Quote:
What 135 op flying boxes, pax, lab work, checks etc is actively hiring pilots right now?
What 121 accident has involved a pilot with less than 1500 hours? And if there is one, was his/her lack of hours directly attributed to the cause of the accident?
Prove to me that a pure lack of experience (less than 1500, 2000, 3000 however many hours) causes aircraft accidents and I'll support the angry mob. Until then my personal opinion is we need to be looking at quality of training. After all this is something that can be backed with examples (Pinnacle, Comair, and Colgan accidents).
Originally Posted by FlyJSH
[/QUOTE=BSOuthisplace;681337]Couple questions for the group.What 135 op flying boxes, pax, lab work, checks etc is actively hiring pilots right now?
What 121 accident has involved a pilot with less than 1500 hours? And if there is one, was his/her lack of hours directly attributed to the cause of the accident?
Prove to me that a pure lack of experience (less than 1500, 2000, 3000 however many hours) causes aircraft accidents and I'll support the angry mob. Until then my personal opinion is we need to be looking at quality of training. After all this is something that can be backed with examples (Pinnacle, Comair, and Colgan accidents).
It amazes me when I hear someone say there is no difference between someone with 500 hours in a Cessna and 1500 hours in the same plane. IF we assume that is true, then a pilot right off IOE is no different than one who has been on line for a year. I sure hope that isn't true. I would like to think each of us is still learning... I know I am.
So what is the difference between 500 and 1500 hours? The 1500 hour pilot has flown in at least four more seasons, has made a several hundred more go/no-go decisions, and probably had to deal with a few inflight abnormalities.
At 1500 hours minimum, the 121 carriers would be competing with the 135 carriers (and the lower minimums) for pilots. Since 135 starting salaries are a good bit higher than current first year FO pay, 121 companies would need to do something to entice pilots away from a 135 job. During the hiring frenzy, at at least one regional offered signing bonuses to new hires. Eventually, wages would rise.
But would the public pay the extra cost? Well, how much extra are we talking? One dollar per seat per hour would increase salaries for both CA and FO by $18,000 for a 50 pax (assumes 80% load factor and 900 hours of credit). So even a trans-continental round trip ticket would only increase by about $8. These are numbers that are comparable to the TSA fees, and those fees did not impact ticket sales.
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I assume you are smart enough to realize that in your scenario, the likely outcome is not higher regional wages, but rather lower 135 pay because everyone will be after those seats to get the hours to move on. Pay for pilots will not increase until ticket prices go back to where they were, and the industry stops outbidding the prices on expedia travelosity and such.