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First Officers Should Have Same Qualifications As Captains
The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for American Airlines pilots, voiced continued strong support for raising qualification requirements for first officers who fly for U.S. passenger and cargo airlines. APA President Keith Wilson said that a recent in-flight emergency aboard an Alaska Airlines flight clearly demonstrated the need for highly trained first officers. (www.aero-news.net) Altro...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
How is this even a story? Sounds like monday morning quartebacking.
We're heading toward the 1500 hour/ATP rule in a few months.
We're heading toward the 1500 hour/ATP rule in a few months.
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Two problems, money and experience. Despite being small, overall these routes make money for smaller states and I, and likely others would like a new pilot to screw up on a small route in a CRJ rather then Minneapolis to Miami in a 737.
That's BULLS***. Dead is dead wheter it's 10 or a 100. Somebody in here made a comparison to a resident doctor. How in the hell are these folks going to learn. Give 'em their basics but put them in the seat for them to buil time and learn
What happened to supply and demand? Sure, 250 hours seems low but how many airlines really hire people at that number? As I understand it the vast majority of applicants are completing against a whole lot of other would-be pilots for a finite number of jobs. Therefore the airlines can simply start with the applicant with the highest number of hours and work their way down until all of the positions are filled, which leaves many pilots looking for work.
Additionally, the scenario highlighted in the article in which the captain of the Alaska flight had a medical emergency leaving the first officer alone in the cockpit is irrelevant. We have no idea how many hours the first officer had. Hell, he may have been a captain at another airline before being downsized. But no matter how many hours the first officer has, if the captain goes down he's still "only" a first officer. And even when these magical regulations take effect there is still very little chance that every flight will have two "equally qualified pilots" in the cockpit. After all... Why are captains... captains?
Anyway, get ready to pay more to go see grandma. Someone has to fund these extended apprenticeships.
Additionally, the scenario highlighted in the article in which the captain of the Alaska flight had a medical emergency leaving the first officer alone in the cockpit is irrelevant. We have no idea how many hours the first officer had. Hell, he may have been a captain at another airline before being downsized. But no matter how many hours the first officer has, if the captain goes down he's still "only" a first officer. And even when these magical regulations take effect there is still very little chance that every flight will have two "equally qualified pilots" in the cockpit. After all... Why are captains... captains?
Anyway, get ready to pay more to go see grandma. Someone has to fund these extended apprenticeships.
Plus the times don't mean anything unless the person has the talent and aptitude to show for it and to act as a PIC or SIC. I've known pilots so desperate and dishonest who have falsified times in their log books by thousands of hours and they have the aptitude and decision making abilities of a student pilot, including one who (IMO, was too egotistical and mentally incompetent to fly a plane) froze up in the left seat of a Hawker during a starter/generator failure, causing the guy in the right seat, (who actually had more experience) to take over and land the plane at night in barely VMC conditions. So numbers DO NOT mean a thing. There has got to be a better solution. I recommend incorporating a rigorous mental health and aptitude screening as a requirement before considering times and ATP to be a determining factor for an F/O. He is there to get the experience so he can earn the ATP and become a captain isn't he?