How about a Senator that is on their way out, and one that also loves to have his/her pockets lined. Like...Harry Reid? Win/Win.

 

I disagree. Check out Sully's testimony in the link provided earlier. At this point I believe the requirements are irrelevant anyway. I don't think it would matter if they made the requirements a private pilot license because the job is so crappy now no one wants it. Reserve 20 days a month to make less than an airport janitor? No thanks.

 

Just like UPS on a non-precision approach and Many other accidents involving 2 ATP Pilots. LOL

 

I called my senators office about this issue, and to my surprise I received a call back from my senator about 2 weeks later. He said that he had spoken with the FAA and with Antony Foxx (Transportation Secretary) along with his party leaders. Foxx and the FAA said that they did not see the age increasing or the standards decreasing, but he was not convinced. His party leaders, and his personal opinion, was that if they lowered the standards, it would return to haunt them and the party as a whole.

As soon as the next airplane crashed, the media would call out every person that voted for the bill, wether it was a contributing factor or not. The families would attack the representatives and their careers would be over. The opponents would campaign against them by calling them murderers. If would effect them after they were voted out of office as well. They would not be able to get speaking engagements and not be chosen to be board members of various companies as their names would be tainted. It could cost them a great deal of money.

He said that he could not imagining more than a few people ever approving it, if that many.

We also talked about regional airline FO pay, and he could not believe it. He didn't seem surprised that airlines were experiencing a "shortage" with initial pay such as it is.

I recommend that all of you do the same and call/email your representatives. Complaining on this forum does absolutely nothing. Congressmen do listen to the people that are responsible for the lives of their families when they fly.

 

The 3407 pilots met the current hourly requirements when they were hired with the exception maybe of the ATP certificate for the FO. Even still, all airline pilots are/were trained to ATP standards whether captain or FO, at least at our company.

 

The nation's airline system will not crumble because small town America isn't being serve. Bus, train, and automobile service is still available. If people or businesses decide to locate themselves in areas difficult to reach, its on them. When I was flying for a regional the company had difficulty recruiting personnel because of their location so they relocated to a major city!

 

Cleveland, regardless of all of its numerous faults, isNOT small town America.
Not even close.
True story.

 

Cleveland was losing it's hub status long, long ago. Don't be fooled, Continental was pulling out long ago, prior to pilot shortages and mergers.

Let me take you back 5 years into the past.

http://www.crainscleveland.com/artic...its-hub-status

Cleveland business community is zeroing in on how to keep Cleveland's nonstop flights from vanishing | cleveland.com

 

Our completion rates says otherwise. But good try.

 

That's not what pimp daddy d has to say.