Forbes article on pilots...

[pilotyip]

could not agree more

You guys have me all wrong.

I agree that we SHOULD have only highly qualified and highly intelligent and highly capable pilots.

and college is not necessary for this, lets make a 28 on the ACT or 1300 SAT a requirement for an ATP. Better yet lets make it retro for even safer skies.

 

[mesaserf]

The arts and humanities portion of my Bachelors of Science degree was in my opinion the most valuable portion of my education. It has allowed me a much fuller and richer life than if I had just stuck to technical studies.

 

[DTW320]

Hmmm... I think you are mistaken. I didn't say it was an "intellectual difference." I'll readily agree that lots of pilots are smarter than I. You might be one of them. What I did say was that the intellectual requirements for entry are quite low. That is, someone not terribly bright CAN get a commercial, CFI, ATP, fly freight, get on with airline X and fly a transport category aircraft.

If it were the case that there were onerous requirements for the job then indeed the pilot supply would be limited. Let's say for example, you must have scored in the 95th percentile on a standardized test to be a pilot. That would limit the number of people that could do the job. Or if for example, the written test for an ATP were so hard that it produced a failure rate of 95 percent. That too would limit the supply of pilots.

Actually, you said exactly that:

That is why it is possible to pay very low wages to people that are intellectually limited.

In my profession however, the bar for a minimally functioning employee is quite a bit higher and as a result; starting salaries are much higher.

So, all that is required to get an ATP and/or a type rating is a written test? There is no intellectual value in the process requirements to pass a type ride and oral? I think it could certainly be argued that to pass a type ride/oral an applicant has to achieve at least the equivalent of a 95%.

Back to the bigger question that you did not answer. If you have never gone through a type rating or ATP how are you qualified in the least to render an opinion of how hard or intellectually demanding it is? I've flown non-type rating required Cessna, Piper, Beech, and Grumman airplanes. Lots of fun. No comparison however to the multi-hour orals and sim/aircraft rides required for the transport category a/c I've flown and been typed in. Not to mention the "intellectual" efforts required when the Thales or Honeywell computers that your IT buds programmed have screwed up or quit working.

 

[pilotyip]

And what was the accident rate?

It was extremely high over 15,000 aircrew died in stateside training accidents between 1940 and 1945. This was a combination of college and academy graduates and high school graduate. In the stats showed the commissioned officer with a college degree crashed a higher rate than their high school grad cadet ranks.

 

[waveflyer]

Yip-
we get your opinion

I agree and know several very good pilots w/ no degree - 2/3 are a bit rough around the edges however and have a bit of a complex about their lack of education.

In the 121 world- right or wrong, like it or not - the pilots are an ambassador for the airline- you will get stopped at some of the strangest times and ought to be able to converse on many different levels. This gives the traveling public confidence.

It is not perfect - but the best way to ensure that you have pilots capable of performing that ambassador duty is to hire those w/ a basic 4 year degree.

As far as standards go- it's not that difficult an achievement- shows a baseline
of discipline and social skills.

The no college degree type is a complete mystery- might be brilliant- might be rough-
and when hr needs to hire a quick 500 pilots- they have to use a statistical argument in their practices -

 

[Cardinal]

It is much easier to fly a jet and input data to an FMS than it is to write a complex computer program.

Perhaps. But if you select the wrong NDB in said FMS the airplane turns around in a narrow valley and you die spectacularly in a flaming crater on the top of a Colombian mountain. Pretty much the same.

 

[waveflyer]

You know what the last words of the Microsoft flight sim/ gamer types are in an airplane?

"Wait! I've still got 3 lives!!!"
:laugh:

 

[inthepool]

Still no word from cynic about his wealth of experience with transport category aircraft? Interesting that he declined to comment on it earlier as DTW320 pointed out for us...

 

[waveflyer]

He doesn't have it. That's ok.
Like a kid in college alive w/ the optimism and arrogance of what he believes he can do-
he's forgetting the humility required when in the presence of those who actually have.

Types aren't especially challenging to me anymore- though I better treat them as if they are or they get infinitely harder- but if I pu in the time- it's easy.

But that first one. The culmination of years of sacrifice -ramping up to 3-4 months of pre-captain studying- self induced pressure combined with the real pressure of a commuter that would think nothing of failing me if I didn't meet the standards of the hundreds who came before me- knowing that a failure would follow me throughout my career.

Types are easy now bc I succeeded then. I'll never forget that.

Courage defines this career in a lot of ways. Grace under pressure. Financial pressure. Emotional pressure as we go after a unique experience and career.

It's not great form to critique those who stuck it out through all the pressures- while you chose a less risky career behind a desk.

But most of (guys and girls) had our nuts drop a long time ago- and truly don't care what those who don't do what we do- think about what we do.

 

[knowlimits]

define highly religious? Go to church yea, carry a bible no, follow most of the 10 commandants, you know

Which commandants in particular do you follow? Col. Klink? Col. Goering?