Originally Posted by
keiundraj
I talked with a 54year old 777 Cpt. the other day and he said he was hired straight out of college with 200hrs and 10multi directly in to the 727. (Braniff) This isn't the first time there's been a pilot shortage and the airlines have done what they had to fill seats. Question is.... Has safety been jeopardized? History says no...... I just don't get it, why are people so mad at low time pilots?
Cited from
http://cf.alpa.org/internet/alp/2001/feb01p18.htm
The jet boom (1965–1968)
People like Juan Trippe of Pan Am and Howard Hughes of TWA had no intention of inaugurating a pilot shortage when they began buying jets in the late 1950s. But these whisper-quiet magic carpets caught on quickly with a newly affluent flying public, beginning an era of glamorous travel, with Sinatra crooning "Come Fly With Me" in the background. The airlines hired pilots as fast as they ordered jets. United famously hired zero-time college graduates and paid for their training—from scratch!
The 727 had a thing called a "Panel". The Panel had a guy sitting in front it (sideways) called the "Flight Engineer". FE's did not actually fly the airplane. Your friend probably spent some time sitting at the panel.
Also, airline safety statistics in the late 60's were quite poor compared to today...do some quick research, there are lot fewer airliners and a lot more accidents. You probably don't remember those little kiosks that sat in every airport...and sold per-trip life insurance
