hey..

[jackpilot]

Are you all on your "Honey Do" list??

[fsaviator]

Nope...  just vacation.

Still monitoring though

Warren

[carlos hermida]

    Same here Jack, in Spain right now with family but monitoring too...

    Carlos

[Efe]

Trying to get used to the married life... just under three weeks since I bit the bullet 

Got a new job, better pay but worse hours not to mention a hell of a commute... 

Going to pick up the second portion of my MIP from the post office tomorrow... 

Dying inside till the day I bite a bigger bullet and quit to pursue an ATPL... 

[MLeavy737]

  Flew 29.5 hrs the past 6 days with two back to back redeyes. Finally home recovering! Way to hot to work on the sim in the garage here in TX. Been working on a software project instead

Sometimes i wonder what it is that makes me want to build a sim lol.


Mike Leavy

[phil744]

Building 9 Airbus A320's, restoring a rather large lump of a 747-400, some chunks of 767 to do and a NG to boot....... ohh and full time job and setting up the missus in her new business...

Actually given up sleeping now bring on the red bull!

Congratulations Efe!!!

[B737-HH]

... will continue flying, testing and building at the end of this week, when our vacations are over!

[jackpilot]

That's Good news Buddies.
I'm a bit stalled on the DSTD waiting for some new parts, ..in the meantime adapting my TQ to the new design, measuring the space for the shell..etc etc never a dull moment in my Neck of the Woods. But it is a great moment ,each and everyday when I log on and read the"news" from our great crew!! ..or trawl EBay..lol
BTW we are approching the 1K membership!!!
Jack

[MLeavy737]

1K membership.. Wow! Cool.

Cant wait for the hot WX to break here to get back to work! I think next year when the sim is built im bringing the thing inside and its going in the media room. Too hot out there!

Mike Leavy

[blueskydriver]

Just got back from two weeks vacation of camping and boating... Back in the sim room with TWO air conditioners running. Temps outside 98-100F degree, in room 70-76 with everything turned on for the sim.

Mike, instead of moving it to the media room, just put a good size AC in the room. We put a portable unit in and cut two holes into the wall for the vent tubes. We used metal through the wall with vent covers on the outside (like dryer vent covers), and then sealed it all up. A lot cheaper than putting another Central Air unit in. Cost about $750 do it all. And, you keep your media room a media room...

BSD

[jskibo]

Tied up with heavy travel at work and babysitting my contractors working on my basement.  Posted in another thread, but finishing off the bedroom, bath with two person steam shower, full 6 seat wet bar with Beverage center and Keg system as well as a 9 seat Home theater with 138" screen.

Funny, they guys in the Home Theater forum are more interested in my sim now that I slipped in some pictures

[MLeavy737]

Mike, instead of moving it to the media room, just put a good size AC in the room. We put a portable unit in and cut two holes into the wall for the vent tubes. We used metal through the wall with vent covers on the outside (like dryer vent covers), and then sealed it all up. A lot cheaper than putting another Central Air unit in. Cost about $750 do it all. And, you keep your media room a media room...

BSD

  Thanks for the info BSD. The only problem with where it is now is that the sim is in the garage. Somehow i dont think just airconditioners would do the trick. The cool thing about the media room we have now in the house is that i already own it. Its my man cave. I have my room and the wife has her seperate cave in the house all nice and A/C'd already. Everyone is happy and noone has to give up anything. Lol. I just move the guitars and amps over a little bit and all is well

Well see anyhow...

Mike Leavy

[Trevor Hale]

What the heck is vacation?

[Tom_G_2010]

What the heck is vacation?

That's the time you spend away from the office but still working while the rest of the family enjoys themselves. 

As for me, business travel, "vacation", long days in the office, etc. have really eaten up my time for sim'ing and forum monitoring.  a few more weeks before I'm past the crunch . . .

[MLeavy737]

Ok.. Now everything is on hold... Checkride August 10th time to crack the books open!

Mike Leavy

[fsaviator]

Well that's perfect Mike!

That gives you 5 days to fly the NGX in between flights to practice for the Checkride!!!

Warren

[MLeavy737]

Well that's perfect Mike!

That gives you 5 days to fly the NGX in between flights to practice for the Checkride!!!

Warren

Lol, well i just got a call that my sim is being moved to sometime in September because we are soo understaffed we need everyone flying trips.. Not playing in the sims

"practice" ?? lol. 90+ hrs per month for the last few months over the summer here is plenty of practice! Lol. Actually i do start to do things in the airplane on trips shortly before a checkride to kinda brush up. For example the other night in VFR conditions we did a full monitored CAT IIIA autoland approach.  Also ill go and ask for some non-precision VOR and RNAV RNP approaches instead of the usual ILS.

I would love to be able to practice some things on the NGX but as you can guess its just not the same. In training they assume you know how to fly and press buttons. What your being tested on is decision making, judgement, communication, teamwork, and operating the airplane within the limitations and parameters set by Boeing as well as well as the company.

Hopefully the NGX works and flys like the real deal though. Would be nice to have something to go through the motions until the sim is complete anyhow

Mike Leavy

[dharrison]

Lol, well i just got a call that my sim is being moved to sometime in September because we are soo understaffed we need everyone flying trips.. [/quote]


Mike,

Just flew CO yesterday from EWR to ORD. Seems like a bit of a sick out going on, at least that was the rumbling. Pilots upset with the merger?

Don

[fsaviator]

Lol, well i just got a call that my sim is being moved to sometime in September because we are soo understaffed we need everyone flying trips..


Mike,

Just flew CO yesterday from EWR to ORD. Seems like a bit of a sick out going on, at least that was the rumbling. Pilots upset with the merger?

Don

As a long time United and Continental flyer, I'd say there is a lot of issues.  The merger is turning both airlines into a soup sandwich.  Aircraft maintenance issues, plane changes, and other issues are wreaking havoc on passengers.  I've made two transatlantic trips in a month and a half, and my wife one...  all three were jacked up beyond believe with cancellations, delays, and last minute plane changes.  I hope they figure it out soon as I fly back in two days.

[MLeavy737]

Hey guys,
  No there is no sick out going on. What is going on is typical contract negoitiation games and union busting games being played by the company.  Summer flying season is extremely busy and i and everyone else knows we are  short staffed. Reserves are flying 90-95 hrs combined with getting days off moved. Reserves are also being assigned double duty periods. This  means a pilot may fly a redeye, land at 6am then be expected to show back at the airport 9hrs or so later for a full 16 hr duty day. This is fine for a few trips or so however when this happens constantly over days and weeks eventually your just not safe to fly despite what the FAR's say. Known studies of sleep cycles and effects of lack of sleep are not new to anyone.
  Long story short is were understaffed. Our opinion is the company is blaming the pilots in attempt to get us to question our own union. This is called Union Busting. Companies, especially airlines like to divide work groups. They dont want labor organized with a common goal. They like infighting. This helps them get better contracts and more money for themselves. when you open your eyes to these games you easily see the big picture. Great book anyone in a union should read is called "Confessions of a union buster".
  Im sure anyone in or who has been in a union understands these tactics.

Mike L

[MLeavy737]

 Fortunately im not on reserve but i know the abuse reserves are getting right now. I think your right.. Flying in the US im sure is very different than other countries. For one thing it seems the execs in the US could care less about its employees! Obviously..

Mike Leavy

[bussgarfield]

@Jack
I am still around and making the odd contribution on here as you have seen.

Vacation - whats that, I am retired and have never worked so hard.

@Mike
Thanks for the behind the scenes comments. I just marvel at what you guys have to put up with sometimes while the fat cats are getting fatter and looking after their own and have no idea what the real work force is doing to line their pockets.
Off the soap box now.

Gary

[jackpilot]