Tired old airline pilots like to condescend to regional pilots about their age, their experience, their supposed lack of professionalism, and their willingness to work harder for less money. But one thing that they cannot criticize is the regional pilot's safety record. Let's face it, since moving to Part 121, regionals are just as safe if not safer than major airlines. And if you consider that the most dangerous periods of a flight are takeoff and landing, you could make a strong argument that because regional pilots fly more legs, more non-precision approaches, and into more uncontrolled airports, that they are safer.

And safety, after all, is what it's all about.