Originally Posted by
BE19Pilot
The word is called, CORRUPTION. At the highest levels of the FAA and DOT. The FAA is merely covering their asses with this nonsense. In a year or two when the dust settles after the 3407 findings are released. It will be back to business as usual. In the meantime, competent, dedicated and professional airline pilots will be nit-picked to death by the FAA, company check airman with personal agendas, managment looking to make a name for themselves and FAA inspectors that are also trying to get a good job. It's freaking BS.
Usual BS coming from the FAA after the fact. No surprise here. Part 121 training programs are FAA approved and all of a sudden the FAA is hereby questioning its own decision. Training costs money and unless obligated to do so, airlines are not willing to spend more than the minimum amount of money required in order to to meet the standards set by the FAA. I agree that previous flying experience matters. However, european operators are also dealing with low time pilots (250 -300 hours in average). One of the key difference is that european operators have no choice (per regulation) but to invest huge amounts of money in order to provide their new hires with much more than 6 or 8 sim sessions. No secret in aviation, you get what you pay for. The FAA knows it very well but when you are in bed with someone you do not want to give him/her hard time.