USMail pilots/their requirements in the 1920s
 

To put things into prospective the US Air Mail pilots in the late 1920s were required to have at least 500 hours of flight time to fly those contracts. Think about that for a second. What was the average lifespan of an Airmail Pilot? That was hard IMC flying with minimal equipment.

I guess my question is why was the commercial requirement ever as low as 250 hours. These airmail pilots weren't even carrying people and they were required to have more experience than today's airline pilots.

Let's look at experience. Air traffic and travel is much different today than it was back then, but I would almost look at the airmail pilots as being the bush pilots of the lower 48. That was experience. Flying around flight instructing, towing banners and and the like doesn't compare to flying single pilot IFR for a small freight company, or flying for a small charter outfit.

I think what the regulators are looking at is that you should be able to trade experience for the Total Hour requirement if the experience is useful and pertains to commercial aviation. (time spent flying a king air or something high performance through weather at altitude in busy airpsace. Not spending 500 hours flying through the same airspace in central FL and never getting any experience with Icing.)

The guy spending time in the King Air will need 1500 total and has more experience. The Empty Nipple grad with 500 hours is going to get the job in his place.

ALPA is supporting this because they think it will pass. Was the same thing with age 65. I agree with you guys, it's time to bounce them.

I expect the RAA and ATA to support watering-down entry level requirements to fly 121. It's only natural for them...keeps their costs down.

What is mind-boggling and unacceptable is ALPA backing yet again something that hurts its own members. What is their deal? ALPA, PLEASE STOP HELPING US!

ALPA is irrelevant, no longer represents its membership, and member airline unions, beginning with my own, should cut ties to it.

We need a union that will represent airline pilot's interests...not a bunch of dopes that'll do and say anything just as long as they get to sit at the cool dude's table.

They need to improve the training quality in my opinion. Is someone who has flown a C172 around a Texas farm for 1500 hours more valuable than a 500 hour pilot with deep understanding of jet transport flying/sim training, etc? Not in my opinion, I feel if you want to become an airline/jet transport pilot, then you need to begin that learning process from the beginning to understand the dynamic operating environment it takes to be safe and successful in this industry. It's been working in Europe for years, and I think it's time the US adapts a similar process. It's not just about how much experience you have, but the quality of your experience that makes the difference. KLM, Lufthansa, British are good examples.

But with that, if airlines want qualified pilots, they need to pay for it! The only reason the airlines don't want the 1500 hour rule is money, they know they will have to raise their poverty salaries which cuts into managements fancy bonuses!

Can someone more knowledgeable than myself tell me what happens if I stop paying my ALPA bill?

I will be sending ALPA a check for $1 dollar this month. Anyone with me?

I don't think University's should get a special exemption. If 1500 is the way to go, it's the way to go for everyone. I think 1500 is too high, but my view lost the debate.

Sounds good. You'll be expelled from the union, and then your contract's agency shop clause says you'll be terminated. Have fun with that.

Why are you listening to a newspaper article about what ALPA supports? How many times have we all seen reporters hand out blatantly inaccurate information about aviation issues? Did the thought ever occur that maybe this reporter doesn't have his facts straight?

But it so much easier to go on an internet message board and complain about how little ALPA does for them. ;)

Fair enough, but in this case it's pretty clear that ALPA is willing to compromise on the 1500 hour minimum.

I'll be sending an email to [email protected]

You can't be fired for opting out of a union. It is your legal right to either be a part of a union or not. Your attitude is one of the many reasons why people like myself aren't a big fan of unions because you try to scare people into becoming and staying a member by threatening that you will lose your job otherwise.