tripled

I agree with SAAB,

All it will take is a tragic accident with some low time 'under-experienced' pilots at fault and that airline will be crippled. Wouldn't there be a lot of fall-out if one of the majors lost a whole aircraft of passengers due to 'pilot error'? Other companies may sense blood in the water and that will be that for even some of the biggest companies. And pilots across the board can observe such a tragedy was avoidable if only wages had been higher, making this job more attractive to the sharpest young minds in the country.

frozenboxhauler

I think initially, the answer from the bean counter types would be a loud "YES". I would hope that more rational thinkers in management would be a resounding "NO".

All you have to have happen are one or two accidents and then management will scramble when they are told that the company may no longer be insurable. That really would effect the bottom line.
fbh

seaav8tor

Follow the money.

Alteon, ( Boeing ) came up with this ( MPL ). Who will sell more aircraft and make more money when the crashes happen?

Who will have a major sales pitch to sell new next gen automated RNP, EGPWS, TCAS, Autoland, Autothrottle, Autotaxi, etc.

Boeing.


Next Gen pilots require Next Gen automation.

Oldfreightdawg

First of all, I have to ask the dumb question: what is MPL?

Second, I have to agree in principle with seaav8tor. It's all about money, not safety. On the other hand, pilot compensation as a percentage of pax fares is about 5-6%, while fuel stands at 35%. If you're a manager looking at technology to save money, why would you invest in automation that repudiates pilots?

Then we have to ask ourselves as pilots, why is it that CEO's and others like them earn the obscene amounts that they do. It's not because of the highly competitive nature of the position, or the level of responsibility. In fact, if responsibility had anything to do with compensation then nurses and firefighters would earn much more, and pilots wouldn't find it as difficult to negotiate larger paychecks.

Senior management has placed themselves into a position of power, through tightly control networks and lobbying efforts, to extract their levels of pay. They take it because they can, not because some non-bias compensation committee deems it appropriate. Maybe there is a lesson there for us pilots?

IlliniPilot99

i'm a low time pilot...i hit a bird once in my 172...felt real bad...then i got drunk and forgot all about it....moral of the story...i thought the budweiser ad was hilarious

Oldfreightdawg

I knew a guy who hit a bird once too. It came through the winshield and took his eye and half his face off. I don't think he got drunk drunk though

Moral of the story: when you're a working pilot supporting a family, it's not quite as fun as it used to be.

Good luck kid

chazbird

Technology such as FMS's and auto-throttles are for enhancing operational efficiency, particularly in areas where pilots cannot reasonably perform to the nth degree. Equating the desire to add automation technology because the belief that it will assist in equalizing the lower experience levels of pilots is quite misleading. Using technology proficiently - without negatively impacting other safety factors - is indeed a economic and workload bonus. The rub is getting to that proficiency level. It may now be the case that the overall experience levels currently available for new hires (or in the narrow pipeline) is going to fall short with the training and proficiency demands.

seaav8tor

http://www.icao.int/icao/en/trivia/peltrgFAQ.htm#31

The only shortage that exists is a lack of pilots willing to work under a new paradigm of more work for less money. The MPL will be utlized by the ATA to increase total supply of pilots creating a pool big enough to enable them to meet their needs without the need to raise pay.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/...ess/pilots.php

HSLD

Thread resurrected as an alternative to discussing MPL in the BA777 accident thread

http://www.atwonline.com/magazine/ar...articleID=1876

MPL training video, man they're starting young! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IVohYOQxk0