"Their plan, in which they have largely succeeded, is to take the decision making process away from the pilot and as aircraft are now fully automated and very reliable, pilots generally do not have to demonstrate their skills, so why should they be paid so much money? "
This is the propaganda airlines push out. I would state that airline flight crew have to demonstrate a high level of management skill every trip. A typical european winter, the busiest airspace in the world, AWOPS, RVSM, PRNAV SIDS and STARS, (all predicated on achieving great accuracy to ensure safety margins, that have been reduced, have been met and so need to be monitored like a hawk), de-icing, slot delays, crew duty hours, company minimum fuel flight plans, technical faults, passenger quirks, (the increasing drunkeness and consequent disorder shown by a minority of pax these days), all against the backdrop of fatigue-inducing, duty-limit days and whilst producing a 100% safe and also economically viable output in an error intolerant environment, and this is 'easy'? Doesn't seem like it to me.
Employers are mounting a sustained campaign to de-professionalise the image of flightcrew with a view to lowering salaries, whilst the career is actually getting harder as tolerances are reduced all round in the name of efficiency. Pilots are too self-effacing in view of such a sustained assault by employers.
Last edited by ShortfinalFred; 8th December 2005 at 13:53.