Originally Posted by
maveric311
Yes these types of pilots can get through a structured airline program very well. Shooting approaches over and over again and getting procedures and profiles pounded into ones head is totaly different than flying the line. But how are you guys going to react when the SH** hits the fan. The lack of experience with stressfull situations combined with the preasure of on-time performance and heavy weather can and does break these guys down. 250hrs is not enough to Safely handle anything that could possibly be thrown at you on the line. Instructing exposes you to intesnse situations and you learn not only how to operate in airspace and busy airports but you learn how to properly respond to stress and deal with the responsibility of being Pilot in Command. What are these guys gonna do if the Capt. (god forbid) passes out or becomes incompasitated. a 250 hrs pilot has never been in the plane by themselves except on VFR solos now he/she is at 30,000 ft with thusnderstorms and icing and has to guide an aircraft full of 50 people safely to the ground on his own. Are you realy ready for that???? come-on, anyone who would say yes to that I would not want to fly with ever!
Go instruct, get ome expereince before you just through yourself out into the world. This job is not a video game.
I second maveric here. Before I made my jump to Brown I was a Waterskier for eight years. I've had 200-400TT FOs do a lot of dumb things, from overlooking items on preflight (oh, the tire just had a little cord showing), to leveling off at 300' AGL and pulling the thrust levers to idle, to arguing with me that I don't know how to fly the EMB! Did you know the Feds will renew your CFI when you are a Captain at a 121 airline? They will because you are in a teaching position. But, that doesn't mean that I can teach judgement or reasoning. That is learned through experience. Shooting approaches in the totally artificial world of the simulator or even in the aircraft late at night doesn't teach judgement, hours of grinding along in a trainer teaching somebody else (done it) or hours of hauling night freight by yourself (done it) will teach you more than you can ever realize.
This is a cyclical market. The airlines have hired people with very low flight time several times in the past. It will happen again. Keep your record clean and keep flying. If you can't handle the cycle, find a different profession.
BBFO