mar
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- Nov 27, 2001
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A matter of culture
It's all politics by the time you get to this point.
I mean, you're expected to be able to recognize which end of the airplane moves through the air first.
But after that, it's really a matter of corporate culture and exactly who do the "movers and shakers" care to hire and adopt into their little club.
Look at the difference in hiring between the various companies (when they were actually hiring).
I'm one of those guys that Asquared mentions but let's be honest: there's a reason why my company hires DC6 pilots from Alaska. It's not because we're Sky Gods that's for damn sure.
It's because we know how to move old broken down airplanes and not bitch about the fact there's no diet Coke on the airplane. Know what I mean?
That said, I think there are certain lessons that need to be learned *before* you get to the controls of a jet transport.
Is the 747 easy to fly? Yeah, she's sweet.
But she's fast and sucks down the fuel real fast. To an experienced pilot that means your reactions and decision making needs to be honed. We often block out just above min fuel required, sometimes with marginal weather. That means if you start your descent you must be fairly certain you're gonna make it...that takes skill, judgement and decision making. If you're down low, on a missed approach, with min gas you need to have a plan because you're burning gas like nobody's business.
And it goes without saying, this is all done on the backside of the clock after an eight hour flight. The fatigue issue alone is a good reason to expect some experience from your crew.
So I think it's silly when certain companies require so much time "in type" or so much turbine time, or whatever other arbitrary prerequisite they stipulate but like I said it's all politics and culture.
The degree requirement itself is nothing more than another filter to narrow the field of applicants. It has nothing to do with intelligence or ability or anything else.
Good luck.
NYCPilot said:
It's all politics by the time you get to this point.
I mean, you're expected to be able to recognize which end of the airplane moves through the air first.
But after that, it's really a matter of corporate culture and exactly who do the "movers and shakers" care to hire and adopt into their little club.
Look at the difference in hiring between the various companies (when they were actually hiring).
I'm one of those guys that Asquared mentions but let's be honest: there's a reason why my company hires DC6 pilots from Alaska. It's not because we're Sky Gods that's for damn sure.
It's because we know how to move old broken down airplanes and not bitch about the fact there's no diet Coke on the airplane. Know what I mean?
That said, I think there are certain lessons that need to be learned *before* you get to the controls of a jet transport.
Is the 747 easy to fly? Yeah, she's sweet.
But she's fast and sucks down the fuel real fast. To an experienced pilot that means your reactions and decision making needs to be honed. We often block out just above min fuel required, sometimes with marginal weather. That means if you start your descent you must be fairly certain you're gonna make it...that takes skill, judgement and decision making. If you're down low, on a missed approach, with min gas you need to have a plan because you're burning gas like nobody's business.
And it goes without saying, this is all done on the backside of the clock after an eight hour flight. The fatigue issue alone is a good reason to expect some experience from your crew.
So I think it's silly when certain companies require so much time "in type" or so much turbine time, or whatever other arbitrary prerequisite they stipulate but like I said it's all politics and culture.
The degree requirement itself is nothing more than another filter to narrow the field of applicants. It has nothing to do with intelligence or ability or anything else.
Good luck.
