Originally Posted by
petrichor
To the original question?
- Because Joe Public only want to pay $10 for his ticket to fly across Europe.
- Because aircraft manufacturers build aircraft for the "lowest common denominator" with cockpit and aircraft systems that only need a 200hr pilot to push and pull knobs when the systems work (until they don't).
- Because airlines cut costs to meet this new demand citing these safe aircraft and easy to manage systems.
- Because airline training facilities create the MPL to provide the "pushers and pullers".
- Because airlines apply pressure to Regulatory Authorities to reduce experience levels.
- Because Regulatory Authorities are either a) in the airlines' pockets or b) too **** scared to lose their position/jobs, therefore agree to everything the airlines demand.
Et Voila......we have a system where cost drives safety as opposed to the other way around and Mr $ Mrs JP get to go on a holiday to Magaloof that they would otherwise would not normally be able to afford.
What astounds me about today's approach to aviation, is that this is still a dangerous business (improvements acknowledged, as are comparisons to crossing the road, juggling with knives etc etc), many people die at a single stroke when the Swiss Cheese model comes into full effect. This is why aviation should be expensive, because safety requires and comes at a significant cost. So why oh why has this fundamental fact been glossed over? Because of costs (greed). The cost of safety has now been practically eliminated to allow a flawed concept to run and this is why, BUXXC152, in my opinion we have 200hr cadets in the RHS in Europe and now most of the cockpits in other parts of the world.
Immense unfair and undue pressure is now placed on Captains, whether they be newbies, experienced or trainers. The recent 737 Max events may well be the catalyst that highlight to the public and the industry the catastrophic consequences of cutting costs in every area of aviation and in doing so, creating a swiss cheese model with more holes than cheese.
Rant over...
This needs to be shared with journalists. A very good summary of what's gone wrong since the deregulation of the EU aviation sector.