Senate hearing re Regional airlines

[CherryBomb]

ATP for an FO??? I understand the concept, but more single engine time in a piston (prob single pilot or cfi) isnt going to help much in a multi engine turbine,crew environment at 37,000 feet, flying arrivals/departures into some of the most busiest airports in the country.

Listen Carefully,

Here is the difference between 250 hour pilots and 1500+ hour ATP pilots.

In 250 hours of flight time, chances are you haven't yet had the wonderful opportunity of getting the ever loving $h!+ scared out of you. Most of your flight time has been dual received or under the supervision of a flight school while on a cross country.

The 1500+ hour pilot most likely has been humbled a few times. Regardless of whether it was flying a broken down C-402 on 135 night freight runs, or dealing with numb skull students trying to kill them.


The point is, pilots that have had the crap scared out of them are in my opinion the safest. Humble pilots board their aircraft daily knowing that this machine can and will kill them when they least expect it.

But there are exceptions. I've known plenty of pilots with thousands of hours that still think they are bullet proof. Look at all the crashes that have happened in the past with management pilots flying.

As for military pilots? Most of those guys have seen more terrifying situations in 500 hours than all of us civys will have seen in an entire career, so leave them alone...


But thats just my opinion. I never worked for 121. I've got almost 5000 hours and I still feel like a low timer fresh out of flight school. Oh well, no RJ's for me...

 

[skyguy40]

Hey guys and gals,
I was also thinking about how we could make things safer and better while flying. I like some of the fixes on here, but one thing I have not seen yet is:
All these airplane are flown via many computers. What if someone change the software. Such as when the red snake gets close on the airspeed indicator, something happens along the lines of the GPWS. But nothing lame as pull up pull up or in this case push over push over. Maybe something useful like: airspeed too low…you’re about to die. Just a thought, what do you guys think.
I also think more pay would be great. Although first year pay is bad and should be changed, second year is also bad.
Another fix could be, the airlines provide hotel rooms to any pilot coming in the night
before. Therefore pilots would not just pocket the increase in pay and still stay in the crew room.
ATP’s for both I think would be worthwhile and only good can come from it. But I don’t think it would have mattered in this case.
I just had a LOFT in March. I wanted to land in the water and also wanted to fly in severe icing but was told we had no time for that. I think 4 hours of checking off the FAA boxes might be okay if we had an hour or so to just try something we wanted to try.
Anyway, that’s my take on the fix.

 

[B190Captain]

It's all smoke and mirrors boys.

I'll bet nothing is going to change.

701EV

I am inclined to agree with you. If it does then the Regionals will get a waiver to comply for 5-10 plus years. By that time Majors will drop their regional counterparts because it will no longer be cheap to have a regional partner and will close up shop.

What I am surprised about is why ALPA is not on the hot seat regarding these flaws. They are the representing body of these guys. If I was a senator I would be asking ALPA and the respective MEC's "You negotiated this crap on their behalf?"

Frankly I believe that these senators are lying. We ourselves put it out there in full page ads and so forth. All people care about is their 29 bucks to Tampa. They have known for decades and now they cry foul when lives are lost.

My 2 cents.

 

[wms]

The previous ALPA leadership had an agenda of driving a social wedge between the regionals and majors. They would never have fought for parity in work rules or compensation. Maybe things will change, but I doubt it.