Originally Posted by
grim04
You did say this right? That's it's "reasonable" to go into the right seat after a rigorous training program with an experienced captain. So should every captain here have to keep an eye on you? What if one of the captains makes a mistake? Would he want some 1500 hour 172 pilot with some simulator time watching his back or an ex regional captain, an ex military pilot or an ex coorpotprate captain? I know which I would choose. This program was not created to fix a fantasy pilot shortage. It's sole purpose is to hire a no time guy that owes everything to JB and would go as far as to cross a picket line if need be.
In the absence of more experienced pilots, I do think it's reasonable for that, yes. I have no doubt a Captain would rather take someone with more experience. These same conditions all apply for Regional operators, though.
Regarding the pilot shortage, I'm only going off of what I read. Head of ALPA, Regional Airline Association, Boeing, etc. all seem to think there's one coming. There seems to be no shortage of applicants for Majors now but that's projected to change.
Originally Posted by
grim04
But that's exactly what your saying. Your wanting to go into this program and you will come out with only limited experience training basic maneuvers to students. That's not experience. The flying public deserves better? How are they getting better if your in the right seat of a major? They aren't. Piloting an RJ in the left seat with 1500 of a smaller plane is a hell of a lot easier to handle than you behind the controls of a 100 to 200 seat airplane?.
I have not applied to the program, I am merely defending the merits of it. Some here are saying it's resentment because it wasn't available to them, some are saying it's about safety, and some are saying it has been a successful model elsewhere.
I cannot comment on the CRJ piloting statement as I've never piloted one.
Originally Posted by
grim04
You are not a pilot and are disregarding every single response to this from pilots. You need experience to fly. Which you need to work on over a few years. If you have no doubt that you build valuable experience then why should there be this god awful program?
I am a pilot, I'm just not a commercial pilot. If you are saying a pilot lacks sufficient experience at 1,500 to become a FO, then they shouldn't be gambling the lives of thousands of people every day while they build that experience at the Regionals. That's what I meant when saying the American public deserve better. I am not saying the better solution is simply to hire directly into the Majors, I'm merely drawing a parallel between what JetBlue are trying to do, and what the Regionals currently do.
Originally Posted by
grim04
Then who's going to fly the regional aircraft if all we do is hire directly into the majors.
Well who do you think is going to fly at the regionals? OK then we should not let any pilot fly at a regional until they have 5000 hours. How's that? Dies that make you feel safer for the public.
How about no one? What do you think? Are 1,500 hour Regional FO's an acceptable level of risk to you? If it's not acceptable, then the model is broken and you shouldn't be comfortable with that idea. If it is acceptable, you'll have to explain why to me.
Originally Posted by
grim04
Then why aren't you taking flying lessons getting your ratings, becoming an instructor then getting a job at a regional going to the left seat then in 4-5 years get on with the majors?
I am. I will likely be with a Regional next year. I may be wrong, but I was under the impression the movement to the Majors was closer to 10 years?