Originally Posted by skybolt
SkyHigh, if you really want to help wannabees/newbies gain a better understanding of the industry, you might ought to give more respect to the profession. As it is, your message about the state of the job, which I sometimes tend to agree with, gets lost in your incessant streams of pilot bashing. No one is going to listen to someone who's message seems to come from jealousy and spite.
Have a great day,
SkyBolt
Bolt,
I know that you are one of my biggest fans therefore I enjoy taking the extra time to address your questions.
Airline Captains are included in the training process of new hires. Upon completion of formal training FO's are not expected to be perfect. I myself have witnessed several extremely low time individuals successfully reach the minimums and were allowed to pass into the ranks. I realise that they might have incurred extra supervision from the line Captains but it is a part of their job description no matter how much they might not like it. I figured that you would know this. I am sure that you had a few grumpy captains to deal with. (joke)
I hold airline pilots in what I consider to be a realistic and balanced regard. They are not supermen or hero's. They will not solve world hunger or cure cancer. Their skills are not rare or unique. The job does not require any unusual mental abilities or education. They operate a complex machine on such a regular frequency that it reduces the operators to human automatons. You must be in your 20's to still hold such fantasies so I will not go on.
I don't wish to bring down our nations poor pilots, but what does it serve to artificially inflate their value in the world? Young pilot wannabes are desperately searching for the myth of the gallant stalwart noble airline pilot which was gone decades ago if it really ever existed at all. What we are left with is much more humble and closer to a crane or ferry operator.
I can understand your need to see yourself as something more. What other option do you have? My question to you is are we really serving the youth by telling them bed time stories that really are not true?
SkyHigh
As always I am your biggest fan and enjoy our exchanges.