Originally Posted by
N261ND
Just because I don't think certain military pilots should be given preferential hiring doesn't mean I don't respect those who serve.
I recently had a Delta captain (ex-Marine pilot) tell me he didn't know what an ILS was when he was hired at Delta. This $hit has got to stop.
"Former Marine" if he left on good terms - but that is semantics.
It is said somewhat tongue in cheek.
Naval Tactical aviation didn't shoot ILSs back in this guy's day.
So what....he probably flew ACLSs which is practically the same thing. I'm betting that by the time he finished his first sim session that he was just fine.
I hadn't seen an ILS, VOR, or NDB in nearly 20 years too and somehow I made it through training.
The military has produced, and will continue to produce, good and great pilots. They have operated aircraft in all climes and conditions and throughout much of the envelope. Basic piloting skills are usually pretty good. The airlines like this standard of training. I'm not sure there is necessarily any 'preferential' hiring like you are imagining. They go through the same interview process that the civilians do correct? If I remember the demographics correctly - the percentage of military pilots in the airlines has generally been shrinking has it not? I'm sure some internet warrior can come up with a graph for that stat.
Ah darn....I thought someone was really that ill-informed but I got intel that it was an insider joke.
Sorry I missed it!
USMCFLYR