Originally Posted by
Mobiusixi
Also accepted into this program. I am not trolling, what would be the point?
My confusion lies with the, "You didn't spend 10 years at a regional, so you won't have the experience".
In my early days when I was trying to get my private pilots licence right out of high school. I worked as a fueler for United's contractor as I knew it was the best way into the cockpit and talk with pilots. I fueled thousands of United express ERJs and others.
I always imagined at the time these pilots had years of experience but I was surprised early on to learn most of them were put behind the controls of these planes with 250 hours or a hair above.
My point being I suppose, they didn't get replaced with more experienced pilots when the crosswinds we're gusting at 30 knots or when an engine faluire occured.
Why can't I, assuming I pass the course, be the SIC on an E190 at 1500 hours?
The devaluing of pilots may hold true, but the expirence thing throws me for a loop.
Please understand, I'm not at all trying to be a jerk, I'm trying to understand at least this aspect of the aggression towards this program.
I will attempt to answer this...
You are not a jerk, so don't think I am for replying. I was a 250-hr wonder once upon a time (military). Remember though... Jetblue is NOT the military - not even close.
The problem is that you WILL pass the E-190 course because it is very very very basic. You will get all the gouge and will know from Day 1 exactly what to know for the test. While I do not think this is a bad thing, it is a bad thing with guys who have no other experience to fall back on. You will not have the 'experience' to know what is important and what is not. You will not even know how to learn what you need to know. For example, if you have smoke in the cabin and a confirmed fire from the inflight entertainment system, will you take an hour to go hold and run endless checklists while the fire burns you to death (Swissair Flt 111) or will you just land at LAX if you originally departed from LGB? Conversely, if you have an electrical problem that requires you to shut down every system in IMC conditions with 100' ceilings everywhere or will you carefully weigh your options? There are billions of scenarios that are not taught in Part 121 training.
JetBlue training is very good but it is not a full training program. It is a difference training program that already assumes a lot. Sure, they will take a stab at lengthening it but it will only cover what they think you need to know. They are not there to teach you Part 91, 121 rules or to teach you in depth aerodynamics or systems. The training will always be constrained by cost. They will not let you go fly the sim for fun or to practice to a level of excellence.
Again, this is not about you, per sey. I've no doubt you are the top of your class, probably built your own wind tunnel, practice flightsim daily, and recites Iron Eagle 1-4 perfectly. The problem is that once someone like you comes through the pipeline that isn't YOU but a mainstream guy, tragic things will happen and companies like JetBlue will not adequately diagnose the causes. They will do whatever they can to offload responsibility onto the pilots and the government. You will be a test case to prove we can do the same with less. And, like I said before, they will find some way to pay you less so that your generation will never make as much as the older generations.
I'm not against young people doing this. In fact, I remind people all the time that the engineers that got us to the moon were in their 20's (the pilots were in their 30's and military). It's just that the system will only do what is necessary to meet the legal standards and leave the rest on your shoulders and to luck.