Originally Posted by
Nevets
Here is what ALPA said about that:
Need for Stronger Academic Emphasis
The Joint Aviation Authority (JAA), now the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and FAA pilot licensing requirements are both ICAO-compliant. The single biggest difference between EASA and FAA is knowledge requirements. The FAA theoretical knowledge is simply not as demanding as EASA, which has 14 written exams versus one by the FAA, which is a multiple-choice exam. The EASA exams require the student to be tested for 30-40 hours. By stark contrast, the FAA publishes its exam questions with answers provided so a student can purchase them, study the questions, and pass its single exam. Examination questions are not available for EASA exams in such a manner.
The least demanding Federal Aviation Regulations which govern commercial pilot license requirements (i.e., §61.125 and §61.155) specify the aeronautical knowledge requirements for commercial and airline transport pilot ratings. These rules were written decades ago, when there was no expectation that they would be used as minimum standards to train pilots to take jobs as airline first officers. The requirements emphasize weather and navigation, including interaction with air traffic control. There is some mention of aircraft aerodynamics and human factors, including aeronautical decision making and judgment as well as crew resource management. The regulations allow self-study and many such training courses emphasize passing the test rather than learning the material. We do not feel these requirements are adequate to prepare a professional airline pilot. The ground instruction of these subjects needs to be strengthened with required formal classroom academic instruction and more extensive testing and examination.
The EASA-approved training course for a commercial airline pilot tends to be rather structured and rigorous. FAA should develop and implement a corollary ground school and testing process in FAR Part 121 for all pilots who seek commercial airline careers. Testing akin to the quality of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exams or bar exam for attorneys would benefit aviation by serving as a screening tool to ensure that, in the future, only the most knowledgeable and dedicated pilots join the ranks of airline pilots.
http://www.alpa.org/portals/alpa/pre...-09written.pdf
ALPA is full of crap on this one. Let me guess who will be the accreditation source? You bet it will be ALPA! $$$$$ As someone who has a well earned professional designation of one they speak of, all I can say is this is nonsense. CPA prep classes do exactly what Gleim and them do for the FAA exams (they teach them the exam), and lookie here Gleim does that already for the CPA exams.
Book knowledge is not the answer here. The European model is flawed at best. Who cares if they have the equivalent of a CPA up front. They have imbiciles with 250 hrs in the right seats of A320's. It is still a fundamental lack of basic stick and rudder and instrument skills.
Tightening supply is a GOOD thing to raising wages. It's too bad this is now happening when the majority of the hiring has happened. There are still plenty of people at major carriers with commercials in the right seat (AA73 for example).