Age 70...nah...they would just get rid of the age requirement all together...and then the problem will be planes crashing due to an overdose of experience of 87 year old pilots taking their last nap at the controls. Or everyone will have to meet Navy Seal Exercise Standards to get an FAA medical...You will have to run 3 miles in 20 minutes and still have a blood pressure of 120/80.

 

Well put.

I would only add that I am NOT paranoid: everyone is out to get me!

 

They said you would say that!

 

I'm coming to this thread late ... 33 pages late. haha

Anyways, if we truly want to fix this profession, we need to pass legislation that creates legitmate education, training and check programs so to create a "barrier to entry" into the profession. This would ensure only the truly qualified would enter the airline pilot career field.

Many nations will not accept an FAA ATPL because its too easy to just study the test, have a buddy check you, and/or pencil whip your flying experience.

It would be nice if our country imposed a college degree requirement (or something similar) in aviation for airline pilots. That degree would be composed of classroom courses in the following; Meterology, Aviation Law, Aircraft Systems Engineering, Human Factors, Physiology, FARs, Flight Planning, Performance / Obstacle Planning / Load Planning, Passenger / Cargo Handling, Communications / Life Support Training, Flight Operations, Security Procedures, and associated collaberative courses in Math, Physics, and English.

Flight training requirements ... single and multi engine (taxi, takeoff, landings, instrument depature/cruise/arrival/landing, holding, approach to stalls, vertical S, steep turns, RNAV, ILS, LOC, NDB or RMI only, VOR, VISUAL, SE approach and landing, traffic pattern, etc)

Flight training device requirements; SWAP, windshear, GPWS, CAT II, CAT III, PRM, stall recognition and recovery, unusual attitude recognition and recovery, V1 cuts, Vmca recovery, high altitude flight (takeoff, climb, cruise, arrival, landing), mountainous terrain, abnormal/emergency training, slow flight (back side of the power curve),

In addition to the degree, graduates will have to work as an apprentice at companies that have an approved FAA apprentice program and/or accept jobs that aren't flying passengers or HAZMAT.

The program will be designed as train to proficiency, but with limits. No longer will your cash pay off some instructor or eventually get you within limits.

Additionally, after posessing an airline pilot certificate, airline pilots will have to undergo computer based refresher training (CBT) every other year. Additionally, as deficiencies are noted in linechecks and/or amplification training as the result of an accident or newly created procedures, airline pilots may have complete time-phased CBTs or they will lose currency.

Finally, all airline pilots currently in the system will be grandfathered but will have to complete a series of knowledge CBTs. Military pilots will also have military transition to civilian training courses, flight training device training, and testing before they are issued an airline certificate.

I know, I'm dreaming. Let the flaming begin...

 

MY COLLEGE DEGREE WOULD ACTUALLY BE WORTH SOMETHING!!!!

The problem with this idea, IN MY OPINION, is that the book knowledge although great, would not have prevented the Colgan accident. The big problem is that being a pilot is a lot like being an athlete, some people are just physically, more skilled, especially under pressure. Some people process information a lot slower than others. (Stall recognition, airspeed awareness while turning, handling mechanical/situational irregularites while staying on course and straight and level). Sure they can train to checkride prep and expect certain things, so they are able to cope in the sim.

So the best test is trial by fire...135 Single pilot IFR is the best thing we have now. The cost of putting someone through the situations 135 Single Pilot IFR is too expensive to be just a training program...there has to be a business profit. And nobody could afford to just by a years worth of 135 Single Pilot IFR.

BTW a lot of what you just spelled out sounds like all the classes I took in my 141 university program. It was informational, but you cant use books and classrooms to prepare someone for real world flying.

The best thing I can think of is getting in your typical sim with a buddy and having him fail RANDOM MULTIPLE things and basically see how far you can push the limits. I used to do this all the time as an instructor with students in the twin sim. It was a lot of fun, we played a lot of what if you lost item a,b,c,d,e,f and g could you do it? I would eventually have students shooting a single engine, no Attitude indicator, no turn coordinator, no GPS, ILS down to 1/4 mile vis and 50 ft. Why? Just because it was one hell of a challenge. By the end of the sessions most of them could do it. Then when we went to the plane their skills were a lot better. Of course I had access to unlimited sim, which was awesome.

 

Sounds like putting even one pilot through that training program would bankrupt an airline, let alone a whole pilot group. One thing you missed is the part where they train you on not becoming complacent? Oh wait I forgot we're human and that's impossible.

 

I think the program is all encompassing. There's the classroom training, the flight training, and sim training. Then the candidate would have to pass real checks with the FAA.

After that, they work in an apprentice program .. or as you suggest, trial by fire provided that they're not flying passengers ... or flying say 4 passengers or less. I don't know .. something to the effect.

I agree with you, people will always make stupid mistakes and will thwart the best training in the world.

 

This is not the airline training. This is YOUR training.

People go to college to become doctors. The hospitals don't hire doctors and send them to school. (Im sure theres an exception .. but not the norm).

 

Scary article I just read:

Babbit says, "new safety legislation not necessary"

New safety legislation 'is not necessary': FAA's Babbitt

 

Wow ... how sad. They want to keep the status quo.

Good post FlightCheck.