Because airline pilots are still one of the most truisted professions in the US. When you have one using hyperbole and half truths to try and scare the public into giving us more money, we all come across as money hungry unions and not professionals deserving better wages for the responsibilty. If anything, telling people that even with the 1500 hour rule, there is enough inexperience in the cockpit that it could kill you will result in higher entrance barriers than already exist.

 

Back when the airlines flew 19 seat turboprops the washout rates were very high especially for dissimilar type upgrades. The regionals also wouldn't consider you without 1500 hours and 500 multi back then.

I thought you didn't believe everything you read? Just because his name is on the by line doesn't mean he wrote it. It probably got kicked back by the editor several times saying..."we need to make this more dramatic and scary sounding....say this instead."

I never said it's just a regional airline problem and in fact most of the pilot error stall accidents in recent years were on much larger aircraft...heavy jets even. Where do the majors get their pilots from? Regionals!

The main difference is that they were paid better and should have known better and their accidents are fewer. In the case of Colgan it was a failure of the system but had such an accident been caused by the highest time crew at Colgan the problem would have been a different one. In this case it's likely had that captain survived his career another ten years and many more thousands of hours he would still be weak and dangerous.

There are a great many very weak pilots out there flying around in all airlines with nothing but a seniority number and a charming personality to get them through check rides.

Yeah? Were you standing behind him?

First...don't try to quote me on something I never said.

Second...why is it ridiculous to say that if you pay more you'll get more experienced and better pilots? Of course you will! Sometimes I wonder if you are the one who writes Bedford's speeches.

 

Exactly!! Except that CBREEZY cares because his job appears to be to push this PR campaign for the RAA in these forums and convince us all of the opposite. (Of course he denies it).


See? utter nonsense!

 

I think the pilot profession reputation has been severely degraded over the past several years. I think that degradation has been intentional on the part of management. It best suits them that we are JUST a labor group. The prestige and professionalism associated with being a pilot needs a revival. I am not sure how to accomplish that but wages and compensation are a start.

1500 hours is a drop in the bucket of experience especially considering the airplanes most of us fly. A 1500 hour pilot in a Kingair is marginal enough, but when you start putting the 1500 hour pilot in a jet, especially a pilot who was flying a C172 last month, it's ludicrous and yes there is a severe safety concern. Fortunately, the majority of regional captains currently operating CRJs / ERJs have several thousand hours and can absorb some of the new FO's inexperience (I'm a new FO by the way).

I think one of the most dangerous types of pilots is the one who does not recognize his limitations. More importantly doesn't vocalize those limitations to the guy / gal sitting next to him. For example, "Hey, Im new. Watch me and make sure I don't f@ck this up". I have generally found the guys I fly with to be receptive to that methodology and it doesn't hurt my pride one bit to admit it. Just my perspective.

 

The top of the pay scale at my regional pays less (almost $5K less) than a starting police officer at a 21,000 person city in South Dakota; a state that has one of the lowest costs of living in the nation.

I'm not money hungry....a livable and reasonable salary commensurate with my level of responsibility that provides a reasonable return on investment for the great sacrifices that I've made and the hardships that I've endured to get to my position is all I'm after.

If failing to protect and defend measures that help me achieve that somehow makes the public perceive my "profession" in a more favorable light, then I'm not on board. Public perception does not translate into proper salary or work rules. If it did, we'd have both right now.

A former boss used to tell me "if you need the public to love you, go work for the fire department."

I'm not sure what course of action you champion, but considering that regional, and, by extension, all professional pilots are finally on the cusp of meaningful change, I'd suggest that this article, no matter how distasteful we may find it, is actually helping our drive for better wages, working conditions, and, if you like, a better path to the airline pilot career.

 

If don't sit here and spout doom and gloom I'm automatically on the side of the RAA? You're an idiot.

You say weak pilots are flying at majors and they come from the regionals. That's an outlandish statement. There are bad pilots EVERYWHERE. In fact, some of the dumbest and least competent USAF officers I know finished pilot training.

So your solution can only be solved by paying more? I would argue that there should be far more training done in the sim over the course of a career.

I'm not on the side of the companies I just am not gullible to believe that people would be safer if I were paid more. People would be safer if their pilots were better trained by the companies. So people get afraid that their airplane is in imminent danger because of this moron's article. The first thing Congress would do would be increase training requirements to get hired. That cost is going to roll down hill. I already paid $80k for my training without a government guaranteed loan

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't be paid more. I never said that. I'm saying this looks like union propaganda during a time with incredible downward pressure on unions. Have you ever read news about Norwegian or the ME3? If ALPA releases statements, they are trying to prevent non-unionized labor and hampering competition. Unionized labor in this country has gone from a majority to less than 17% and trending downward. To publish an article on a major publication that regionals are unsafe and only provide ONE solution, pay, then you come across as typical unionized labor. I want to make meaningful change. I don't want to be like those guys on the road with "shame on you" signs trying to pretend like the 83% of the country that isn't in a union gives a poop about them. The best way to win this battle is with facts, not scare tactics.

 

I did find some of the article insulting, but take the personal aspect of it away and the majority of the points are spot-on.

I think the number one concern in our occupation is safety. Any factors that erode the margins of safety should be addressed however unsavory they may be. This has been a long time coming. I understand your irritation with the article, but I doubt it will have any impact on the public majority. If the article only serves to make the public aware that safety margins may be compromised in exchange for cost, then isn't that a win either way?

 

BREAKING NEWS.... humans accrue experience with age. I would have thought that someone who flew Obama around would have a little more insight than that.

#thanksobama

 

IN OTHER BREAKING NEWS.... Brand new Dr performs surgery under supervision of older more experienced Dr. Don't go to the doctor.