I'm not saying that something won't need to change. Yes - I realize that I am in for a more than likely rude awakening if I tranistion to the civilian world. they may be forced to change. The pilots may be forced to change. Something happened.....something needs to change. We'll just have to wait and see.

USMCFLYR

FAA mandated rest
 

Maybe the FAA should force airlines to include a rest day prior to a pilots first flight? It could be paid and included in pilot duty. The company could spring for a hotel. The rest period could start at check in.

Skyhigh

Yeah, and if they do away with commuting and raise mins like they testified to today, the only way theyll get a pilot is to raise wages..the way I see it, this crash will either force a raise increase or Colgan goes back to business as normal (low wages, low hiring mins) when this blows over..i think the second is most likely.

First, calling in sick isn't always as easy as it sounds. It might look easy on paper, but the reality on the ground is that calling in sick rarely goes unpunished. One way or another, through either sick occurrences, more scrutiny, or intimidating calls from management (especially when calling in fatigued), a sick/fatigue call gets some sort of underhanded punishment. Not on paper, not by policy, but in reality it does. End of Story.

Second, long commutes happen. Life happens. I now commute trans-con, and that wasn't my original idea, and lucky for me, it's not forever. But guess what? My base got closed, my new base would have absolutely destroyed my QOL, and other life factors got in the way to where now I commute across the country. Not ideal, but that's how the cookies crumbled. Also, sometimes you have to go get a job, and if that means it's across the country, it's across the country. If you're in a relationship with someone else that actually HAS A JOB that PAYS WELL, guess what again, folks? You're not displacing yourself and family for an under 20K job at a hell-hole. Also, I fight for that jumpseat against enough mainline pilots to know that it's not only regional guys schlepping across the country. Sorry, but there's just as many if not more mainline pilots who trans-con the commute.

Yes they do! I do like getting paid to fly, however, if I was told I had to live in ATL, I would probably find a new career field. That just wouldnt be my cup of tea.

The US should adopt the JAR Ops duty/rest regulations. Much more civilized than the FARs.

As for forced based living… especially in the north east??? Right. I say to management, go for it! Hopefully the regional guys would stake stock and tell management to go sh!t in their hats as the pay just ain’t worth it! Now who is going to fly the plane?

Maybe… and I say maybe these overpaid morons in management will wake up and make arrangements for hotels for the commuter so they would be well rested before their start of duty.

When flying cargo, I slept in the dark rooms. Better than the reclining chair, as long as you did not have a wall shaking window cracking snorer sharing your room.

Where does it say anywhere that the company is responsible for where the pilot lives? If you are dumb enough to commute from Seattle to the NY area for a 1300 dollar per month job on 10 days off all the power to you. If people are willing to go that low including taking flights on cargo planes with multiple stops on a redeye why should the company do anything about it? They're going to have a hard time getting sympathy out of anybody with this crash, not to mention it was mostly due to pilot error because he didn't know how to fly an airplane along with the clueless FO.

Aviation physics #1 law...Sh_t always runs downhill, unless acted upon by an outside force...i.e. a crewmembers' head.

Did I write that the company is responsible for where a pilot lives? It would be nice if the company made hotel arrangements for commuting crewmembers. I know, it aint gonna happen. Thus the commuting aviator is going to have to make sure they have the self discipline to be well rested before reporting for duty.

I do agree that commuting cross country on a freighter does not cut it. Currently crewmembers know their terms and conditions, and hotels expenses are not covered. They accept without any gripes or move on. Management will not change their views on this issue unless either forced to by job action, or by regulatory authorities.

Simple way to solve the wages issue is for companies to pay housing for their personnel just like many overseas carriers do, though I think just the notion would give many bean counters a heart attack. :D