Originally Posted by SAABaroowski

the difference between now and years ago is when Airline Pilots started their careers there was no ALL ATP, no Gulfstream Airlines etc..............it was much harder to get into the airlines than it was this past summer, and usually the ones who had experience hailed from the Military, and lets not kid ourselves THERE IS NO BETTER TRAINING THAN UNCLE SAM'S when it comes to flying airplanes!!!!!!!!!!!!

However to play devils advocate there was a time when they put ads in the paper and scraped Pilots off the street with PPL to fly 747's, albeit F/E but I dunno exactly how it went.

The point is the type of person in this profession as changed dramatically. I have flown with guys that are so afraid of EVERYTHING, the FAA, ATC, the Company, the Gate Agent, the F/A, they are basically afraid to make their own decisions and it cripples them as Pilots, as well as CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. Back in the day it was a "Man's Man", you know the type, the grisly Brown Liqueur drinking type of guy that ran the show, didn't take any Sh*t from anyone, could fly an airplane with one wing etc......(much like a lot of Old school Delta,NWA, United, American, TWA etc.......)now its some quasi yuppie nerd who grew up playing Flight Sim, happy with low pay because his parents set him/her up nicely.

Some of you guys may even know him, but when I instructed I worked for Rich Greene, out of Caldwell, NJ (Century) he retired like #14 at American in 2002, he was an Airbus CA, he was very rough around the edges but he knew more about aviation and flying then anyone I ever met, he rubbed people the wrong way, and multiple times people stormed out of his flight school saying he was nuts) but in my mind he was the epitome of an airline pilot, he was kinda rude, insensitive but told you how it was and was in complete control at all times, and would never be told what to do by a Gate agent, but still professional......sorta

The profession has not only lost its pay, and glamor, it is losing good pilots, it is the culmination of our society as a whole, trying to be politically correct, too afraid to speak the truth etc...........

Rant over, I have no idea what I just said but hopefully you guys understand what I am trying to say