Originally Posted by
RunnerMark
I can agree with some of this. The point he is making however is not based on the number of legs. Hell, if I remember correctly a certain NWA crew flew ONE leg and happened to miss MSP. Another NWA crew landed on an AF base in SD after flying one leg.
Also, low-time pilots flying fast aircraft does not always equate to low safety margin, ask any F-16 pilot. (I know the training is different.)
IMHO, I have seen some crazy sh!t in major airline jumpseats as well as regionals. I have also seen some well handled situations. I think the reason it irks me so bad is I can't help but take it personally. I hear him saying, "You are not as safe as I am". (Even though I no longer reside in the regionals, but I did my time there).
This horse has been beaten to the ground on countless threads.
The difference is that those mainline pilots still eventually got their passengers to their destinations safely. The same cannot be said for the regional airlines in the past decade. Pinnacle's 410 club boys, the RegionasAir Kirksville descending below MDA case, Comair's wrong runway takeoff, a Colgan Q stalling in Buffalo are all examples of regional airline accidents, where there was no safe outcome. Everyone on board died, save a Comair FO. Now don't get me wrong, I would still obviously put my family on any RJ in this country. But I understand Sully's point, and he is right.