As a regional pilot, I don't have any problems with what Captain Sullenberger stated. I can only speak for my airline, but the whole business model is predicated on cutting costs. Safety is no exception to their cheapness. Management says they care about safety, but their actions and way of running the company say otherwise.

The flying public has very little knowledge of the regional world. I'm glad there is at least one public figure (Sully) who is trying to clue them in.

 

That safety system not only includes training, ASAP, more experience, etc.. It also includes work rules and day to day work conditions. Not to mention, the dismal pay at regionals pushes pilots to drastic measures, i.e., sleep in the crew room after commuting in for 1st trip, etc. to save a buck. The answer, IMHO, is that it is indeed true for all regionals.

 

I know many a delta guy that have slept in the crew room to avoid spending the bucks

 

The you realize that you should have even tried to make the comparison.

I think you nailed the problem you are having with CA Sully in the few threads that you have commented on his TV stints. You are taking his comments personally and not looking at the bigger bigger of what he is trying to say about the difference in safety cultures and the problems faced with all sorts of outsourcing. He isn't talking to YOU RunnerMark. He is talking to the INSTITUTION.

USMCFLYR

 

Probably because of the lifestlye he developed as a poor regional pilot

 

Sometimes it's just not worth it. If I block in at JFK around 0100 coming in from the West Coast & my flight home leaves at 0630, by the time I get to the hotel I may get 3 hours of sleep.

 

I've even done the "I dont want to rest in the crewroom for my 0630 comute home" and took the 11pm 2 leg FedEx home. Once home I realized that I got home only 10 minutes earlier than if I would have rested and took the 0630 flight. Now I am a zombie from the flying all night to get back home, all the while not wanting to rest in an empty crew room. Stupid me...

 

Whats Sully talking about???? Oh I dont know, just trying to save the profession... No big deal. You guys are hilarious. In one thread, I hear regional pilots getting testy with "You guys need to fix Scope so I can move up to a major". Captain Sullenberger is trying to put his substantial credibility out there to do just that. What happens? Some RJ FO gets his feelings hurt because he says the safety culture at major airlines is stronger than regionals. So which do you want? Figure it out because the hypocrisy makes you look silly.

Some day I hope you all grow up enough to realize that Sully has/is doing more to advance this profession than anyone you will ever know. Do you know how much he has done to improve the view of the piloting profession to th general public, congress etc? Wake up and stop being so jealous that he's on TV and you're not. By the way, he talks about the dangers of foreign airlines too. Let me guess, you don't see the problem there right??

 

What he/she said.

 

Lots of good opinions on this one. I've been swayed by good arguments. My initial reaction in hearing Sully talk led to me feel accosted as a previous regional pilot. I've heard time and time again mainline pilots bash regionals and the crews for taking low paying jobs, and taking their flying from them etc (and yes, I have personally heard these statements from mainline pilots while in their jumpseats.)

So hearing Sully speak against regionals I couldn't help but feel the same way once again. Reexamining his argument, it makes more sense. Like I have been saying all along, I loathe the regional airline model. I hope Sully is aiming at breaking that and returning flying to mainline carriers, even if that means mainline pilots flying 70 seat jets.