Originally Posted by
hiredgun
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.
Neat post! Thanks!
Looks like I am not all so alone. Wait until someone accuses you of having made a "sniper" remark on 50 dead people...
Preemptive surrender is only an option of you see no others hiredgun!
Seeing other peoples points and options is not exactly a hobby of us... holy pilots. We know better, we don't know how to fix it, and we worry about China, and India, and Russia maybe, but the way others say is never the way to fix it. If our pilot population had any pride left discussions like these would be utterly obsolete. The truth hurts. And hurt dogs bark. I'm tired of being cut short money for doing something I believe and think and try to stand up for 121 people every chance I have.
I am tired of being asked to get a "bridge course" to become a functioning robot in a CRJ.
I need airplane knowledge, motivation, the ability to learn, and a good, well paid training captain that became a training captain because he is able to carry himself professionally. Further I do not believe to deserve to sit there unless I can do what the guy on the left seat can, in case he/ she sucks a valve.
The 767/777/747 A340/ A330 and MD11 guys I know (FO & CA) did not get there quickly. Neither did they get to their initial gigs with Commuters before having proven themselves in the field. You still don't get to fly a widebody with 250 hours, so this is a good thing.
The guys/ gals who sit there are at least not some shot to the moon high debt individual who lost his backbone 6 years ago. This is your CAREER people, don't let it be a simple Job and it won't be one.
It will all cook down to people sticking up for each other. No union will ever do this, because the last person the union can really fight is it's pilot member. We are our own worst enemy.