DELTA AIRLINES GOAL IS “blind compliance by its pilots”
DELTA “WEAPONISED” psychiatric examination
Delta pilot Karlene Petit first contacted me when she heard of my success at trial against Thomas Cook airlines. I had refused to place corporate greed ahead of my passenger’s and crew’s safety (Karlene has kindly written the foreword to book two that you can read below.)
Similar to myself, Karlene had raised serious safety concerns to her airline. She did this in the form of a forty-page document. She then sent this document directly to her then-manager at Delta, Steve Dickson.
Karlene’s case revolved around the fact that only a few days after she presented Dixon with a document highlighting the abuse of fatigue and FTL legislation at Delta, she was ordered to see a psychiatrist appointed by the airline.
The result was that the psychiatrist claimed that Karlene was ‘Bipolar’. It was not the first time this particular psychiatrist had used this tactic on pilots that Delta considered challenging their diktats.
In the Judge’s words, Delta had “weaponized” its right to order pilots to undergo psychiatric examination by sending Petitt to a company-selected psychiatrist who gave her a career-ending diagnosis that was not accurate.
The Judge found on Karlen’s behalf, making a damning judgement against Delta. He stated that he found “less than credible Steve Dickson’s deposition testimony as it “found many of his responses evasive.”
Apparently, the FAA, the US regulator, has not held Delta and its senior officers accountable for the issue.
Perhaps this lack of action was due to the “less than credible” and “evasive” Dickson being appointed by Donald Trump to head the FAA!
DELTA’S GOAL IS THE “BLIND COMPLIANCE OF ITS PILOTS”
They lost.
According to the Judge, Delta’s goal was to obtain “blind compliance by its pilots” by instilling in them a fear that the airline had the power to ruin their careers.
This is why the Judge ordered Delta to “publish the tribunal’s decision” and disseminate it to their entire pilot workforce.
Despite this order, Delta still insisted the outcome of the case was in doubt without explaining that it is only compensation that remains unresolved. i.e. the only issue remaining is how much money Karlene will receive in damages.
For 21 months, Delta stalled, as deadlines came and went, on complying with the Judge’s demand. Finally, this week, Delta complied, only they didn’t.
In a just-filed appeal to the Judge, Seham, Karlene’s lawyer, argues that Delta’s email to its pilots has intentionally blurred the issue that they lost and were also criticized by the Judge.
Instead, Delta states it “disputes the legal and factual merits of this decision.”
Although Delta’s response is the same as Thomas Cook’s in my case, its childlike reaction is irrelevant.
They were found guilty. They lost. They have no say.
In many ways, the fact that, despite all the evidence of illegal activity, Delta refused to accept they were wrong should be of great concern to the travelling public.
As a pilot, if you see a mountain ahead, you change course and avoid it. Delta, however, appears to be intent on recreating the back cover of the Beastie Boys album “Licensed to Ill” over this case.
WHY PILOTS ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM?
Taken From The Forthcoming “Pulling Wings from Butterflies – Tercio de Banderillas”
“Ask yourself the following question. Would you make a stand in the interests of passenger and crew safety if you knew it would likely risk your career and position that you had spent decades and tens of thousands of pounds building? A career which, at least for the first few years, meant having no money and required two jobs to survive? Would you risk your family’s financial future and the probability that you could no longer service your financial commitments? Would you risk having your good name and reputation trashed, marked as “difficult”, labelled “dishonest” and have your “integrity” challenged by the industry establishment, all for doing the right thing?
If you concluded that no, you would not take a stand because of the enormous personal ramifications, don’t feel too bad. If you are reading this book sitting on an aircraft as a passenger, it will therefore come as no surprise that the two pilots currently sitting a few feet away from you in the cockpit will have quite likely come to the same conclusion, on more than one occasion. It’s not worth the personal upheaval to do the right thing. It’s just not worth upsetting management. Now, sit back, relax and enjoy your flight”
Please note, the second book in the ‘Pulling Wings From Butterflies’ series is to be released once the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK complete their review of the case surrounding information brought to police attention that are contained within the three book series
FOREWORD WRITTEN BY KARLENE PETITT
I am pleased to announce that the foreword for the second book in the “Pulling Wings From Butterflies” trilogy has been written by Karlene herself.
The book is to be released once the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK complete their review of the case surrounding information brought to police attention that are contained within the three book series
FOREWORD BY KARLENE PETITT
The year was 2016 when I first connected with Captain Mike Simkins and learned of his case that ultimately became the story on which you are about to embark.
While these events in Mike’s life are nothing short of a legal thriller, I was not surprised at the depths that Thomas Cook management dove to sink him for refusing to operate a flight while fatigued. I was not shocked that the CAA provided management with the oxygen tanks to ensure his drowning.
I wasn’t even stunned when BALPA stood smugly on the shore, watching the attack without assistance. However, I was slack-jawed as I read the details of this courtroom drama that paralleled a tragedy on the other side of the world, one of which I was personally involved.
Mike’s story is not unique to the UK. Airline management is attacking pilots in the US for reporting Federal violations that impact safety, calling in fatigued, or refusing to operate an aircraft illegally. Be it a letter of warning, suspension, termination, or a fabricated psychiatric evaluation that would ground a pilot for life.
BUY DIRECT FOR SIGNED BOOKS
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HARDBACK BACK IN STOCK
Due to repeated demand, it was decided to re-print the book ‘Pulling Wings from Butterflies – Tercio De Varas’.
Due to repeated demand, ‘Pulling Wings from Butterflies – Tercio De Varas’ has been reprinted in hardback.
‘Pulling Wings from Butterflies’ tells the true story the aviation establishment DON”T want telling; those dreaming of becoming pilots and cabin crew WON”T want to hear; and passengers NEED to know.
Purchase direct from the website for a signed copy.
5 in stock
part one - Tercio de varas
The first book in the trilogy begins by following the unique journey of Captain Mike Simkins from touring Europe as a drummer and performing with some of the most prominent musical artists of the late ’80s, to becoming a commander on the world’s most advanced passenger aircraft.
Ultimately, the wings were pulled from the butterfly of a dream career when, Mike stood alone to confront a multibillion-dollar aviation establishment when he refused to place profit before safety.
PArt TWO - Tercio de banderillas
Will the pilot union BALPA and the regulator, the CAA, support a legal case of major significance to the safety of airline passengers and crew?
What’s the reason unions and regulators allow airlines to have ‘Cash Cadet’ pilots with zero jet experience pay them to fly fare-paying passengers?
Why do pilots agree to fly when dangerously fatigued that directly places not only themselves but their passengers and crews in danger?
What was the answer from the Thomas Cook CEO to the question ‘did the company put profit before safety’ in relation to two children’s death in Corfu?
How will a pilot with zero legal experience confront a multimillion-pound multinational at trial?
part three - Tercio de MUERTE
Crews admit that they are knowingly flying duties in the full expectation they will suffer fatigue. They are committing these criminal acts due to the “Bullying” culture at one of the UK’s biggest airlines.
The CAA is provided with irrefutable proof that duty times are knowingly falsified to make it appear they conformed with strictly laid down maximum times and that pilots are flying at the equivalent effectiveness of a drunk driver. Their response? ‘Get over it.’ .
