True statement CLMP. PackRat is correct also. This is what is so scary. The MD-80 is not inherently a bad design, just tough to get used to with a fairly sharp learning curve. Everyone eventually figures out the DFGC and handling quirks but it's the interim that is of concern. Unlike AA, we now have new-hires with very little turbine experience, being trained by a cost-driven training department that was originally designed for high time, experienced turbine drivers. Not only do we not teach traditional concepts related to high altitude/high speed performance, our training was actually shut down by the FAA, our simulators are highly unreliable and break for weeks and our new instructors have very little experience. Now these newly-minted, bright-eyed FOs are suddenly being awarded immediate upgrade due to our extremely unpopular 'virtual TDY' (HOM) base. Very disturbing.

Combine all this with the shoddy maintenance that Pack describes, an inexperienced, revolving door support staff, arrogant, greedy management, and finally, one of the toughest operating environments in commercial aviation, and what you have is a re-creation of ValuJet