Please elaborate on this. There are those that think regionals, people with lower TT, and pilots willing to take low pay to fly are the death of aviation. There must me a reason RJ hire the people they do.

 

It will be no surprise that someone with recent experience in a regional jet will be better positioned to adapt to the 170 than someone without that background. For example, quite a few of our folks come from the EMB-145...both right and left seat. These folks have filled most of the learning squares already...the 170 has a slightly different FMS, a more advanced autoflight system (primarily autothrottles), and a different flight control 'feel'. These folks generally have few problems in our program. For them, the experience is one of 'adaptation'...taking what they already know and doing it in a slightly different way.

The 'new guy with not a lot of hours' is something else entirely. This person is typically a FO with a prop background (piston or turbine) from a smaller regional or sometimes corporate outfit. Or this person may be even less experienced...and have light twin or single engine time in a non-airline environment (night freight, for example). For all of these people, the demands of our program are elevated, especially for those coming from a non-airline background.

But these folks too are 'trainable', but obviously they may start off slower than someone with more experience (the 145 person). If this person has the basic skills, it's not unusual for them to have caught up with the more experienced person towards the end of the program. Our program is a 'firehose' training experience...some can handle this level of intensity and some cannot. Most have proven they can.

There is no doubt that low experienced people are getting hired into regionals. They are coming to our program. It's not my place to pass judgment on this...it's mostly a function of supply and demand. My job is to teach you, not be judgmental about your background. If you can jump through the hoops, you will pass. If not, then you are out of luck.

Competency is a difficult thing to define. My idea may be different than yours. One thing is certain. Age and experience is something that can only be gotten one way...living long enough. Competency involves one heck of a lot more than just flying an ILS. Our airline operations are so 'canned' today that the importance of individual competence has been marginalized by the structured operational environment. Usually things go according to plan...in this case, a person's background is relatively unchallenged.

It's when 'stuff happens' that the issue of competency arises. Simply put, someone who has been there before is far more likely to find a way out of a problem than someone who has not. This experience is only gained the old fashioned way. Sometimes this becomes an ego problem, particularly with young folks. I have no sympathy for these people. This is a demanding business, and hurt feelings or bruised egos are often part and parcel of the training and learning experience. Those who can accept this are much easier to teach and are far more successful at learning.

Yes...I've seen 'trash talk' here. That's exactly what it is...trash. I have had the pleasure of working with some extremely talented young and inexperienced people in the 170 program. I am as proud of their accomplishments as they. The fact of the matter is that these folks can do the job. But not all of them. In a former life, I was a USAF Fighter Weapons School instructor...not everyone that came through our program was all that 'competent'...not to mix apples and oranges, but 'competency' is relative. Some get it, some don't.

 

All I meant to say was that attitude trumps experience in a training environment.

Those with a desire to learn who apply themselves are not necessarily held back by thin logbooks. I don't know how to say this more clearly...attitude is everything. Most of the time. In rare cases, attitude by itself is not enough. In those cases, the person is not qualified for the 170 (left or right seat) and must find employment elsewhere.

Regional companies hire those who apply. These days, that seems to be relatively low time or experience pilots. That's apparently the nature of the business right now. My guess is that 100 seaters are redefining the airline business. If that becomes the case, then so be it. All I can say is either get on the train or get off...it's leaving the station whether someone is on it or not.

 

If you are training in CLT, I'll probably see you! Bring money...I like red beer!!

 

Is the E170/175/190/195 more difficult to train on than say the E145/CRJ? You've mentioned a couple of times that it has the "big iron" feel and that sometimes causes problems for people, so I was curious.

 

I've not checked out on the 145 so I can't speak too much about that jet. The 170 avionics is marginally more complicated than the avionics in the smaller Embraer...FMS more advanced, autothrottles, engine out characteristics perhaps more pronounced due to the engine location.

A small percentage of our students have had a difficult time adapting to the 'jet' feel...these typically are pilots with no jet time. They seem to have problems adjusting to the higher speeds, climb rates, etc. For example, one person who failed to finish the program came from light twins (Seneca)...he just never caught up to the airplane...from the takeoff on, he was behind and couldn't get up to speed (literally and figuratively) in the alloted training time.

 

"big iron" feel with small iron pay

 

Maybe I've spent to much time at flightinfo.com, however, this whole thread smells a bit like flame. The "big iron" jet is an RJ. Just because it's engines are on the wing dosen't mean anything. It's a Regional jet flown by a regional airline (CHQ) for regional pay. I've also heard that CHQ guys get pi$$ed when other pilots or ATC calls it a RJ. It's not a RJ it's a mini 737, the engines are on the wings!!!!

 

How "competent" must one be to push a button and twist a knob. Save your hogwash for another forum.

 

Spend your time anywhere you want, but this thread is about answering questions about getting started in RJ training (specifically, the Embraer 170/190).

There was a question about differences in 'feel'. The asymmetrical yaw issue in the EMB-170 tends to be more pronounced due to its engine location and swept wing design.

CHQ no longer flys the 170.