Originally Posted by
TPROP4ever
Rick I agree with this. Sad, but I tried to caution people that trusting any government entity to regulate entry into a field they know little about could bite us all in the butt. Well I guess it has happened. It looks like the FAA will be required to make a new certification, call it a 121 commercial. What does this mean? The way I see it we could all (regardless if you are an 801 hr. FO, or a 20,000 hr, 18 year seatlocked major FO) have to go take a checkride for our nice shiney new certificate. We can hope we will be able to do it during PC in the sim, but if not then I wonder, will we have to pay for the DPE and plane for that new certificate?
I know that based on the comments I've seen over the last year, that the majority of posters seemed a bit more concerned about whether you could use this movment to artificially raise your pay in the industry, rather than safety. Well it looks like YOU WON, so let me pat you on the back....sarcasm
I think it will raise the bar, perhaps indirectly, by requiring higher levels of experience and more up-front effort. People with experience have more options in aviation, and may not be attracted by regional food stamp wages.
If current 121 pilots are not grandfathered, then the airlines will have to provide the new rating during a PC. They may just opt to give everybody an ATP, same cost and they were going to have to do that when you upgraded anyway. The tradition in 121 is that they pay for required training, especially after you are already employed.
Any airline which refuses to provide the new rating would probably end up liquidated on the day the new rule took effect...I doubt many FO's would rush to go buy another rating out in town. Most of us have been in the right seat for 3-10 years...not much SJS left.