Originally Posted by
cruiseclimb
I hate to say it, but this is the beginning of the end. I can see some kid sitting there with 600 hours in the cockpit sharing his "there I was" stories.... Wait, they do that now. Never mind..
I agree Rick, an ATP is priceless.. When I started this back in the 80s, the mins to apply to a commuter was 1,500 with 500 ME.
600 hours is a lot different than 200. I'm not saying I'm "deserving of a jet" or anything, but I just cleared 600 hours last month and I've been instructing in one way or another for a year and a half now, and I know I'm a heck of a lot more capable than a 200 hour pilot. Granted some of that comes from flying last semester in a Cessna 404, but we still went to places such as Atlanta and O'Hare with it. I know I'm going to get my head bitten off for this, but seriously folks. What is the point of complaining about young or inexperienced pilots when it's the future whether we like it or not? Yeah times used to be different. So what? I'm guessing some of you complaining about "when I was your age" issues flew civillian. Well guess what? There was a time too when military guys worried about all those crazy civillian pilots coming up the ranks.
Sooner or later, you're going to have a young and inexperienced FO in the cockpit sitting next to you. What are you going to do? Harass him for being stupid? Or make a difference? If he's having problems, try to help him out instead of belittling him. It's like complaining about someone in a political office when you don't vote. Moral of this story is when you get down to it, stop complaining, accept the fact that there really is a shortage of pilots in training while the industry needs more. Accept the fact that the jet jocks get younger and younger and their logbooks are getting thinner and thinner every day. And yes I too am not a big fan of the ATP schools, and the 90 day wonder flight schools, but hey, don't crap on the guys who are training in a legit fashion, and just happen to be what the airlines are looking for. Seriously. What do you guys propose they do? Not apply until they've instructed for 2000 hours and no longer enjoy the career field we are all sworn to?
Once again, I'm not trying to tick people off, I'm just trying to shed some logic on this.
By the way, I too am a student at MTSU, as well as an instrctor for the flight school.