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Virgina America & JetBlue

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takemebaktovegas.lasvegastalk	Virgina America & JetBlue	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1 (02/16/09 10:38:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Hello everyone, It has been quite sometime since I have posted on here but I do come on occassionally and lurk. I am actually a graduate of the SOAR program (when it was on cassette, I think back in 2001).I do not fly very often, once maybe twice a year. I really have come along way, and felt like I have conquered my fear of flying! Now with recent events such as: US air,Buffalo, plus the fact that the Southwest flight that had to make an emergency landing in Las Vegas after an engine caught fire was the same flight I flew home on last year I am feeling alittle nervous and apprehensive again about flying in May. My real question though is regarding JetBlue, and Virgin America. I am looking at those two airlines as they have the lowest airfares at this time, and I like that the have the T.V's comfortable cabins, etc..However I know that both of these airlines do not belong to the airline pilot's union. I know that it is important but JetBlue does have a very good safety record to date. I am not sure if one could really judge Virgin American since they are so new on the scene. While Virgin Atlantic has a union, and a good safey record I don't know if I should choose Virgin America. So my question is: how do you feel about flying on these two airlines? Any opinons/assistance would be greatly appreciated! thanks,
Capt Tom Bunn MSW LCSW		#1	[-]
Posts: 2506 (02/16/09 11:36:06) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Both airlines, so far as I know, do not have a union. That concerns me because, with so much outsourcing of maintenance - and no oversight of outsourced maintenance by the FAA - you can only depend on the integrity and dedication of management or upon the integrity and dedication of your captain. From my point of view, it is your captain in the copckpit who has more to lose if the maintenance isn't right than anyone in corporate headquarters at a desk. But the integrity of your captain needs to be supported, I believe, so he or she doesn't have to worry - when making demands on the company for maintenance to be done - if it means getting fired and having to start all over at some other airline, if a job can be found.
takemebaktovegas.lasvegastalk		#2	[-]
Posts: 2 (02/16/09 20:10:36) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thank you for your reply, Capt. Tom. I feel like the choices in airlines are very limited now. Between the non-unionized airlines, and the majority who outsource their maintainence I don't see many choices. This is causing me a great deal of stress.
Capt Tom Bunn MSW LCSW		#3	[-]
Posts: 2510 (02/19/09 11:29:56) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The only two airlines without a pilot union are Allegiant and JetBlue. Everyone outsources except American. But with a pilots' union, the pilots have the log book which gives details of all maintenance and check the plane themselves. Plus there are backup systems.
Gigi		#4	[-]
Posts: 5 (02/20/09 09:11:20) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	great! i fly from jfk to cancun on monday on JetBlue....this is exactly what i needed to hear ahhh

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Note from Capt. Tom

I know everyone worries about weather, but pilots really do not worry about it. We simply - instead of worrying about it - completely prepare for it. Before going to the plane, we review the weather at the destination. If it is not 100% sure to be within legal limits when we arrive at the destination, we must specify an alternate airport in our planning documents, and load on plenty of fuel for going to the destination airport, and then if need be, diverting to the alternate airport.

The legal limits are conservative. Even when weather is slightly outside the legal limits, any airline pilot could still land safely. You can rely on the captain never to land when the weather is not legal, and legality limits are reached prior to safety limits.

If you are still anxious, call me and we can talk it over. I'm at 877 332-7359 from 10 AM until 7 PM Eastern time.

For effective help, even if you are flying in a day or two, sign up now at www.fearofflying.com/fasttrack and call me when you finish Clip 9 so I can make sure you are all set.

Using Weather Information

If you enter your ZIP Code or City at the top of the weather presentation, it will give you weather for your area. Or, you can enter your destination ZIP Code or City.

Click on the "LOCAL RADAR" button to see whether or not there are thunder-
storms. Keep in mind, however, that we can either fly above the storms when cruising or fly through gaps between storms. During landing, we cannot fly above them, but fly through gaps, or through the area of the storms where the turbulence is least.

Turbulence, though it may cause anxiety, does not mean anything is wrong. Turbulence does not mean danger. The plane can handle far more turbulence than Mother Nature can dish out.

Though flying in turbulence is safe, it doesn't feel safe. And here is where the SOAR programs come in. We can help you feel as safe when you fly as you actually are.

You can see these programs at www.fearofflying.com/store.

For questions on aviation or the psychology of aerophobia, click here to e-mail Capt. Tom Bunn, MSW, LCSW.

To contact the SOAR business office (media contacts, brochures, replacement tapes, billing, shipping), click here to e-mail Lisa Hauptner, MS.