B727DRVR

Here we go again...

This is the first step back to the "good" ole days of the mid 1990's, where only the rich kids, Biff, Skippy, and Thad, were allowed to get a regional airline job because their parents could afford to pay $18,000 for their Flight Safety training and hotel for a $16,000/yr. regional job.. Meanwhile, type rated pilots in even the right equipment couldn't get the job unless you paid the money. An aviation caste system in America. What's next, the Age 70 rule?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...NxE0T6K7kq1z9g

Sorry if this sounds a little bitter... Hopefully, it's "fake' news.

Varsity

I read this article. Before I was done I had an email written to my senator on this committee. Please do the same.

jdebrey

How would this affect part 141 students? would the number become even lower than 1,000 HRS?

Really wish airlines would either pay a higher salary, or pay back student loans.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but those 2 options would theoretically solve the "pilot shortage"

JamesNoBrakes

Those are the last two things they would do. As they said in the Matrix, there are levels of survival...

RI830

We get all amped up about the number of hours a pilot may have when hired, but why is that the only matrix that we judge a pilot off of?
Number of hours is only a measure of how long he/she has mindlessly sat in an airplane. It doesn't prove how good of a stick they are, how their decision making capabilities are or whether they can get themselves out of a wet paper sack when asked.

I'm not in favor of dropping the hours to any particular level, but finding a way to assess a pilots skill set prior to plopping them into an RJ. Majors have video interviews, in person interviews and psych tests to gain an understanding of their decision making and persona. A sim session should always be required to include more than the standard pattern to a landing.
I've seen guys with 500 hrs who out fly guys with 2500 hrs. And I've seen 10,000 guys who can't make an assertive decision to save their lives. So to say a guy who has 1500 hrs is suddenly qualified to fly is a joke. In these crashes, there were two people in the cockpit, not just a low time FO.....where is the legislation to increase PIC mins? Many regionals are upgrading guys in 6-12 months, I find this far more dangerous than hiring a guy with only 1000-1200 hrs

Just my 0.02 cents

Bucknut

I had 2300 hours and an ATP with 250 hours of Multi instruction given before I was hired at a Regional. The Instruction that I did helped me with CRM probably the most. One of the best classes I took was accident investigation. It taught me what not to do. My flight experience a long with my education was a good balance. There is something that comes with experience and that is exposure. There are different ways of doing things and that perspective is very valuable. There is a certain amount of inbreeding and misinformation at some of these large Flight schools. I also flew with Copilots that had never flown an instrument approach under IMC until 50 pax were in the back of the airplane. It is the same analogy as having a surgeon perform a procedure on you. Do you want one that has experience or one that has read about it in a book? Practical experience matters!

Nevjets

Pilots prove their skills during initial training. If he doesn't have the necessary skills, they should be washed out. So no need to change anything.

As for upgrade time, you still need 1,000 hours of 121 time before you are eligible. No one can accumulate that much time in less than one year.

Macjet

Wash out? While they still have money on their account? That'll never happen.

iahflyr

All the 1500 hour rule did was shift those poverty wages down to CFI and Part 135 level. Instead of getting on with a regional at 500 hours and being done with regional crap first year pay after one year (At maybe 1,000ish hours TT), now you get crap pay from 250-1500 hours, and get marginally ok pay 1st year at a regional (when before you would be at 2nd year pay by then).

They just need to flat out lower the minimum hours to something reasonable, like 750 or 1000 hours. Putting the "structured classroom training" just creates winners (Part 141 schools or aviation universities) and losers (everyone else).

I argue that the 1500 hour rule made everything less safe. In the past when regionals had plenty of applicants, they could pick and choose the best. Now that there is such a shortage of people with 1500 hours, they are forced to hire people who before would have been previously passed up (Multiple training failures, DUI's, lack of systems knowledge, etc...).

PRS Guitars

So don't sell yourself short as a CFI for crappy pay. I started as a CFI at $20 an hour and was charging $30 per hour by the end of my first year. When I quit to join the Air Force I was charging $55 an hour and took a pretty big pay cut. I was an independent contractor at a large flying club. I had to work hard to build up my clientele. I spent 10 hours a day (unpaid) 5 to 6 days a week, hanging out at the flight school counter trying to pick up new students. Once I started building up my base, I was turning away business from being too busy.

And charge for handshake to handshake. If you work hard have good customer service skills, a good demeanor in the plane and are a competent instructor, people will gladly pay $40 to $50 an hour. One other thing, though time building is your ultimate goal, don't act like that. Focus on the job you currently hold and you will excel at it, which will open doors. This applies to every job you have as you climb the ladder.