Is MPL the solution to the regional's proficiency problems?

[Browntothebone]

MPL will cure the training and proficiency problem at the regionals. MPL should also be a partnership between the regional and it's codeshare major partner. The major should recruit and screen candidates and have the candidate self-sponsor through the MPL program. Then the candidate would serve a period of time at the regional partner airline and be mentored by senior regional captains. When the candidate is seasoned, they would transfer to the mainline and fly mainline jets.

This would be a win-win for both the major and regional airline. The major would get pilots who are hand picked, thouroughly screened and whose entire training would be flying multi-crew jets and be groomed to the standards of the major airline from day one. They would attract the "best of the best"
in candidates, knowing the they will be flying at a major after being mentored at the regionals. The regional would benefit from having the candidate f/o serving his mentoring period at the regional at a reduced rate of pay, knowing that the candidate is only going to be there a short period of time before he moves on to the major partner. The f/o's training and turnover cost would be zero, as the candidate would self sponsor. The regional and the public, would benefit because the captains at the regional would gain experience while mentoring the candidates.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Sounds a lot like AB Initio. I'm not against it, but I think pilots will lose the chance to gain a ton of experience by flying freight, cfi'ing, traffic watch, pipeline patrol, and other different jobs that allow a pilot to gain that experience. I am much more in favor of raising hiring minimums to say, 2500tt and 1000 me with 500 pic, or something along those lines. This would force people to get the experience needed. As far as tackling the problem of regionals undercutting and outbidding, there should be a push for the majors to buy up the different regionals and include them in the seniority lists as one company. Think Continental Express, a la mid-late 90s, or Eagle.

 

[Captain Morgan]

BTW, nice post. You done flaming and trolling?

 

[Browntothebone]

Sounds a lot like AB Initio. I'm not against it, but I think pilots will lose the chance to gain a ton of experience by flying freight, cfi'ing, traffic watch, pipeline patrol, and other different jobs that allow a pilot to gain that experience. I am much more in favor of raising hiring minimums to say, 2500tt and 1000 me with 500 pic, or something along those lines. This would force people to get the experience needed. As far as tackling the problem of regionals undercutting and outbidding, there should be a push for the majors to buy up the different regionals and include them in the seniority lists as one company. Think Continental Express, a la mid-late 90s, or Eagle.

What about doing what you said with the provision that the major can set the standards (college, experience) and require every eligible regional pilot to go through the major's interview and screening process, not just taking every regional pilot regardless of their background? The regionals need to realize that the majors are mostly former military pilots and they will demand a spot on the mainline list for military pilots. If the regionals can come to grips with that reality and realize the the majors will not take every regional pilot without the major setting the standards and screening, then you might have a workable solution.

 

[Minimaniac]

So, what about those senior regional captains? Are they just stuck? Are you only eligible for career advancement if you are a new FO? Way too many loopholes. The major airlines are not going to be hiring enough anytime soon to allow both mentored pilots and all other qualified and interested candidates from the regionals, military, and cargo to get hired.

You may as well settle for flow through, though many regionals code share for multiple airlines, so determining who flowed up to what airline would be a nightmare. Unless, of course, you work for a wholly owned, but mainline management seems content to bully their wholly owned pilots more than other regional pilots.

Here is a great idea. Let's all just send in resumes.

 

[Browntothebone]

So, what about those senior regional captains? Are they just stuck? Are you only eligible for career advancement if you are a new FO? Way too many loopholes. The major airlines are not going to be hiring enough anytime soon to allow both mentored pilots and all other qualified and interested candidates from the regionals, military, and cargo to get hired.

You may as well settle for flow through, though many regionals code share for multiple airlines, so determining who flowed up to what airline would be a nightmare. Unless, of course, you work for a wholly owned, but mainline management seems content to bully their wholly owned pilots more than other regional pilots.

Here is a great idea. Let's all just send in resumes.

The majors need to streamline their recruiting pipeline. They can just hire pilots coming directly from the military and pilots from the major's own MPL program. That way they will control the background and end the uncertainty of many civilian pilots background and checkride history, since the military guys will have their training records available from day one and the MPL guys will be under the control of the major from day one. Their will be no uncertainty as to the background of any candidate.

 

[JustaNumber]

MPL will cure the training and proficiency problem at the regionals. MPL should also be a partnership between the regional and it's codeshare major partner. The major should recruit and screen candidates and have the candidate self-sponsor through the MPL program. Then the candidate would serve a period of time at the regional partner airline and be mentored by senior regional captains. When the candidate is seasoned, they would transfer to the mainline and fly mainline jets.

This would be a win-win for both the major and regional airline. The major would get pilots who are hand picked, thouroughly screened and whose entire training would be flying multi-crew jets and be groomed to the standards of the major airline from day one. They would attract the "best of the best"
in candidates, knowing the they will be flying at a major after being mentored at the regionals. The regional would benefit from having the candidate f/o serving his mentoring period at the regional at a reduced rate of pay, knowing that the candidate is only going to be there a short period of time before he moves on to the major partner. The f/o's training and turnover cost would be zero, as the candidate would self sponsor. The regional and the public, would benefit because the captains at the regional would gain experience while mentoring the candidates.

What you are describing is not a whole lot different than the system we currently have in place. Other than who is doing the "hand-picking." What makes you think that a major can "thoroughly screen" any better than the regionals can for the same set of candidates? (As a side note, who's to say you get "the best of the best" only when candidates know they have a guaranteed major slot? I might argue that the "best of the best" come from those who persevere through tough times and the unknown). And it doesn't make sense that these candidates would be "groomed to the standards of the major from day one" by the regional airline! (That's what the regionals are supposed to be doing now). It also doesn't make sense that these candidates would be mentored by senior regional captains, but these senior regional captains themselves are not worthy of your greatness. Who would you rather have in command, the student or the teacher?!? This sounds like more of the pro-military/major, anti-regional flamebait you are famous for.

 

[Browntothebone]

What you are describing is not a whole lot different than the system we currently have in place. Other than who is doing the "hand-picking." What makes you think that a major can "thoroughly screen" any better than the regionals can for the same set of candidates? (As a side note, who's to say you get "the best of the best" only when candidates know they have a guaranteed major slot? I might argue that the "best of the best" come from those who persevere through tough times and the unknown). And it doesn't make sense that these candidates would be "groomed to the standards of the major from day one" by the regional airline! (That's what the regionals are supposed to be doing now). It also doesn't make sense that these candidates would be mentored by senior regional captains, but these senior regional captains themselves are not worthy of your greatness. Who would you rather have in command, the student or the teacher?!? This sounds like more of the pro-military/major, anti-regional flamebait you are famous for.

You are wrong. What I'm saying is the the government is going to demand that the airlines screen candidates better and it's in the major's best interest to only hire candidates whose background it knows from day one. The current crop of regional pilots are unfortunately tainted by the unprofessional behavior and airmanship demonstrated in the last few years. The majors need to start fresh when they resume hiring and only hire those with a 100% known and screened background.

 

[Volasl]

They do screen. Its called an interview.

 

[Ameriagle]

Is screening canidates the problem or is compensation? Doesn't matter who screens the canidates if no one is willing to pay them...you end up with the same stack of resumes. Do you really think the current recruiting/screening efforts at the regionals is letting the best qualified canidates "slip through their fingers"? No they are still taking the best qualified canidates given those folks who are still willing to apply at a regional!

 

[Browntothebone]

Is screening canidates the problem or is compensation? Doesn't matter who screens the canidates if no one is willing to pay them...you end up with the same stack of resumes. Do you really think the current recruiting/screening efforts at the regionals is letting the best qualified canidates "slip through their fingers"? No they are still taking the best qualified canidates given those folks who are still willing to apply at a regional!

If candidates had a guaranteed spot at a major (after the mentoring session at the regional and provided they performed to standards ) you would get the best of the best and the major could demand that only the best of the best be hired due to the ultimate reward of a job at a major awaiting them.

 

[Captain Morgan]

If candidates had a guaranteed spot at a major (after the mentoring session at the regional and provided they performed to standards ) you would get the best of the best and the major could demand that only the best of the best be hired due to the ultimate reward of a job at a major awaiting them.

I like the intent, but I just feel like it's unecessarily adding a step that is already covered. The maors will hire who they want when the time comes. The problems will still be at the regional level. I am a fan of the military route though, but to tell you the truth, what pilot gets out of the military and wants to go fly for the airlines? There really aren't that many anymore. Most want to go on to become business owners and management. My father flew P-3's and is in management within a whole different industry. There are no incentives to fly anymore. He watched all his friends at United, Delta, Continental, and People's Express get raked through the coals.

 

[AutoBus]

If candidates had a guaranteed spot at a major (after the mentoring session at the regional and provided they performed to standards ) you would get the best of the best and the major could demand that only the best of the best be hired due to the ultimate reward of a job at a major awaiting them.

guys are always looking for a easy way to move to a major, why not just apply for the job?

mentor this, mentor that? give it a break

 

[DoinTime]

If candidates had a guaranteed spot at a major (after the mentoring session at the regional and provided they performed to standards ) you would get the best of the best and the major could demand that only the best of the best be hired due to the ultimate reward of a job at a major awaiting them.

So who is it that is giving this mentoring at the regionals? Who picked them? If they were good enough to give mentoring for the major why wouldn't the major just hire them?

In case nobody has been watching the past 8 years being on the bottom end of a mainline seniority list has not been very rewarding.

 

[CFI2766]

Really? We are going to respond to this infected anus? Seriously.

 

[labbats]

I prefer my flamebait a bit less brazen. Less is more man!

 

[wmuflyguy]

You won't get the best of the best. You will only get someone who was able to afford the PFT...errrrrrrrr I mean "self sponsor".

 

[WayBack]

Sad that he actually believes some of the BS he spews. He's thought about this for a while, and now just trying to slide it in as flame bait.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

It's just instructordude, with a toxic tampon lodged in this mangina.
PBR

 

[Dornier 335]

MPL will cure the training and proficiency problem at the regionals. MPL should also be a partnership between the regional and it's codeshare major partner. The major should recruit and screen candidates and have the candidate self-sponsor through the MPL program. Then the candidate would serve a period of time at the regional partner airline and be mentored by senior regional captains. When the candidate is seasoned, they would transfer to the mainline and fly mainline jets.

No, it won't. From what I have seen in Euroland I am hardly impressed. Europe has (a little bit) thougher interviews/screenings, but it does not eliminate strange decision making and other "strange" things people do. All MPL will do is worsen the decision making progress by a pilot. MPL is the pet argument by the airline industry, so you spent tons of money at the airline which offered MPL, and are stuck until every cent is paid off.