Originally Posted by
Flaps50
LTPs can pass the training obviously, because the test is taught to them; can they be a copilot, in many cases sure because they likely have a competent captain with them who can handle the plane alone if needed. My biggest fear is the fact that in the near future the basics learned as a PIC in another job prior to the airlines will be lost on these pilots. The first time they gain any real PIC time is as a Captain of a jet at an airline with no prior history showing the ability to command well. I would rather my family avoid these flights.
There is a fix to this: change the FAA minimums to ATP for FAR121 flying, stop waiving the ATP PIC requirements, and establish a 4 year degree requirement for ATP as well. This will bring the profession back into one that can command a descent wage at all levels, and provide quality applicants to all airlines who are willing to compensate. The other airlines will fail, and we can limit burning excess fuel, polluting the air, and releave the over burdened ATC sytem, as well as command appropriate prices for the airline service provided, and stop flying empty airplanes around. The pilots who love to fly will succeed, and the current airline pilots will be grandfathered in. This is something I want to see ALPA push while aligning the our pilot concerns with that of the traveling public.
All this talk about global warming; Aviation and Aviation Support is a huge polluter of the world that is in many cases unessessary.
Hey, I'm all about fighting global warming. I agree with yor statement and I applaud you on addressing such a serious issue. I think it would be great if you started a thread about flying the empty airplanes and causing excess pollution.
Let's just assume for a second that these HTPs are right, LTPs aren't helping the industry. But how are the HTPs helping anybody by trying to hold them down? It's not the captains job or place to ask for the FOs total time anyway unless he's on a training flight. I hear a lot of "go do some flight instructing before getting an RJ job" from the HTPs. So, flight instructing in a small piston aircraft is going to prepare him better for the RJ than the normal multi/comm pilot flying the same aircraft? Sure, being a CFI will help you become strong on many areas of flight. Maybe it's just too early in the morning, but I can't see how being a CFI in a light piston aircraft is going prepare you for a jet. But everyone is different!
I'm sure there's a low timer here that as flown with a high timer who has needed a helping hand. What about these crazy captains who succumb to "get home -itis" and want to descend below DH in rock hard IMC? Or the captain at National Airlines years ago who wanted to fly the 727 between the twin towers after T/O at LGA. Or maybe the high timers that fell asleep half way over the pacific on a cargo flight; they were suppose to stop in Oakland or something. High timers need a helping hand too; nobody is exempt from being imperfect. If you're a perfect pilot and never needed a helping hand, started with 4000 hours in your first entry and was more than prepared to fly a jet after being a light aircraft CFI, I applaud you. But it's an undeniable fact that those pilots just do not exist. Perfection is what we strive for, it's not what we are.