Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
I have never seen the connection of 1000 hours of touch and goes in a 172 to being a better airline pilot. The rules, procedures and flight operations are totally different in part 121 transport category flying from piston VFR.
If a new FO can make it through ground school, the simulator and IOE then they are good enough. If the FAA or management thought that more was necessary then they would have made regulations to reflect that. Why then can't a shortened program be created to provide cadet pilots with what they need and nothing more?
The last two and a half years of airline flying have seen the lowest flight time career entrants and also has been the most safe. There is no connection to first officer experience beyond the minimums and added safety. Why would any airline pay more to get pilots with more experience?
There is no incentive for airlines to pay more. The job is getting easier thanks to automation. Management knows that they can hire wonder kids who are willing do it for free. Unions are in full retreat. The gene is out of the bottle. I wish things were different. We can't fix this.
Skyhigh
I agree. Also, all of the daydreaming in the world is not going to change the law of supply and demand, which even affects military aviation (it's arguably a lot tougher to earn a pilot slot now than it was during WWII, for example). The military is very selective because they can AFFORD to be! However, we do have control over our own personal resume. If you feel that the standards of the airlines today are too low, then go out and raise your credentials (so that you can tell them all about it at your next interview!) After you are hired, it is up to the company/FAA to define what the minimum standards are. Aside from that, accept the fact that some folks are going to have more skill than others, and not everyone is going to be an "uber-pilot!" Sometimes you just have to give someone a chance. In my previous career, I saw new hires walk in the door who I thought would never make it, but as it turned out they did fine and had successful careers of their own (and the world didn't come to an end). And by the way, I guess that all of these airlines around the world that utilize cadet/ab-initio programs have horrible safety records and all of their pilots are incompetent!!!
