This may need to be posted on another thread, but the childish bickering on other threads, (“Citation-vs-Dash8”, and most Mesa posts come to mind), makes this furloughed ComAir pilot look for thoughtful insight from those I know and trust.
Our government and ALPA are marching, goose-step toward a paradigm shift in airline hiring by proposing ATP's for all 121 carrier pilots. On the surface, this seems a logical step, but intrusive government oversight into pilot's records, and the accompanying tax-payer dollars spent (per CBO estimates of HR3371) will have NO quantifiable effect on safety, and the wishful thinking that airlines will crack-open multi-year contracts to pay more for qualifications completely ignores the negotiating process. A government that proposes millions spent on pig-excrement methane effects on global warming -(an actual program)- has not done a single study on ATP vs. non-ATP rated pilot safety. The catalyst for this is the Colgan crash, regardless of the fact that both pilots had well in excess of 1,500 hours. (others :ComAir/Lexington, Pinnacle/flame-out, FedEx MD11, etc.) Even if those in support of this change get their wish and regionals improve pay and QOL, it's quite possible the majors will contract further (“Hey, we already pay our regional a good/ lower wage, let's grow the regionals”), dumbing-down the industry to the lowest common denominator and further eroding those prized legacy carrier jobs.
Yes, I was hired with less than 1,500 hours, as were my late father (B747-400 Capt.) and brother (B737-800 Capt.)...mea culpa. We'd all be barred from the cockpit because of quantity-over-quality. My instructing slow flight and steep turns in a Cessna for another couple hundred hours will not make me into Capt. Sully or his unknown F/O. Flight instructing, crop-dusting, traffic-watch and like jobs are rapidly dwindling, and may even ingrain bad habits.
Kit Darby's fabled pilot shortage will materialize when age 65 kicks in. Where will we get our pilots? The military's cut to the bone (and all those ex-fighter jocks with less than 1,500hrs. will not be going to the majors OR the regionals), there's a mass exodus from GA training, and socialist Europeans have more freedom with ab-initio that we free Americans don't. On the FAA panel for rule change are flight school directors who are salivating at the chance to bilk students out of more money, (only spoiled rich kids need apply now).As aviation enthusiasts, shouldn't we be promoting our profession and not setting up obstacles for our young Lindbergs and Erharts, telling them you must pay exhorbitant sums to qualify?
The solution? Keep it simple...propose a military-style pipeline for all pilots. Prospective pilots entering training are asked what their goal is, and sent down 1 of 2 pipelines with corresponding license requirements Pipiline A) Casual day VFR flyer-Sport Pilot license. Owner/renter/business types get a combined private/instrument. No more restricted to day/night VFR types and increase safety. (This would be the stepping stone to Pipeline B) Professional Pilot license. Stage check 1-Private/ Checkride 2-Instrument. Stage check3 -Commercial Single/ Checkride 4-CFI.(at this point, those who want to fly commercial SEL leave the program). Stage check 5-Multi, checkride 6- to ATP PTS. Allow more FTD time (only certain FTD's) and count that as a qualifier for Professional License. Students and schools save money and get more of that all important instrument scan.
Too simple? (sorry this was long winded...but I believe this is a critical issue)
In fraternity-NoStep