Tool of the day
09-12-2012, 05:52 AM
#2661
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,530
Originally Posted by LostInPA
Totally agree that they are extreme, but still valid. It's fashionable for people to stereotype and bash on regional pilots for 'lack of experience' but I'd say there's much more experience and flight time at the regional level than many want to admit. The majority of people I fly with have been at multiple regionals, myself included. Other 'regional' guys in my crashpad, 'who look young', have international widebody time.
I agree with lolwut's premises about the quality of operations/maintenance/support we see at the regional level, but pilot experience in a stagnated job market is, IMO, low down on the list of problems.
I agree with lolwut's premises about the quality of operations/maintenance/support we see at the regional level, but pilot experience in a stagnated job market is, IMO, low down on the list of problems.
09-12-2012, 05:55 AM
#2662
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,530
Originally Posted by SnoJet440
Wow, thanks for the math. Have you met your wife? JK. If I change the sentence to be 14 years, that would make it more average. Does it change the point that regional pilots are not necessarily inexperienced?
09-12-2012, 06:04 AM
#2663
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: Doing what you do, for less.
Posts: 1,792
Originally Posted by Boomer
For what was probably my last flight at Comair, the crew had a combined 87 years of 121 experience... just at Comair.
(Two pilots and two FAs.)
(Two pilots and two FAs.)
The point still stands that regional pilots, as a whole, are less experienced... sometimes significantly so... than mainline pilots. It isn't meant to be an insult, it is a fact.
That is only a small part of what I was trying to say though. Flying on a RJ makes me nervous because I know how these companies run. Everything is pushed to the limit. Crews with less experience are flying around with the deck stacked against them on a daily basis due to worse (sometimes horrible) support from dispatch, maintenance, training, and management. They're going into difficult airports and doing it many more times per day on less hours of sleep. Everyone also has to admit that there are regional airline pilots out there that couldn't ever cut it at mainline and shouldn't be in any jet cockpit.
Riding on an RJ, thinking to yourself...
I wonder how many MELs this thing has?
I wonder how many hours of sleep the crew got last night?
I wonder what leg this is for them?
I wonder what the conditions are going to be like at this uncontrolled field were going to are?
I wonder if the FO still has a temporary commercial pilot certificate?
I wonder if the captain hates his life and is horribly unprofessional in the cockpit because he can't cut it at any major airline interviews?
I wonder if dispatch even looked at the weather before they sent them their release?
And does that dispatcher have time to even pay attention to them if they have a problem, between the other dozens of flights they've been burdened with?
I wonder if MX had the budget to fix the broken things on this plane? Or are spare parts out of stock once again?
etc etc etc. I could go on for days. The point being, sure, some of this stuff might come up at mainline, but not as frequently or at as high of a magnitude as commonly does at a regional. Therefore, I don't think it is toolish whatsoever to be concerned more about your safety on an RJ. As I stated previously, I even fly the dang things and I'm more concerned when riding on them, compared with mainline.
09-12-2012, 06:09 AM
#2664
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2011
Position: 777
Posts: 495
Originally Posted by lolwut
As I stated previously, I even fly the dang things and I'm more concerned when riding on them, compared with mainline.
09-12-2012, 08:59 AM
#2665
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,026
Originally Posted by lolwut
There are majors flying around with 87 years of airline experience in the flight deck. Exceptions don't matter.
The point still stands that regional pilots, as a whole, are less experienced... sometimes significantly so... than mainline pilots. It isn't meant to be an insult, it is a fact.
That is only a small part of what I was trying to say though. Flying on a RJ makes me nervous because I know how these companies run. Everything is pushed to the limit. Crews with less experience are flying around with the deck stacked against them on a daily basis due to worse (sometimes horrible) support from dispatch, maintenance, training, and management. They're going into difficult airports and doing it many more times per day on less hours of sleep. Everyone also has to admit that there are regional airline pilots out there that couldn't ever cut it at mainline and shouldn't be in any jet cockpit.
Riding on an RJ, thinking to yourself...
I wonder how many MELs this thing has?
I wonder how many hours of sleep the crew got last night?
I wonder what leg this is for them?
I wonder what the conditions are going to be like at this uncontrolled field were going to are?
I wonder if the FO still has a temporary commercial pilot certificate?
I wonder if the captain hates his life and is horribly unprofessional in the cockpit because he can't cut it at any major airline interviews?
I wonder if dispatch even looked at the weather before they sent them their release?
And does that dispatcher have time to even pay attention to them if they have a problem, between the other dozens of flights they've been burdened with?
I wonder if MX had the budget to fix the broken things on this plane? Or are spare parts out of stock once again?
etc etc etc. I could go on for days. The point being, sure, some of this stuff might come up at mainline, but not as frequently or at as high of a magnitude as commonly does at a regional. Therefore, I don't think it is toolish whatsoever to be concerned more about your safety on an RJ. As I stated previously, I even fly the dang things and I'm more concerned when riding on them, compared with mainline.
The point still stands that regional pilots, as a whole, are less experienced... sometimes significantly so... than mainline pilots. It isn't meant to be an insult, it is a fact.
That is only a small part of what I was trying to say though. Flying on a RJ makes me nervous because I know how these companies run. Everything is pushed to the limit. Crews with less experience are flying around with the deck stacked against them on a daily basis due to worse (sometimes horrible) support from dispatch, maintenance, training, and management. They're going into difficult airports and doing it many more times per day on less hours of sleep. Everyone also has to admit that there are regional airline pilots out there that couldn't ever cut it at mainline and shouldn't be in any jet cockpit.
Riding on an RJ, thinking to yourself...
I wonder how many MELs this thing has?
I wonder how many hours of sleep the crew got last night?
I wonder what leg this is for them?
I wonder what the conditions are going to be like at this uncontrolled field were going to are?
I wonder if the FO still has a temporary commercial pilot certificate?
I wonder if the captain hates his life and is horribly unprofessional in the cockpit because he can't cut it at any major airline interviews?
I wonder if dispatch even looked at the weather before they sent them their release?
And does that dispatcher have time to even pay attention to them if they have a problem, between the other dozens of flights they've been burdened with?
I wonder if MX had the budget to fix the broken things on this plane? Or are spare parts out of stock once again?
etc etc etc. I could go on for days. The point being, sure, some of this stuff might come up at mainline, but not as frequently or at as high of a magnitude as commonly does at a regional. Therefore, I don't think it is toolish whatsoever to be concerned more about your safety on an RJ. As I stated previously, I even fly the dang things and I'm more concerned when riding on them, compared with mainline.
09-12-2012, 09:05 AM
#2666
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: Doing what you do, for less.
Posts: 1,792
Originally Posted by RhinoPherret
I could sit and play "I Wonder" all day also about every mode of transportation I use. However, I know I was still a hell of a lot safer flying on that "little jet" than driving to and from the airport or even the local grocery store while dodging all the so called seasoned drivers with many years of experience out there on the roadways. But then I could go on and on about that. Just keeping it all in context.
09-12-2012, 09:26 AM
#2667
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: PPL, Engineer
Posts: 124
Originally Posted by timbo
...if you start talking about god again, i'm going to have to start talking about licking poosay again...and we know how that's going to end.
"here, smell my fingers!"
"here, smell my fingers!"
09-13-2012, 05:09 AM
#2669
On Reserve
Joined APC: Mar 2011
Posts: 10
A few years back I j/s on a 767 to ATL. After making the required small talk about who I worked for & what equipment I flew, the FO proceded to bash my regional co. (former) & their pilots & questioned our experience. The irony is that after bragging about the quality of the pilots who came from her former rj employer she proceded to make a flawless touchdown 2/3 down the runway! Even the Captain was squirming in his seat watching that circus show & took the controls immediately after touchdown. Needless to say we turned off on the last taxiway. You ma'am are the TOTD.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
