The big Emphasis on the 'Academic' side of flying is in my opinion, a waste of time and does not contribute to flight safety - setting high standards for flight testing certainly does. There is no evidence to suggest that the European safety record is any better than that in America, even though the Europeans apply MUCH more emphasis to the theory.
Don't know about you, but I didn't study camber angles, internal combustion engine theory and electronic engine management systems when I learnt to drive. Much as I don't need to know how to program in DOS and how microproccesors work in order to make this post. The regulators have failed to adapt to the changes that have occurred in todays fly by numbers, computer does the thinking airline environment.
If the authorities insist on academic performance as a filter, at least let the poor buggers learn something useful. Hard and soft magnetic iron components and how to swing a magnetic compass does not fall into this category in my opinion - the guys in the greasy overhauls are meant to know about this stuff.
Agree fully on the dodgy type ratings - there are too many pilots flying around in serious kit they don't know jack about.
Last edited by Woof etc; 17th Jan 2006 at 18:23.