Originally Posted by
controlledrest
Twice when I was a FO if it wasn't for me the cadet Capt I was flying with would most likely have pranged the jet. We don't have cadets because there is a shortage of pilots, we have them to keep the HKG Government on our side.
POS18 is such a crap contract it only attracts low hour licence holders (not airline pilots, just licence holders who can legally occupy a seat) or those who are desperate - largely the South Africans.
The People Department took over aircrew recruitment from FOPs because FOPs wasn't letting enough licence holders in. DFO Hall instructed the company doctors not to reject applicants because they were weirdos, but just to stick to the CAD form. People Department pushed for the sim assessment to be made easier so more pass.
If you want to recruit airline pilots you have to improve the conditions. Current generation of 'managers', like many previous generations, think like you do - that anyone can do the job and experience doesn't matter. Auto TCAS and depress emergency descents help to reduce the risk of hiring cadets / low time licence holders rather than airline pilots, but not all risks are reduced by technology. The two events where the Capt screwed up for me were due to inexperience.
I firmly believe that our current recruitment policies will result in a hull loss. If redundancies do occur then I very much hope they are in accordance with the contract - LIFO, as it will make CX a safer airline.
Nah mate, cadets are better at memorizing the Part A and FCOM1. Therefore, they are safer pilots than you chumps with thousands of hours to rely upon. Just ask the People Department. They’ll tell you how it really works.