Originally Posted by
rjboy
I hope everyone can agree that regionals are having more accidents at least in part because rapid growth and diminished pay has resulted in lower hiring standards for pilots. Not saying this is specifically true of any specific pilot who has had an accident/incident, but as a generalization. Maybe these events will help the flying public/mgnt realize that lives are literally in our hands every time we go to work and that to attract the best pilots you have to pay them what they are worth.
The public knows we're paid crap. There's a big difference between what someone knows vs. what someone wants to believe. There have been numerous articles and news stories on the wages in the regional industry. Heck, we had Sullenberger make the same statement on live national news in front of Congress and still - nothing. People just block this stuff out. If anything interrupts there little "$49 each-way utopia" then they don't want to know about it.
And you can be rest assured management doesn't care either. The airlines and executives are insured for any kind of accident, regardless of the level of negligence, and have golden parachutes if all else fails. So why WOULDN'T they continue to do business as usual? Because the FAA might give them a slap on the wrist or a little fine for pushing it?