milky

This reporter mostly got it right. I hope the flying public finally understands what most of us here know (whether you are experienced enough to understand it yet or not): Regional pilots are less experienced than those at the majors/legacy/big boys. Most of the time, I don't think it matters much since the autopilot works well with an inexperienced pilot as well as with an experienced pilot. The issues come when there are emergencies and when headwork comes into play. Pilots that are willing to fly severely fatigued the way many regional pilots are forced obviously don't know enough yet to know better. You can flame away regional guys, but I know that young pilots always think they are better than they really are.

Maybe the flying public will start demanding airlines to hire experienced pilots. Not likely, but maybe. If so, the scope issues you guys at the big boys complain about would be fixed since the regionals would have to disappear.

From all that I've read, it turns out people like their pilots seasoned by things like military flying. Now the question is whether or not they will pay for it.

thrustsetrj200

You are ridiculous and have no idea what you're talking about. You obviously don't have any experience with 121 flying. I also find if funny when you say "maybe the flying public will start demanding airlines to hire experienced pilots". Since when did the public have ANY influence on who the airlines hire? Never have and never will. It's all about da money honey. ha ha...you just made my day with that one.
Ugh. I can't believe I just spent 2 minutes of my life responding to your ignorant and pointless statement. barf...go away.

tomgoodman

If so, they will want those pilots to have gained that experience flying other people around, or maybe flying an empty airplane for a few thousand hours, at someone else's expense.

thepotato232

Never? It was clearly at least a matter for consideration at one point.

Of course, that was also when the majors were hiring wet-ink private pilots for the other seats as long as they had a college degree. What's old is new again, I suppose.

Blkflyer

How about the Airlines start charging people the true cost of a ticket how about the airlines stop eroding our QOL and Pay.. I can go on and on but I am still upset over current events..

You are a TOOL go AWAY

withthatsaid182

You are resurrecting the ever-present debate on APC on how to determine a pilot's experience, what they should fly and how much they should be paid.

Granted some younger less experienced guys may freeze up behind the controls during an emergency but so may guys with 10 years at an airline. You may find some younger guys who in 1000-2000 hours of flying have had a few emergencies or maybe an incident or accident. Some guys may fly their entire career and never bend an airplane or have an emergency.

If you get the opportunity to fly for a 121 carrier you will find out quickly that it is nothing more than a group of sleepy pilots. We do not always operate while severely fatigued. We do often fly fatigued but that just comes with the job. Guys are not trying to be heroes and are not necessarily being unsafe by flying fatigued. Part of being a professional pilot is being able to operate under adverse conditions and being fatigued is one of them. It has nothing to do with experience or hours. Tired pilots are everywhere!

I'm a young pilot and I'll be the first to tell you that I'm a moron. I do not want to be a hero and I do not try to do things out of my capable range. I like the many of the others in the "younger" pilot generation am just try to make a humble living. I studied hard during training and learned the airplane the best I could and I use what stick and rudder skills I have to do a half way decent job at operating the thing.

If I sound like I'm just a flaming, inexperienced regional guy, don't worry, I know I am, however I go to work everyday do a decent job and tell a few jokes, most of all I pride myself in not being an ass like a lot of guys out there who have something to prove.

The regional/commuter airlines historically hire low time/experience guys. This is nothing new. The culture has significantly changed and the definition of low time has changed as well. Training, aircraft design and CRM has allowed this culture shift. The fact that we still have guys ranting around about "these damn kids bringin' down the industry" is just creating more pilot disunity. It is getting old.

That's my rant for the month. Time for charge my Ipod and buy some more hair gel.

thrustsetrj200

Oh come on you know that was a dumb statement and I can't figure out why you're trying to stand up to this tool. That "proof" you gave us in the link was a simple marketing idea. That's it.

Farva

While I can see your point I dont think it will make much sense since there are a few varibles that need to be looked at. Number One, military aviators are staying in the military longer and flying less. In the 70's returning military aviators would come home from Vietnam with thousands of hours of combat time and would have that gray haired experience. Now the military is cutting back flying to a minimum to keep within there budgets. Number Two, young airline pilots who got hired within the last few years at the regionals come in all shapes and sizes. Some are two hundred hour wonders from Jet University and others spent several years working on the licenses and instructor certificates while getting a college degree, and then there are some with a few thousand hours and have a few gray hairs. It still doesnt matter though because we all go through the same training program and the same PC's and Oral exams. If we dont pass we are kicked out, if we do pass we then go onto OE and then start our real experience building. We all have to start somewhere. Number Three, Back in the 60's and 70's, Major Airlines like Northwest, American, United, and Delta would hire off the street guys with just there Commerical Multi-engine. In fact they youst to advertise in magazines about becoming a airline pilot in just a few months and flying a 727 right off the bat. Now in todays world we get hired off the street to a regional and are flying Saabs, Dash's, CRJ's,ERJ's, and ATR's. So I dont find the argument about us not getting experience because what happened to the guys flying the 727's and 737's back in the day. They too had to gain experience and so will we.
Rant Over back to spongebob with the kids.

-Farva

Purpleanga

Most of the flying public does not care about the experience level of the pilot as long as the price is right. They will either take that plane or spend 17 hours trying to get from NY to ORD. They know that flying is very safe to begin with, to be concerned about experienced pilots is to be worried about crashing which is probably the last thing a pax expects when they step into an airplane.

We all have to start somewhere, they Doc in ER who is responsible for saving your life after a major accident gets 15K per year and sleeps in a hospital bunk on call 12 hours a day. Same principle.

eaglefly

I'm a regional Captain with 16,000 hours and 30 years flying experience. Learned to fly as a teenager. There are HUNDREDS senior to me at my airline.

Where do me and the rest of the wide-eyed kids at my company fit into your neat little declaration ?