMel @JenSchuld @PilotDeborah @KeithRSmith His driving is really excellent

[Alex 🇭🇲 @speedbird020]

Today is #QFFriday
QF15, an A330 from Brisbane is just about to make a smooth as butter landing at Los Angeles LAX.

@xAviation @Keg767
📹 - aviiationlax

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

HS-TKQ | Boeing 777-3ALER

[Clément Alloing @CAlloing]

2nd test flight done this afternoon for the first @Airbus #A350 for @KLM #PHZNA at #Toulouse #Airport !! Replay #AIB02NM on @AirNavRadar #Avgeeks #Avgeek

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

还记得你何时加入 X 吗？我知道！#我的X周年纪念日

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

Even on my day off, I still like to meet up with my best friend

[Anna6PP @Anna6PP]

The flight plan has come to an end, but the holiday plans have begun