If the 135 op specs allow part 91 repo flights, the cfi can fly those legs and log it if they are appropriately rated. But, back to the point of this thread, I hope the Pinnacle guys can send a strong HELL NO!!! message and have it stick. It is disgusting that they would even ask you guys to give up more.

If the pilots end up having a say, I would say it would be a 90+% HELL NO!!!!!

Dang, if they cut 5% this job won't be worth it anymore. I might even qualify for unemployment again. Flying for the little airlines sucks, they did not tell me this when I paid for all those flying lessons. I'm starting to feel like I can't trust people anymore. Maybe we can sue somebody.

You can do this garbage and still be legal. It's good to hear that Boiler hasn't had to witness a lot of this BS, though - perhaps it's a regional (not regional in the airline sense) thing. Around here it started in earnest when everything went to hell in 2008. Autopilot-in-leu op spec for a King Air, Pilatus, or single pilot Citation, throw a dude in a pilot uniform in the right seat, list him/her on the manifest as a passenger - and off you go with the pax none the wiser.

It's friggin' unethical garbage, but it's amazing how shady 135 can be. Some of the feds around here don't even care if the monkey in the right seat works the radio, saying that the PTT isn't technically a 'flight control'. The good news is that at least around here, many of the operators still pay a day rate for the guy in the right seat - they're just trying to get around having to pay for the training.

If your opspecs call for another qualified crew member then you had better be trained to be a qualified crew member or your company is in violation, that said not all 135 operation require a second crew member take Cape Air for instance they operate single pilot as long as their auto pilot is not MELed, are there operators allowing CFIs to ride right seat and log time perhaps but I suppose it was on the 91 repo flight as long as the PIC is an MEI and is giving instruction the right seat time should be logged as DUAL GIVEN I don't think that MOST 135 operators using King Air type a/c would risk the insurance liability.. if you KNOW of some of these operators doing other wise do you want to share if its your belief that that kind of practice is wide spread I would hope you would alert your local FSDO if you think that the operation is shady and possibly a safety problem for the airspace which you operate in. Thoughts....

I know you are being facetious, but with the internet and all the information out there about how the regional airlines pay and treat pilots, it's hard to be sympathetic when they still come despite knowing what they are getting themselves into.

So any suggestion on where they should progress. Gone are the days of flight instructing for a few years then fly boxes then a turbo prop beech 1900 then a jet ect ect what suggestion do you have.

Well...the place my friends know of....well it did catch up to them. I have a feeling this is not an isolated problem unfortunately.

The days of 1000 CFI wonders getting hired straight into a jet are long gone!!!!!

Oh wait...

The age 65 rule pilot shortage will be starting next year!

Oh wait...