Atrasaty

At this rate, if you meet the mins and apply you will get hired. "The rest is the captain's problem not the company's!"

The problem is, at the rate we are losing experienced pilots, he will be the Captain before he really knows what he is doing. His FO will be totally green and the rest as they say.........

Whiplash6

Yes, I know. I was speaking for the company. Facetiously. It's a huge problem. I have no idea how atlas will get themselves out of it.

DC8DRIVER

You clearly have not been here for a very long time or worked for a company that had a decent contract. What would, exactly, qualify as a bad place to work for you?

At Atlas, the scheduling, travel, and payroll departments have an inbred culture that constantly circumvents the contract and works to short pilots on benefits and pay. There are constant 20 and 22 hour days after which there may or may not be transportation to a hotel that may or may nor have accommodations for you. Etc., etc.

So, yes, great airplane. But if anybody comes here for the airplane, your sanity should be questioned.

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Atrasaty

I know you knew that Whippy......your observations are always spot on.

Nate2046

Atlas is not in a position to overlook any candidates that meet the qualifications. That being said, you will encounter a lot of the attitude below when you're out on line.

GlobalPizzaMan

I'm going to prefix my statement by saying I've been in the 74 for 4 years, so I'm not belittling anybody, BUT.....
Can someone please explain why the 747 presumed to give "RJ guys" problems. All the difficulties of the 74 as I see it, are operational (fatigue management, Africa, Middld East, language problems, etc.) and nothing to do with flying the plane. It is the easiest, most predictable bird I've ever flown. This is a classic case of pilots patting themselves in the back a little too much. By the way I've done the RJ thing too, 6 legs a day with 24 minute turns and the pressures of D-0 and A-14 in the nations busiest airports, dealing with multiple de-icing in the winters and thunderstorms they can't out-climb in the summer, every layover is 9 hrs and flying 90 hrs block a month......let's give the regional guys some credit folks, and while we're at let's stop over hyping the queen of the skies. She's a doll and you know it.

Whiplash6

The ones who have issues are either not used to the 121 environment and what is expected in 121 training or, simply put, theyre just not strong pilots. Nerves play a big role in ride busts, too. The archaic check ride system is not conducive to building block learning.
Having said that, the training isn't great but it's not the Roscosmos program either. Just my two cents. The good news is, ride busts don't mean anything apparently. I can think of half a dozen people who busted their rides and are now at greener pastures.


But like he said, the real learning begins on the line. That's when you learn you didn't learn a thing.

DC8 Driver

I can only speak for myself; but, my RJ FO's have been awesome. I haven't had any issues with them when it comes to flying the airplane. Maybe a few radio talking issues overseas, but, just small stuff like that. We were all there once and usually after a few legs, they're acing it. I'm on the 76 side and I know you're question was directed to the 74 guys. I just wanted to give my perspective, I've had ex heavy Captains get behind the airplane and I've had ex RJ drivers show me how it's done, impress the heck out of me and visa versa. I flew the 74 for many years and it's not that big of a deal, it's actually a very simple airplane to fly, if guys are making flying a whale a big deal, I think I agree with you that it's a case of "pilots patting themselves in the back a little too much". I haven't seen any of that though.

Atrasaty

It's not the stick and rudder type problems that we seem to be having issues with (other than the multiple pod strikes and hard landings that are a very recent phenomenon,) and I agree the 74 is as easy an airplane to fly that you will find. The 76 is in my opinion slightly more challenging. It takes a lot more than great steep turns and flawless flows to fly a wide body jet between any two random points on this planet on any given day with minimal notice......it takes experience otherwise ideas on the flight deck run out very quickly and the consequences can be harsh. When you throw the extremely low morale into the mix, I'm concerned.

DC8DRIVER

I'll have to agree with Pizzaguy here (with the exception of crosswind/pod strike landings). It's not flying the 747 that gives RJ pilots trouble, it's the culture of the training center. Most regional pilots come from airlines with more of a traditional ground school where the company teaches you the aircraft and how they want it flown. In our 74 program, Atlas throws the books and CBT at you and says "we'll be checking you, better get your butt into a study group". Since the arrival of SA, there has been a bit of a shift, but the culture is slow to change.

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