SmoothOnTop

Before congress this morning, Capt. Sully paraphrased Flight Safety International's "The best trained device in any aircraft is a well trained crew."

Experience only gets a pilot so far.

Superior training will grow a pilot's abilities....

Diver Driver

Here is an article about his speech, he addresses the loss of benefits and lower pay as well as experience: Sullenberger: Pay cuts driving out best pilots

Kilgore Trout

Testimony going on right now at C-SPAN.

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/watch.as...aId=HP-R-15765
edit- not sure why link is titled as is, but try and you should be able to see it live.

Edit: Here's a link to archived coverage of the House meeting today.
Run time: 2 hours 58 minutes.
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/watch.as...aId=HP-A-15779

acl65pilot

I am glad that he stated we need to be paid better, and why. It makes sense. I would not let my son get in to this industry with the wages of today.

Fly IFR

Hero pilot: Airlines in shambles

Hero pilot: Airlines in shambles - Feb. 24, 2009

"I do not know a single professional airline pilot who wants his or her children to follow in their footsteps," - Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger

SkyHigh

Someone needs to tell congress that real pilots do it for the love of the job alone. To suggest that pilots need livable wages on top of getting to fly is almost sacrilegious. Pilots who cry about wages obviously are not real pilots and do not deserve to be there.

I have been saying the same as Sully here for almost four years now and all I get is flack. Pilots need to make more than a mailman and need more time off than they are currently getting.

Flying demands a lot from those who do it professionally. It takes a huge investment and massive sacrifice from the entire family. 60K and no benefits is not worth the effort.

Nothing will change though.

Skyhigh

__________________
Work smart. Work to live. Don't live to work.

SkyHigh

I am sure that if you asked any passenger they would say that they would like it if pilots were paid more. However when they are at home and shopping for tickets it is the cheapest price that they are loyal to.

Besides all that pilots like Sully keep showing up for work. Why should any airline do anything other than to keep putting pressure on lowering wages and benefits. There is just no way to prove that we need better paid pilots when we already enjoy a fantastic safety record.

There is just no evidence that we need better paid pilots for a safer national air travel system.

Skyhigh

__________________
Work smart. Work to live. Don't live to work.

Outlaw2097

Its nice to hear he is taking the pedistal and using it as a soap box as well.

A reality check on the industry is just what the public needs

syd111

As much as I want to see higher wages in our industry I always find this type quote kind of funny. Do you really think you as a parent are going to tell your son he is not going into this industry or most other legal professions. I bet by the time they hit 18-22 they are doing more of the deciding on their path with us just providing helpful guidance.

USMCFLYR

As said over a 100 times Sky - it is not your MESSAGE; it is your DELIVERY.
I didn't see it but I'm going to bet that Sully didn't call pilots worthless buttonpushers and robots.

USMCFLYR