Originally Posted by
Elvis90
I disagree with him too. Training of military pilots is generally more standardized than civilian training, plus they do some unique things that civilian counterparts don't do...low level, formation, aerobatics, basic fighter maneuvers, bomb-dropping, etc... But in terms of getting passengers safely from A to B it's the same.
CAPT Al Haynes of UA 232, the Sioux City DC-10 mishap, had 8 years in the Marine Corps; CAPT Sully Sullenberger of USAir 1549 in the Hudson had 7 years military experience in the Air Force...both of these had some military experience, but the vast majority of their flying careers were as civilians before these major mishaps occurred that they successfully faced.
The more time I spend with Delta (and former NWA) Captains, the more I benefit from their advice & experience, whether they come civilian or military backgrounds.
Agreed!
FWIW, personally, when I came back to UAL from furlough #1 and SUPT I found my airline skillset much sharper. I felt more comfortable clicking everything off and hand-flying difficult approaches/landings into ORD/LGA for example and noticed, for the first time, how many 100% civilian captains who liked to hide behind the automation and just be managers. Now I'm not saying they were horrible pilots, in fact I've learned much from them throughout my career. Military training tends to make one more confident because you have done things with airplanes civilians have not done. I consider it a realy blessing to have gotten to go to SUPT in my ripe age because it really challenged and expanded upon my already established skillset.
No new simulator or highly marketd "airline pilot" class (while perhaps beneficial in some ways) at Riddle can come close. Absent of this, IMHO, you only become a better pilot with experience and continuing to challenge yourself and stay in the books. So the comparison of low-time military pilots to civilian pilots in context with the 1500 hour requirement is really a moot point.
My 2 cents-
KC