Originally Posted by
DAL 88 Driver
This is something I've been concerned about for a while now. I'm afraid the new generation of airline pilots are not really getting good, solid, stick and rudder and instrument skills.
I've been looking at college aviation programs with my son (junior in high school). One program we looked at indicated on their web site that ALL of their primary trainers are glass cockpit. I don't care how automated most of the airplanes are these days, I just don't think that's a good idea.
I can only assume you are employed at Delta, and if so, I hope you are advocating to your management/HR Department the benefit in hiring Turboprop pilots with 8,000+ hrs of "steam six pack" time. We are constantly in the weather, hand flying, operating our aircraft to the edges of its envelope. However, for some time now, it seems most any major is more interested in hiring a 2,500 hr jet pilot, who found a quick upgrade at a jet regional.
I'm not saying a jet pilot doesn't have their own unique skill set, but if stick and rudder skills are so important, (which I wholeheartedly agree with), jet operators need to stop looking down their nose at a high time turboprop pilot. I know several excellent pilots who have plenty of smarts to be able to program an FMS, or work an AFCS, that would be an asset at any airline, who have been shot down recently, because they didn't have any "holy" turbojet time. There may come a time when all the button pushing in the world will not save your plane, and I would much rather have a high time prop driver sitting next to me.
Anyway, my intent is not to start a prop vs jet debate, but to make the point that I do believe experienced prop drivers are under-valued when applying to major jet operators.