Airline hiring requirements are not the problem… it’s the lack of discipline demonstrated that may be a leading contributing factor to air accidents. Nonchalant behavior has been the cause of many accidents including but not limited to CFIT. Many policies and procedures, be them mandated by a country’s aviation agency or by the company’s airline are established to protect us, cabin crew, passengers, and the jet from ourselves. The airlines’ training and checking program, which is part of flight operations, set tone and discipline of their cockpit environment from basic indoctrination through the line check.

Colgan is not the first carrier to have a flight officer to slip through the cracks during the hiring process… and perhaps not the last one either. This may be an awakening for airlines to perform their true due diligence when considering applicants for employment under the Pilot Record Improvement Act of 1996.

Carriers should adopt a program for first officers contemplating upgrade must operate in winter conditions for a full season.