I agree, it far too easy for a military pilot to become an airline piot. I'll assume for a moment that you'll bar your F-16 friends from getting an ATP, just because their jet isn't a twin. While I wasn't a military pilot, do you really consider a F-18 a twin? After all, it has two engines mounted side by side. What about the thousand of military pilots hired at the majors with less than 2000 hours? I guess they just don't have what it takes. We need to cut back.
The funny thing is that it was the major airline pilots of the 80's and 90's that gave away the regional flying. Most of those pilots were ex-military. So in one respect, it's the military pilots that brought this industry down. Thank god there is some civilian trained pilot to blame.
The real issue is that the very pilots that complain about the loss of flying to the regionals are the only ones who can take it back. You just don't have the backbone to do it.
Originally Posted by
Rhino Driver
I disagree. The military is the best example of this and proves there is nothing unconstitutional about standards and barriers to entry. Not every pilot wants (wanted) to fly in the military, but thousands of applicants are turned away each and every year because they don't or can't meet the standards.
What should the standards be for a PROFESSIONAL AIRLINE PILOT? Well, I'd say to start with, EVERY pilot occupying a seat in a 121 operation should be required to have an ATP. Maybe the requirement for an ATP should be raised as well, say 2000 hours total, or which, 1000 hours are required to be in multi-engine aircraft. Maybe a college degree should be required as well to obtain an ATP. We do want this to be a PROFESSION and not a trade right?
I'm quite certain the majority of the flying public has no idea the person sitting in the right seat of any given RJ may in fact be a 23 year old, 300-500 hour wonder, with little to no experience. I once had an RJ CA tell me that one of his FO's flew his first ever IMC flight with him on an airliner for goodness sake. This is ridiculous! No wonder this industry is where it is today. You may argue that even the majors have hired low time pilots in the past, and this is true, but the majority of those guys were sitting on the panel and not at the flight controls as they are today.
I'm sure there are countless good reasons for raising the bar, safety being one of them. It's currently too easy FOR SOME to become an airline pilot! This should be a profession of standards, and high ones at that. Until we raise the bar (ALPA/FAA), I'm affraid not much will change.