Older brains become less coordinated: U.S. study

[PCL_128]

And I'm going to tell you that no Delta pilot has been passed simply because he had a buddy in the sim or at least not since the summer of 87.

Don't you realize how ridiculous this sounds? You claim that, without any shadow of a doubt, no one has ever received any sort of favoritism at DAL in the past 20 years? How could you even purport to know such a thing? Have you personally observed every single checkride taken for 20 years? This is absurd. I've never personally seen it at any of the three airlines that I've worked at either, but I'm not naive enough to think that it's never happened. I don't believe that you are either, you're just trying to make a ridiculous argument.

 

[Spooky 2]

Don't you realize how ridiculous this sounds? You claim that, without any shadow of a doubt, no one has ever received any sort of favoritism at DAL in the past 20 years? How could you even purport to know such a thing? Have you personally observed every single checkride taken for 20 years? This is absurd. I've never personally seen it at any of the three airlines that I've worked at either, but I'm not naive enough to think that it's never happened. I don't believe that you are either, you're just trying to make a ridiculous argument.

Sounds like you might have an inferiority complex and part of coping is by blaming the Good ole Boys that are at your airline. Suggest you examine your motives, sit back and relax, continue to do the very best professional job possible and enjoy the friendships and experiences that all pilots, young and old bring to the job.

I’m not sure what the answer is to your dilemma? Obviously the Age 60 deal is one way you think the problem would be solved, but how does that solve the problem at your airline regarding the weak sisters who are getting passing marks from their buds in the training department. I mean if you are bad at say 55, there is still a chance that you could screw up for another five years and maybe some of those days some younger guy might be there to save your sorry ass. What then? You have brought a whole new light to this issue and I never in my career was aware of this inherent flaw in the system.

Again, in my past life, I was always a Standards guy, not a Flight Training cadre and there was frequently some animosity between these two groups. Each one thought the other was somehow skimming a little more cream from the system than the other. Of course the Standards guys usually thought the young bucks in the training department simply did not get the big picture about how the flying machine really worked out on the line. The flight instructors were supposed to rotate to the line every 90 days or so and they usually wanted to fly with the standards guys so they could fly from the left seat. Geeze…there were so many agendas going on at once you needed a scorecard. It was always just a little comforting to see the almighty instructors sweat a little at getting the air machine to perform like it would for them in the sims.

One thing though, if you busted a sim check, not a rating ride mind you, but a proficiency check, one of the first things that happened to you was a line check assuming you finally passed the sim check. So yes, I did get to see my fair share of guys who had stubbed their toes during the P checks and there was a steady stream that to me would indicate a pretty thorough program in effect at the airline. Now if you busted a rating ride and did it more than once, your job was in serious jeopardy not only from the airline but the FAA as well since you then had to go back and pass a check ride in the airplane you had come from to begin with. The pressure to perform after busting two rides in a row was more than many guys could handle and more than a few through in the towel and retired.

I doubt that either of us is going to convince the other that his position is right and absolutely the only way to handle the events that are happening within this industry. In the mean time I whish you well and continue to fly safe.