now they finally pay attention.

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Many of the major guys carrying backpacks have that for "cockpit defense," if you catch my drift.

 

[SennaP1]

Nothing wrong unless these cocky young pricks are wearing them inside the terminal or behind their head.

I've never seen this. Although I admit I don't look too hard for it.

My "work" sunglasses cost me $17.99* and stay in my Flightcase.

*100% UV protection & non-polarized.

 

[SennaP1]

Many of the major guys carrying backpacks have that for "cockpit defense," if you catch my drift.

NDB, I know.

 

[jp222]

When regional pilots start acting like professionals then you can make that argument. These two were hardly "professional" pilots.

"Those damn kids" mentality from those in the heavy metal needs to end. Show some initiative and leadership and the young pilot will follow, in-fact I think the young pilots are desperately looking for someone to step up and show them the way. Sully comes to mind when I listened to his testimony to congress. Instead of talking down to the young pilots try to offer something constructive that will help.

 

[SEVEN]

I've never seen this. Although I admit I don't look too hard for it.

My "work" sunglasses cost me $17.99* and stay in my Flightcase.

*100% UV protection & non-polarized.

I just saw it last week. Guy wearing a backpack. Looked like he was on his way to Geometry class. Unbelievable. Some guys just don't give a crap about looking professional in front of the flying public. This on top of the latest crash, does not help our cause at all.

 

[SennaP1]

"Those damn kids" mentality from those in the heavy metal needs to end. Show some initiative and leadership and the young pilot will follow, in-fact I think the young pilots are desperately looking for someone to step up and show them the way. Sully comes to mind when I listened to his testimony to congress. Instead of talking down to the young pilots try to offer something constructive that will help.

You must of missed the memo that we are not to like Sully anymore because of something he said *

*East v. West.

 

[SennaP1]

I just saw it last week. Guy wearing a backpack. Looked like he was on his way to Geometry class. Unbelievable. Some guys just don't give a crap about looking professional in front of the flying public. This on top of the latest crash, does not help our cause at all.

I know what you mean about looking professional in public. I strive for that, that is the last thing that this profession should lose. I see it all the time in the dirty shirts, wrinkled pants/shirts. Tie hanging off, etc. etc.

I think however that may be the way they are though even when not in public.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Part of being professional is also looking professional. I totally agree with you.

And being treated professionally.

And being paid professionally.

It's all interrelated, you see.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, the culmination of the wonderful mass transit bus system with wings that deregulation has created.

There will be MUCH more bloodshed. There will be billions in equipment and property destroyed. Countless lives...

I just hope that the bottom line $99 fare was worth it.

This new reality like a wish from the devil being granted... with strings of course.

Joe Nosepicker: "I want low airline fares. It's my RIGHT to fly."

Satan (Gov't): "Sure.... Open it up. Free skies, CHEAP fares. (No money to pay professionals to be professionals. Oh well, by the time anyone notices, it'll be a decades long fight between management and unions. The public will lose interest... so long as the FARES ARE CHEAP!!).

Joe Nosepicker: "Yay!!!"


I watched the animation. Read the transcript. What occurred was a low altitude stall due to many of our most glaring issues as a "profession" today... if we can still call this a profession.

Complacency.

Inexperience.

Fatigue.

PRIA.

Low pay and poor working conditions.

ETC.

ETC.

ETC.

There will be more crashes like this to come. Avoidable.

The system is set to accommodate low fares for the masses, not to achieve the highest level of safety for those individuals on a particular flight at a given time.

 

[OHGOON]

Agreed that attacking a whole group of pilots for the sins of a few is ignorant!

It however is no secret that most regionals leave a lot to be desired in terms of treating their folks as professionals. Insisting on a pressed shirt and a spiffy tie hardly makes anything professional. If it did, then used car salesmen would be held in much higher esteem by all.

As long as this industry continues to engage in its headlong rush for the bottom, there will be bottom feeder operations who will skate by, relying solely on the self motivation of its current pilot group to compensate for their incompetence and greed.

This is not a new development either. Since the early days, this industry has taken the "going above and beyond" mentality of its employees for granted. This is so ingrained that most of us do not even recognize this as a problem. We willingly accept substandard simply because for the most part, we know no other way.

Sad state of affairs!

 

[Caveman]

Many of the major guys carrying backpacks have that for "cockpit defense," if you catch my drift.

Oh. I get it. If you're a legacy guy with a backpack it must be for a 'legitimate' (wink, wink) reason. But if it's a regional youngster they're just unprofessional, because we all know there's no way a regional puke could be carrying a backpack for a 'legitimate' (wink, wink) reason.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Oh. I get it. If you're a legacy guy with a backpack it must be for a 'legitimate' (wink, wink) reason. But if it's a regional youngster they're just unprofessional, because we all know there's no way a regional puke could be carrying a backpack for a 'legitimate' (wink, wink) reason.

Thanks for putting words in my mouth. I've encountered a number of guys that carry backpacks at the legacy level, and they are all NDBs or used to carry their laptop/running clothes...or a combination thereof.

I never said the regional guys carrying backpacks aren't carrying it for legitimate reasons- in fact I've flown with more legacy guys that carry them than I ever saw regional guys carrying them. I always thought the backpack stereotype was a stupid one from the jealous older guys that got stuck at the regional level.

 

[ackattacker]

I've flown with all types and not seen any correlation between airmanship and a crisply ironed shirt. In fact some of the worst pilots dressed the image of the airline pilot to a T. Especially the old guys. They thought they knew everything even when they were absolutely wrong and unsafe. Ego couldn't bear to be corrected. Give me an ipod-wearing spiky-haired young guy who actually pays attention and is part of the team. Standing around polishing your cuff-links in the mirror and practicing your Chuck Yeager PA voice doesn't make you a professional.

 

[spitfire1500]

I agree with you. Realistically, however, we know that very little will change. 10K idiot captains will still slip through the cracks- it happens all the time. Would raising the minimums have prevented this accident. Maybe- or maybe not. In my experience, I think 2500 hrs is not enough.

Just out of curiosity...what would be enough?

 

[waka]

Not speaking about 3407 yet but this is why I've lost my sanity. For F#&K sake get rid of the G0damn hairgell and ipods. Quit plastering yourselves on overnights, iron that f*&ing garbage bag looking shirt, take off those ridiculous designer shades and read a f&*king manual from time to time! Above all wipe that MTV nurtured Ed Hardy wearing sense of entitlement of your front bumper and grill before I mop the floors of the lavatory with your test tube rejected a$$. I've had it...

I agree with your general sentiment but please, tell us what are not "designer sunglasses". Do you think all pilots should wear Serengeti's or those stupid Ray Ban Aviators? Besides, who gives a rat's ass about sunglasses? They're normally worn out of sight of the passengers. If you're wearing any sunglasses in the terminal, then you have other issues than your choice in the brand of sunglasses.

I know, there are bigger fish to fry. I am just curious as to why some sunglasses bothers you.

 

[spitfire1500]

I've flown with all types and not seen any correlation between airmanship and a crisply ironed shirt. In fact some of the worst pilots dressed the image of the airline pilot to a T. Especially the old guys. They thought they knew everything even when they were absolutely wrong and unsafe. Ego couldn't bear to be corrected. Give me an ipod-wearing spiky-haired young guy who actually pays attention and is part of the team. Standing around polishing your cuff-links in the mirror and practicing your Chuck Yeager PA voice doesn't make you a professional.

Exactly!!!!

 

[spitfire1500]

Bottom line with a lot of flying positions not just the regionals....you pay peanuts, you get a circus!!!!!

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Don't be fooled...nothing will change.

Could not agree more.

The outrage will last until they want to buy an airline ticket and then all "airline pilots are overpaid" again.

 

[Brody1]

I've flown with all types and not seen any correlation between airmanship and a crisply ironed shirt. In fact some of the worst pilots dressed the image of the airline pilot to a T. Especially the old guys. They thought they knew everything even when they were absolutely wrong and unsafe. Ego couldn't bear to be corrected. Give me an ipod-wearing spiky-haired young guy who actually pays attention and is part of the team. Standing around polishing your cuff-links in the mirror and practicing your Chuck Yeager PA voice doesn't make you a professional.

Couldn't agree more. Give me a backpack wearer who takes their job seriously instead of a well-dressed trust-fund baby who is absolutely no help in the cockpit. The ipod, designer shade types are generally part of a younger generation. Some can fly- some can't. Say what you want, but the definition of 'professionalism' varies from generation to generation. I want an FO who pulls their weight, and (thankfully) most of them do.

 

[BrickTop]

I agree with your general sentiment but please, tell us what are not "designer sunglasses". Do you think all pilots should wear Serengeti's or those stupid Ray Ban Aviators? Besides, who gives a rat's ass about sunglasses? They're normally worn out of sight of the passengers. If you're wearing any sunglasses in the terminal, then you have other issues than your choice in the brand of sunglasses.

I know, there are bigger fish to fry. I am just curious as to why some sunglasses bothers you.

I dont give who makes your sunglasses but take them of your damn head in the terminals.

 

[Motive Flow]

"Federal investigators hammered Colgan Air executives about the pay of their pilots — in 24-year-old Shaw's case, she made between $16,000 and $20,000 a year, according to testimony — as well as whether they were discouraged from getting second jobs and felt pressure by the company not to call in sick."

Don't worry. All this stuff will be forgotten by next week.

The only thing that may come out of all this testimony will be a "box-checking" stick pusher demo in the sim (Q400 only).