Wow 70% is extremely high if true. That does sound a little exaggerated though. I would bet it’s down around 15%.

The 70% 'failure' rate could be counting in additional sims, an oral exam failed, failed a procedures training event, etc. not necessarily a type ride.

Must be because I can’t see how any company could maintain a workforce if only 30% were making it through training. I also wonder if this was one small new hire class that had a bunch not make it through?

That has been hashed and rehashed on the Horizon thread. It would appear they went through a rough patch but have largely recovered.

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/h...0-failues.html

Guess the Times ran with shock value instead of investigation. Hell, it worked on me!

“WORLD ENDED TODAY - Film at eleven.”

There are some good reporters out there, but for too many here is the reality - If you had little interest nor time to do in-depth investigation, but had two quotes:

“Commercial Pilots are trained and work had to delivery passengers safely to their destination.” and

“Pilots cut corners and put passengers’ lives at mortal risk of imminent death every day, purely for their reckless pleasures.”

Which has more shock value? Which would you lead with?

The 70% "failure" rate doesn't necessarily mean wash-out. At least 40% of the pilots of the regional I worked had to repeat at least one MFTD, sim or stage check, but very few failed the course.

I think a failure is a little different than an FTD repeat

Just read over on the SW boards that they are scaling back their projected growth and hiring. I wonder if all their pilots immediately freak out and think the sky is falling or accept that this industry is in a constant cycle and there are forever going to be ups and downs?? It looks like oil, capacity, and some other factors are playing a role. Gonna be hard to "eat Alaska's lunch", as some on here have said, if they're slowing down as well.

They’re still a better company all the way around. At least they have a vision, and a history of growth.