"I just wish they would have given regional pilots more credit"

When reporters come on here looking for opinions, the vast majority of users blast the media and call them all kinds of nasty names. It's not pretty. I would suggest that, in the future, folks consider what they say at APC could end up in the news. The site has been quoted before several times in the media. Perhaps reporters should be judged on past history and not all painted with the same brush. I can't think of a better way to get the word out about the state of the regional industry airline pilot than a PBS show like this, unless it was a show like this on prime time....

^ I agree, too bad this wasnt on NBC or something..........

It's been a long time since I thought a news story was actually ACCURATE, I was hugely impressed by the quality of journalism presented here. While I have in many instances doubted the quality of reporting based on misreporting of aviation stories, the accuracy of this report makes me want to believe frontline on other issues.

Trying to get into this industry or not... I just cant believe that anyone would want to work at Colgan...
Colgan is the example of what not to do... in every respect.

Frontline is top notch. This show wasn't even up to par with most of their stories. Most of the time they give both sides of the issue equal time.

^ Pretty tough to get the other side of this deal. I doubt anyone at Colgan wanted to get in front of a camera. Just have Cohen point the finger at everyone else (FAA, Pilots, Passengers) and call it good.

Remember this thread?

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/re...frontline.html

I did think this show was very well done. Hope it opens some eyes.

There may be some regionals better than others but ALL are subpar. Claiming "pride" (as it appears) that your airline doesn't pay pilots less than $35k/yr? Thats still disgustingly low.

As long as there is fee-for-departure and flying is being outsourced to the lowest bidder, there will be immense safety issues. We need a new system, an FAA that actually cares about safety, and actual real stiff penalties for those who do not.

Colgan shouldn't still have an operating certificate. Pinnacle shouldn't still be in business. Every other regional should be scared that if they slip up even once, they're next.

I disagree...it was a solid reporting for an attack but MOST definitely wasn't objective.

NO mention of regional safety over the years. (i.e. how man crashes per carrier) (not 1 single mention of safety over the years, except for the mention of the last 6 crashes were regionals over the past 8 years.)(slight bias for their argument)

NO mention of training practices for any regional (only a small bit on the Cpt. Renslow)

NO mention about other regionals practices (besides Colgan)

NO current pilot interviews (even if identity was hidden)

NO mention of how a lot of pilots that aren't at regionals anymore got their start there and are on mainline now or something differen't

It proves that Cohen and Continental's CEO is an idiot and at least made me think they aren't pilots (not sure if they are or not).

ULTIMATELY it didn't tell me anything that I didn't know before,

There were good things though:

IT did bring to light how the relationship between mainline and the regionals.

IT did bring to light duty/rest days as pilots and how much they actually work in a given day.

IT did bring to light the low pay.

IT did bring to light that its ultimately the FAA that is big brother but does a crappy job at it (at times)

P.S. where are the former colgan pilots now, anyone know? out of the three that interviewed, mainly the 2 they talked to the most.

This has changed my view of the regionals (very little) but I thought it was a sub-par report

dont worry name change and its past! valujet=airtran