Mesa Terminates Pilot Training Program (FMN)
#51
I'm curious detpilot, what 121 experience are you drawing from. How do we know you won't freeze up when you hit the line? I'm not knocking either route, I just feel you are hard stanced about a group of people you honestly know nothing about.
I am exposed to a lot of arrogant 200 hour-ish guys (not in 121) at my school who are p***ed about the 1500 hour rule, and honestly feel that they are just as experienced as an ATP. That's simply not true.
No one is arguing that a 300 hour guy can do the job- hell I would have taken the job if offered to me when I had 300TT. But, when the crap hits the fan, and your family is in the back- which FO would you want the captain to be discussing his possible alternatives with? Which FO would be more likely to stand up to a captain doing something wrong?
It's not just about the number of hours- it's about experience, confidence (standing up to another pilot for what you know is right), and think-outside-the-box ability. And you don't have to be a 121 pilot to understand that, hell even congress gets it.
#52
I was a checkairman at my previous 121 carrier. Most of my OE's were 1300-1500 hour flight instructors and I can count on one hand the guys that had trouble getting through OE. I talk to friends who were/are LCA's at a couple of regionals who hire the "300 hour wonders" and they had some really scary stories to tell me. From what they told me, they had a much more difficult time bringing those guys up to speed than I experienced. What detpilot said is right on the money. A CFI who's tooting around the pattern VFR is not who we're comparing. It's about quality CFI time. I was lucky and worked at a college where each semester I had a combination of private, instrument, commerical, and multi students flying in challenging weather and airspace. That flight time and experience was worth its weight in gold and gave me a great fundamental flying foundation to build my 121 career on.
As for statistics, I think we're going to see more accidents over the next couple years from regionals who have low hiring standards. I really hope I'm wrong. I think it's going to be a combo of lack of fundamental skills, command ability, and professionalism. Couple that with the stagnation in the industry right now, and we're going to see the statistics change. Again, I hope I'm wrong.
As for statistics, I think we're going to see more accidents over the next couple years from regionals who have low hiring standards. I really hope I'm wrong. I think it's going to be a combo of lack of fundamental skills, command ability, and professionalism. Couple that with the stagnation in the industry right now, and we're going to see the statistics change. Again, I hope I'm wrong.
#53
You know, it's funny... from a "building skills" standpoint, flying a jet airliner (especially from the right seat) sucks. When was the last time you flew into an airport without an ILS? How many missed approaches do you do in a year? How many ILS's down to mins do you do in a year? Do you have any kind of scan left if you're flying a plane with glass? Somebody is in the left seat to make all the hard decisions for you. The point I'm trying to make is that you don't build very good fundamental flying skills on a jet airliner.
Now, I flew the Brasilia in the Mountains and out West for six years... that's a different story!!
Now, I flew the Brasilia in the Mountains and out West for six years... that's a different story!!
#54
But as time passed and mesa right seats got harder to fill, the standards plummeted like everything else over there.
You can't take the average kid and put him in that position and expect everything to work out great. Those kind of programs require above-average raw-material...and I'm not referring to daddy's credit rating.
#55
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 191
I agree MAPD was technically sound at one point. Some mature adults could take that training and combine it with their judgement and experience from their previous life and do OK.
But as time passed and mesa right seats got harder to fill, the standards plummeted like everything else over there.
You can't take the average kid and put him in that position and expect everything to work out great. Those kind of programs require above-average raw-material...and I'm not referring to daddy's credit rating.
But as time passed and mesa right seats got harder to fill, the standards plummeted like everything else over there.
You can't take the average kid and put him in that position and expect everything to work out great. Those kind of programs require above-average raw-material...and I'm not referring to daddy's credit rating.
#56
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,921
You know, it's funny... from a "building skills" standpoint, flying a jet airliner (especially from the right seat) sucks. When was the last time you flew into an airport without an ILS? How many missed approaches do you do in a year? How many ILS's down to mins do you do in a year? Do you have any kind of scan left if you're flying a plane with glass? Somebody is in the left seat to make all the hard decisions for you. The point I'm trying to make is that you don't build very good fundamental flying skills on a jet airliner.
Now, I flew the Brasilia in the Mountains and out West for six years... that's a different story!!
Now, I flew the Brasilia in the Mountains and out West for six years... that's a different story!!
#57
300 hour wonder?
I was a checkairman at my previous 121 carrier. Most of my OE's were 1300-1500 hour flight instructors and I can count on one hand the guys that had trouble getting through OE. I talk to friends who were/are LCA's at a couple of regionals who hire the "300 hour wonders" and they had some really scary stories to tell me. From what they told me, they had a much more difficult time bringing those guys up to speed than I experienced. What detpilot said is right on the money. A CFI who's tooting around the pattern VFR is not who we're comparing. It's about quality CFI time. I was lucky and worked at a college where each semester I had a combination of private, instrument, commerical, and multi students flying in challenging weather and airspace. That flight time and experience was worth its weight in gold and gave me a great fundamental flying foundation to build my 121 career on.
As for statistics, I think we're going to see more accidents over the next couple years from regionals who have low hiring standards. I really hope I'm wrong. I think it's going to be a combo of lack of fundamental skills, command ability, and professionalism. Couple that with the stagnation in the industry right now, and we're going to see the statistics change. Again, I hope I'm wrong.
As for statistics, I think we're going to see more accidents over the next couple years from regionals who have low hiring standards. I really hope I'm wrong. I think it's going to be a combo of lack of fundamental skills, command ability, and professionalism. Couple that with the stagnation in the industry right now, and we're going to see the statistics change. Again, I hope I'm wrong.
#59
2. Merciless training standards. If you show up for a hop and don't have your knowledge items down cold, the hop is cancelled. If you can't perform in flight, you generally get very minimal remedial training. Generally speaking, three failures and you're out...you can't just pay more money and train to proficiency.
Out of those carefully selected applicants, the failure rate is still high, although variable depending on demand.
#60
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post