Originally Posted by
Rather B Fishin
We as pilots also have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. As a group goes, we're a pretty humble bunch (for the most part). Someone say's "nice landing", we say "ahh even a blind dog finds a bone once in awhile.." Why not start saying "Thanks, yeah it was pretty challenging up there today." Some one say's "look at this new 777 (or now 787) it looks pretty complicated." We say and I qoute the Discovery series on the 777 development "Nahh with this technology there's a button I push to t/o and another one I push for landing." Why not start saying "You are correct, thats why our most senior and experience pilots fly this airplane."
Let's stop selling ourselves short and diminishing the awesome responsiblity we possess. I don't know of any other profession that requires the training, education, skill and responsiblity that doesn't take credit for it and are not ashamed to say so. I'm writing my letter TODAY.
I agree 100%. A little over a year ago I was having a similar conversation with the Captain. We were talking about an experience I had while jumpseating out of uniform. I was standing at the front of the jetway when three business travelers were looking from the jetway into the cockpit. One of them said, "that looks incredibly complex. I wonder if they really have to know what everything does?" One of his counterparts replied immediately, "they don't do anything. Those computers do all the work." And on they went.
I was recounting this to my Captain and I was wondering out loud with him if are in fact our worst enemies. When there are thunderstorms enroute or at destination we say "there are rainshowers". Windshear we make a PA saying "gusty winds". We have become so good collectively as well as they system that supports us that we haven't had a deadly plane crash since Comair 5191. While unbelievably admirable, like anything else in life, something that appears to be inherently reliable tends to be taken for granted. Passengers seem to think that the "Easy Button" is pushed on takeoff and all is well. They don't realize the years of training and experience it takes to make that happen.
Since that conversation I began making honest PAs. It lets passengers know that there are hazards but that we safely brought them through those. Time and again. My pre-takeoff announcements also include something like "our takeoff weight today is approximately 340,000 pounds. To get us airborne we have two General Electric engines that are producing 112,000 horsepower. The fuel we will use to get to California is approximately 9,000 gallons." I do that because I often find people are amazed at these numbers and that planes can even fly. When deplaning, I see many more people acknowledging us as they leave the airplane.
I think Sully and crew at USAir reminded the public this week of the extraordinary skill, critical decision making and value in experience that pilots must possess. I doubt anyone will say he's overpaid. I think this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to remind the public what we do and that people like him may not always be around to command your plane if wages and working conditions don't improve. If they don't, people won't continue to come into this profession as the law of capitalism will dictate that those with the best skills will go where they are rewarded. Failure to have to the best qualified guys up front could be catastrophic the next time.