minimwage4

I hope you realize that the AMW crash was due to improper control rigging by the mechanic. And by the way, yes total time does play a role. Should we all assume that the 747 CA that was hired with 200 hours back in the day will crash his airplane? Along with the thousands that were hired with less than 1500. That's what your post says. The FO had 1700 total at the time of hire as a CFI and she still put the flaps up at 20 degree up with airspeed at about 80 knots.

Window_Seat

He crashed because he wasn't competent the fundamentals. Wasn't comfortable with stalls. That is to be learned in the very beginning, and mastered while a CFI. The guy didn't know how to recover from stalls. Important skill as a pilot. Colgan overlooked a lot of the guys history because they needed people to work at the level they were willing to pay. He was willing and eventually, in their opinion, a future captain. Colgan couldn't be selective. Guessing he probably didn't practice too much stall recovery at Gulfstream. Both these pilots went to Colgan for the quick upgrade then to move on to make the big bucks, the FO said it herself on the tapes. That is the real problem: shortcuts. Everyone wants the quick way to the money that we have been told would be waiting for us "if we pay our dues." Most of us are flying the big jets right now (70-90 seaters). This could be it folks.

DWN3GRN

FAA chief declines to back flight-time plan

Federal Aviation Administrator J. Randolph Babbitt on Thursday declined to back a proposal to increase the flight experience required of commercial airline pilots, drawing condemnation from a victims' family group that is fighting for new air safety regulations.

The provision is one of a number of air safety improvements sought by Democrats in Congress and the group Families of Continental Flight 3407, formed after a commuter plane crash that killed 50 people outside Buffalo in February.

A provision in a House bill approved in October prods the Federal Aviation Administration to require all airline pilots to obtain licenses that require 1,500 hours of flight time. Entry-level pilots now typically need about 250 hours.

In a Senate hearing Thursday, Babbitt said he believed the number of flight-time hours alone may not improve the flying proficiency of pilots.

afterburn81

I hear ya on that. I'm pretty close to that generation when it comes to the age group. I differ because my parents taught me values and made me earn things. I actually first learned about generation "me" from Dr. Phil. Yeah, you catch a lot of Dr. Phil and Ellen when you are on reserve. There really is a legit generation of people that practically take pride in the fact that they perceive the universe as revolving around them.

mwa1

quantity (flt hrs) has a quality of its own.
besides, most pilots are too cheap to get a room regardless of their compensation level.

minimwage4

That's a little monday quarterbacking. How many times have you done stall recoveries with your airliner at 1500ft during inclement weather? Do you honestly believe that they didn't know how to get out of a stall, the FO? Another words if you had pulled that CA aside and asked him to explain stalls and recovery procedures, he would have gotten it wrong? A PPL should be able to get out of a stall. It's very obvious that airline training played a very key role in this, or lack of it, along with other factors like fatigue and maybe even crew pairings.

FlyJSH

If the starting pay at Colgan was $40k, it would be higher than starting pay at the three mainlines Colgan serves.

Whacker77

Isn't the real shame the lack of a good instrument scan. If I remember correctly, neither noticed the aircraft slowing to or below 100 kts until the stick shaker. Part of being a competent pilot is having a good instrument scan. With a good scan and better situational awareness, the stick shaker would not have occured. Extra training in stall revovery is not going to make air travel safer. Why is training in a manuever so fundamental to initial solo flight even being contemplated?

The Duke

Again, I have yet to see a clear explanation HOW 1500 hrs. and an ATP will enhance safety.

Where is the data and statistics regarding which hour bracket has the highest rate of accidents/incidents up to this point in 121 aviation?

I think the younger generation deserves a break here. First Age 65 legislation and now this. There are plenty amongst them w/ less than 1500 hours and without an ATP who will make excellent first officers for our nation's airlines.

In the end the 1500 hour/ATP requirement will not benefit any of us in the 121 world today or tomorrow. It is a knee-jerk reaction that will penalize young, capable pilots looking for their break to pursue their dream.

JetPipeOverht

The only reaction, sadly, that we're going to get is everyone who had to work their butts off in various facets just to get to a regional and are now stuck there blaming/putting down/'telling us how it is'/chastising/etc those who got hired on at/near/during a time of low mins. It's just a product of the ages, and not everyone who is hired at or near mins is a horrbile pilot or anything of the sort...it's just the result of the industry we find ourselves in.