Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
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
If an F/O is good enough to make it through training then they are good enough for what? To pass a checkride. In our system they are captains in training and a vital part of a two-pilot crew. In yours they are switch monkeys and ballast in an emergency or abnormal scenario. You give the FAA too much credit for "knowing what's necessary". In my 15 years of airline experience I have seen them mandate sound training policy to my employer but too many times it is onerous, wasteful, unnecessary and inadequate. As far as low-time entrants to the industry being safe, I've been on jumpseats more times than I like to remember in the last few years where it's evident the 500 hour wunderkind is sucking wind, the other pilot is carrying them and they're in way over their heads with little a notion about swept-wing jet flying. These are not single pilot aircraft and are not safe to be operated as such when one pilot isn't up to the task. Your assertion that the job is getting easier due to automation only holds an ounce of credence if everything runs perfectly smooth with ideal weather, no system malfunctions, emergencies, traffic delays, icing etc. Automation can't compensate for lack of experience when the sh1t hits the fan and didn't help Sully do his job any better on that day in the Hudson. You speak with great confidence in your opinions of F/Os needing only a couple of systems CDs and a few bounces in the sim, quite a luxury for a C150 captain. We can't fix this eh? That's the spirit! Preemptive surrender. Punting on 3rd down. How's that worked for you? What was your recipe for the future of F/Os in the industry? Oh yah, "good enough to get by". Hope your standards are higher when you fly the 150.