Regional Airline Experience
 

You guys will find this funny as I know I did, there was a previous thread on here about an ABC run news story...well this is actually where they got their information. Watch the video, you will be laughing by the end...people just don't know what the hell they are talking about sometimes.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S331920.shtml?cat=1&v=1

hello, and welcome to the month of February

Quote:
"5 EYEWITNESS NEWS points out that Mesaba and Pinnacle, NWA’s primary regional parters, do require more experience than most in the industry. Pinnacle pilots are required to have 1,000 hours of experience and Mesaba requires 650."

9E only hires FO's with 1000 hrs? Really? LOL!

BTW, I think this article or one like it was posted in the last month.

To the best of my knowledge only two airlines are holding hard to the 1000/100 mark (SKW and RAH). Even XJT is well below that mark. Yes SKW will interview at 850 hours but only if you have over 200 hours of 121 experience.

Some minor inaccuracies notwithstanding, I thought it was well done. The only laughable idiot was the RAA rep. He basically says the guy you want flying your airliner should be young with as much XBOX time as possible.

Like when they talk about BIGsky hiring mins...it's kinda of hard to hire when the company doesnt exist anymore

Yes and there's not that many computers (like the one he’s talking about in the RJ’s) up front in the B1900.

djroqs03d,

Could not agree more with what you said. I was myself one of these highly dangerous, unsafe and inexperienced MDs performing surgeries fresh out of medical school years ago before moving into aviation. Luckily and apparently miraculously with less than 250 hours of surgical time, I did not kill anybody;) This video is indeed pathetic but don't you think guys that our fellow NWA colleague deserves an award for the relevance of his analysis of the current situation. I am more than willing to contribute:).

Skull

Yeah they got that completely mess up. Their Mesaba "info" was wrong as well.

So just to clarify, you abandoned your surgical career to fly an RJ?....... riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Yes, yes, they got all the mins wrong. The point of the story is valid and accurate. Cockpit experience in the regional sector on average is much lower than it used to be and it's a problem. The Northwest ALPA guy is trying to make a very valid point, namely you get what you pay for.

I actually did after 5 years of practice, including two here in the US. I was finally able to afford flight training and to fulfill my passion. I come from a country where standard education is almost free but flight training as you know it here is prohibitively expensive and only affordable to very wealthy individuals. As far as medical practice, no regrets whatsoever. It was just hell.
So can I keep flying my RJ Captain?

Skull

Yes but the general public doesn't see his comments that way, in other words they can't read between the lines. In order for the paying public to understand this it's going to need to be posted in front of their faces every time they buy a ticket.

Warning

You have purchase a low fare ticket that has one or more connections on a regional carrier. Due to the ultra low cost you are willing to pay these carriers have been forced to hire ultra low time pilots who are willing to work of low wages. After all you get what you pay for.

Thank you Joe Moran and best of luck in your travels!

Seriously? Did you finish your residency? You were a fully licensed, board certified surgeon in the United States and quit to become an airline pilot post 9/11?

Sounds about right.

Does it scare anybody else that doctors call what they do "practice"?
:p

Deez340,

I came here through an exchange program and the intent was to complete residency and to take the board examination at the end. Then a private medical device company offered me a full-time research position and a path to permanent residency. I then started to work only 50 hours per-week (huge improvement in QOL believe me) and did all my initial flight training part-time over several years.
Now, back to the initial topic. European commuters generally hire pilots fresh out of flight school with an average total time of 300 hours. They usually fly with 1500-2000 hrs captains. Interestingly, european pilot students exposure to IMC, congested ATC area is significantly less than here in the US, yet PTS are exactly the same. So far, their safety record is almost unremarkable. Additionally, airline training at the commuter level is almost identical to ours. Overall, just looking at the most recent accidents involving commuter airlines, I do not see a clear pattern of inexperience as being the primary factor in these accidents. Your take on this.

Skull

I love the media.

So let me get this straight. They want more pilots with 2500 hors of experience to fly for a regional. And how should people get the 2500 hours? By flight instructing for 3 or 4 years and living below poverty line? But wait!!! It's worth the sacrifice because once you get to work for a regional you get to make a whopping 20K a year!!! You get what you pay for...

I agree.....

Although I don't agree that they should carelessly quote false information, you have to remember this is the MEDIA!!!!!

Actually, they specified on their website that they received the information from airlines/pilotjobs.com, which I take to be pilotjobs.com (atp's job site) and it in fact says 1000 hour minimum. 2500 competitive.

http://www.pilotjobs.com/default.las...line&airline=8

he is not the only one. you think flying is tough on your qol? at least in the aviation career it gets better with seniority. its almost never ending in a hospital, and if you want to move up you better be prepared to kiss a lot of butt.

You'll never convince these guys on here of that...they are far too bitter that they had to sit right seat in a C172 for two years ;)

I completely agree with all of what you said. Now my $.02...I think that the incredible need of Pilots state-side, coupled with the relative ease in obtaining flight instruction, has allowed many who probably should not have ever gotten into Aviation the opportunity to do so. Years ago, only the best and most-determined made it through. Now they could train a monkey to proficiency in a CRJ. And only exacerbating the problem is the epidemic of Automation, which continually brings the "weakest link" lower and lower down the chain, further masking the deficiency in skill and proficiency.

Very well said! I don't think I could have put it better.

"You'll never convince these guys on here of that...they are far too bitter..."

Naw, just know better. Get in the left seat and we'll see if you still preach it the same. Why is it you never see Capts saying F/O experience levels mean nothing?

You got one thing right, though, you'll never convince these guys on here....

Uh didnt a Continental 757 land on a taxiway in EWR two years ago. I'm sure those pilots had the "better aviator" experience you claim. This contradicts your argument. It amazes me how the media attacks regionals, when it happens at ALL levels of aviation or did you forget that. So I guess there is no such thing as a C/A with 20000+hrs acting unsafe. Maybe you should read NTSB reports more often.

Don't forget that SWA and Alaska have both done that very same think in SEA.