de727ups

"It's the training and the professional attitudes throughout the pilot group that make it safe, not what kind of airplane you flew or for how long before you got there."

So experience means nothing? I don't know where to draw the line but I'd say 250 hours doesn't cut it. Hard work, a good attitude, and a prior training will get your through ground school and the sims. It's what comes after that for a highly trained 250 hour guy that bothers me. It doesn't seem right that a Captain should have to be a baby sitter. Yeah, they do it in Europe but I hear the screening and standards are higher. They do it in the military, too. I KNOW the screening and standards are higher.

"all 121 carriers have stringent training programs and none of them are afraid of washing out people who can't cut it"

I don't know, man. To me, that's in the eye of the beholder. Even at the major level, I see it as min standards to kick you out the door. Yeah, it's stringent, but I still think it's min standards to keep costs as low as possible and get your out on the line. The way I see it, having some experience fills in the blanks that you won't see in training environment. I see a lot of difference between ground school/sims and what happens in the real world. Experience and background fills in the blanks on the real world stuff. The 250 hour guy doesn't have that to fall back on.

rickair7777

PREOFESSIONAL ATTITUDES???? I suspect you don't work in the regional world??? Ever hear about a mainline bus or 737 stalling out in cruise/climb in the FLs because the crew is reading USA Today? Nope, me neither....

Well it happens ALL THE TIME at the regional level....usually results in 4,000-10,000 altitude loss. In RSVM land that's TEN opportunities for loss of sep...not to mention the zero-g roller-coaster ride for the pax.

The ONLY safety advantage the RJ's have is the latest technology...lots of mainline planes are still on steam gauges. The airplane actually does make a difference...

The amount of flight time before you got there is EXTREMELY significant...the majority of the benefit occurs in the first 1000-2000 hours. After 2000 or so the value of additional hours tapers off somewhat. But 300 hour pilots...the NTSB statistics tell the story.

Don't even come on here and try to give some 23 year old PFT slacker with 120 hours PIC and a backpack the benefit of a "professional attitude".

sarcasticspasti

I think we're on the same page here. It's hard to explain your views on life, the universe and everything in a couple of paragraphs. Experience counts for a lot, and if it wasn't for those professionals who choose to make a career of the regionals, regionals would not be as safe as they are. I personally think that the 1000/100 is a reasonable threshold when combined with discipline, maturity and intense 121 training.

I know virtually nothing about the ab-initio programs but I agree that the screening and standards should be exceptionally high. However, the young men and women with whom I have worked who entered the airlines at age 21 with 1000/100 have been, without exception, intelligent, mature and very focused individuals. That's where good training and a professional environment then direct that focus toward safety and accuracy.

My defense of the low time pilots, of which I was one, is in response to the screamers and doomsayers who take every opportunity on these boards to discredit young RJ pilots. The statistics don't lie. The regionals have matched the excellent safety standard set by the majors and they do it while flying more nonprecision approaches into more uncontrolled airports and making more landings per flight hour, which in my opinion makes it all the more impressive.

de727ups

"However, the young men and women with whom I have worked who entered the airlines at age 21 with 1000/100 have been, without exception, intelligent, mature and very focused individuals"

I don't consider that low time. They are likely CFI's and have paid their dues getting to the 1000 hour mark.

sgrd0q

I find that very hard to believe. We all know of the Pinnacle accident but they were goofing around with no PAX on board. I would be shocked if what you say happens "ALL THE TIME".

Do you have any links to incident/accident reports showing this?

rickair7777

Prepare to BE shocked. No exaggeration. I'm not going to name names on this board, but you can ask around on this or other regional forums. I don't know if the stalls go in the NTSB database, since there have been no injuries or damage.

Go to mesahub.com for the one last week.