I thought that was Pt. 135 NOT for the ATP.

 

§ 61.159 Aeronautical experience: Airplane category rating.

Link to an amendment published at 74 FR 42561, Aug. 21, 2009.
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, a person who is applying for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category and class rating must have at least 1,500 hours of total time as a pilot that includes at least:
(1) 500 hours of cross-country flight time.
(2) 100 hours of night flight time.
(3) 75 hours of instrument flight time, in actual or simulated instrument conditions, subject to the following:

 

Mod note:
Before this thread heads down a path on defining cross-country time, there are multiple threads on APC regarding the definition of cross-country and what is required to meet the requirement.

USMCFLYR

 

You know what---that's an excellent point too. Not unrealistic at all.

This very idea would go a long way towards combating overall fatigue and exhaustion, which of course directly affects our QOL in and outside of work.

At my company, those type of trip schedules are offered in the monthly bids. Unfortunately there are not always enough as some of us would like. At least not enough to have on a consistent basis. I have brought the issue up to certain folks with an input into scheduling. The usual response is "you're not a commuter--so you don't understand".

They're correct, I am not a commuter. I am, however, wiped-out and exhausted when I have to 'switch-gears' week in and week out. Our human bodies function best on a long-term, stable sleep schedule. I have had periods of time, usually no more than 4-5 weeks, in which all my trips were early AM, which matches our family's schedule at home. There was a noticeable improvement in all areas of my work and personal life.

I cannot understand why this issue is not addressed more. Legislative language isn't even needed. I have to assume that if the will to do so existed, each companies' scheduling dept could make a difference in this one area alone.

Again--great point.

 

Were I to be the FAA head, I would work to have a regulation that requires that every crew member, pilot and FA, have to demonstrate the ability to open AND EXIT THROUGH, the smallest emerg exit of the smallest aircraft operated by their airline.

I'm tired of too fat pilots and too old and/or fat FAs that couldn't evacuate an aircraft to save their life...OR MINE.

T

 

Yes, I do know that for a fact that people make less than regional pilots.

I wrote my response with the colgan F/O in mind. She did have to work a second job at a cafe, and was forced to commute from SEA to her domicile in New York Area. (large metropolitan cities usually go junior -just my observation)

I agree with you 100% that people should evaluate their current status and be smart about taking such a job. Your comment does not apply to me. As (for now) I am content living a modest lifestyle. Back to the topic, it's also evident that pilots have and will continue to pursue low paying flying jobs "in the mean time".

I also thought that a pay mandate would help with the retention of furloughed skilled/experienced pilots. I've met many furloughed or former pilots who work in other professions now (mostly self-employed entrepreneurs or police officers). I have tremendous respect for their decision to pursue other careers despite their passion for flying. I admire their integrity. I'm fortunate in the sense that if I ever get furloughed, I can go back on orders, look for an AGR slot somewhere, chance a "good" corporate flying gig, or fall back into law enforcement.

So, people actually do, and do not take these jobs. In the end, experience pilots leave, and the inexperienced fill the seat. It's always been the case at low paying, experience building jobs. It's good to have a balance of experience in the flight deck. It's alarming, that with the rapid expansion of main line branded regional flying, that we have an fatal accident that resulted from the blind leading the blind scenario.

If the troubled system is unable to be resolved by protest, preaching ideals, or new rules that skate around a critical issue, then what is truly being accomplished? could the BUF accident have been averted if a furloughed main line / experienced regional, or recently separated military pilot have been occupying either seat. The answer I'd like to think is yes! However, it's probable that we won't see them there if they net 1500 a month! Even priceline rate can't get you a hotel for less than a hundred/night in the apple.


Take care

 

10 hours scheduled duty per day, 12 hours max actual duty per day.

12 hours scheduled rest per night, reducible ten 10 hours at hotel.

A mininum of 13 days off per month for everybody.

Positive space commuting.

At least 4 weeks vacation per year (non-cancilble).

No carpet dances for calling in sick or fatigued.

$3000 per month minimum wage.

ATP needed to be hired for part 121.

 

Having an ATP isn't the answer, nor is more hours. Having over 10,000.00 hours didn't save anyone on the Cali Accident. Better decision making process is the answer, and being a bad decision maker is part of it.
Bad things happen to good people, and SLD and the local environment should have been the discussion. They were below 10,000 and were jibbering like fools. They were less than 3000 ft agl and when they stalled they didn't have the altitude to recover and given the icing condition of the wing, Yeager couldn't have saved them. It was a unprofessional cockpit and poor leadership. Not how many or how few of hours they had flying. Cali and many more accidents prove my point over and over again. I'm sure it is easy for all of us to arm chair the pilots decision, but that is what the accident investigations are all about. The blame game is only going to hurt the pilot pool at large as a whole. Yes more hours would be great, ATP yes, more back ground. But people do make mistakes in training and that is were they need to be made. To punish pilots for making decisions that they learn from while in training is foolish and will only hurt all pilots.

 

Hours never said a person nor did the ATP rating stop someone from crashing a million dollar jet. Cali ring a bell? Value Jet? Over and over again, it is the PIC who is responsible for the flight. Colgan's training department I can't speak for, but for the most part what does any 121 training department train for.... worse case scenario's. They were below 10000ft, jabbering like fools, the icing was accumilating faster than they noticed(SLD) what was forecast....SVR ICING. They were downwind for the ILS below 3,000 (i believe) and slowing. CRM was the culprit, and for that we are going to punish the entire pilot population with something that will amount to nothing for the safety of passengers. Regional pilots take a lot of crap, I being one say the mistakes of a few shouldn't ruin our lives.
Nor is a witch hunt going to make this bad situation any better. Chuch Yeager couldn't have saved the passengers due the possible tail stall the occured at such a low slow stall!