Originally Posted by
Jerry Springer
I'm in the ‘generation before’ and let’s be honest, - every generation tries to 'cut corners’.
Everyone works to progress up their chosen career ladder as best they can given the employment climate at the time.
I wish the E-3 visa with plentiful jobs was around 20 odd years ago when I was getting started. Back then with 1,500 hours I couldn’t even get into a piston-twin in Australia, now with 1,500 hours Aussies can go right into a Jet in the USA - so why wouldn’t they? The turn-around in opportunities is amazing and anyone would be mad not to capitalize on them. Criticizing people for doing so is idiotic. We don’t create the supply-and-demand employment metric, we can only position ourselves to gain from the climate at the time.
Not so many years ago, people in ‘my generation’ were criticized for buying type-ratings to boost their way up the ladder - so again, people in every generation seek to ‘cut-corners’ if they see it being to their advantage. That is a human thing, not a generational thing.
People who got started in the industry 20 years or so ago (like me) sometimes sound bitter towards the younger generation of pilots who do have far better opportunities than we had. But that’s life, suck it up! Just be thankful things are great now for all of us, and be happy for anyone who has good opportunities today.
In general people in the Left Seat aren’t fighting so much for the rights of FOs, but to protect their own position and income. Most Captains are beyond caring too much about the career opportunities for FOs, other than in terms of how the supply will affect their own employment conditions. Let’s face it, ultimately what each of us cares most about is our own income, conditions and employment opportunities.
Are you seriously saying the Aussie pilots employed as FOs in the USA don’t have the required knowledge and skills for the job? If you have evidence of that, you really should take it to the FAA - and if they don’t listen, then take your evidence to the media - this is going to be a huge scandal !!
I actually came to the States just under ATP mins from GA piston flying in Oz so I understand the ‘trying to get a break’ concept. The regional world is setup for this and I encourage everyone to get on at a commuter (if you’ve never flown in the US or worldwide) and build ya time.
Make no mistake, things at Atlas and co are BAD. Read the NTSB prelim report on the Houston 767 crash, the company is hiring anyone and will push them through. IOE here (US) is a couple trips, not the extended version one does in Oz where they actually teach you things.