Originally Posted by
hoserpilot
You laugh at the single pilot freight dogs eh? Well, anything that gets the person flying, in the weather, and making decisions will help. Sitting in the right seat of a C-152 does not help that but it does prepare you to move on the the next step. Most pilots over the last 7 years have skipped the freight, canyon, and Alaska flying that we all used to do. Good thing the majors have not been hiring. This stagnation will help those with less experience get a few hard winters under their belt. You helped prove my point in your post. Acting as the PIC, flying in the weather, honed your instrument and decision making skills. Good for you. I know I'll be safer non-reving in the back of your plane.
I agree. Most people didn't have to do that before they got into the industry. What I am laughing at is the people who think that their freight dog days transfer over to airline flying. You know what my freight was. Checks. Lots and lots of checks. And like I said in my previous post I learned more about decision making during that time than I did flying IFR. After flying IFR for so long the skill of actually flying isn't the problem. It is the decision making that is the problem. I could back in the day take a Navajo and fly a single engine ils down to mins in bad weather and wouldn't think much of it. Thats not the point. The point is I shouldn't have taken that Navajo in the first place because the engine had already had to be shut down several times in the last week. And by taking that plane and losing that engine I have greatly narrowed my available alternatives to make sure there is a safe outcome. The times where my gut told me something was wrong, or to not do something, and I did it anyway were the times I realized that the checks werent worth my life and that what I had done nearly cost me everything.
Now my cargo is far more valuable than a bunch of checks. My cargo is moms, dads, brothers, sisters, my wife and kids etc etc. Anytime now that I feel something is not right I dont do it. I used up all my luck flying checks around. Now sound judgement and not taking unecassary risks is my motto. I know my limits. I know when I am biting off more than I can chew and I just dont do it. My passengers may hate me for it as they are giving me dirty looks while we deplane. That is fine. That is what I am asked to do. Be responsible and take charge. My kids dad is on the plane and they expect him to come home safely every time and that is what I intend on doing.
Here is a little story to illustrate my point:
The owner of a trucking company is looking to hire a driver to carry cargo up and down a mountain. The road is narrow and along a cliff. Three guys showed up for the interview and the owner explained to them the conditions and that great skill would be needed to drive the trucks up the narrow mountain passes. The first guy said, "I can drive the car within 6 inches of the ledge, thats how good I am". The next guy said, "Well I can drive the truck within 4 inches of the ledge, thats how good a driver I am." The last guy got the job when he said, "I will stay as far away from the ledge as I can."