The problem here is that people here are answering the questions that nobody is asking. Cargo 1, you have said, "It is just disappointing to see/hear someone saying that Russian pilots are not as good as western just because they are from the East." Don't be too disappointed becasue nobody has actually said that. At no point in this debate have I, or anyone else contributing that I am aware of, suggested that former Eastern Bloc pilots are 'better' or 'worse' than their western counterparts. Such terminology, none of which is being used by me, only inflames unhealthy debate and results in entrenched positions on either side of the percieved divide. In practice this boils down to some inappropriate argument about the relative handling skills of different individuals - a spurious and completely unnecessary discussion when considering the issues here. And Sonic Bam, it is entirely reasonable to make the quote you did here - it is pertinent to the debate which is much larger than one Airbus overrun.
All very nice as it is that someone had great cabin service with Aeroflot, Balkan Holidays or whoever on a recent trip, it is comletely irrelevant as to whether the airline has an appropriate safety culture that runs from top to bottom. (Inicdentally, that is not to say that these specific airlines do not.) That means that there is proper maintainance, high standards of pilot training, the latest in aircraft technology, a flight monitoring and analysis system (similar to FLYDRAS or SESMA for those familiar with them), a no-blame culture, freedom from non-flying management interference in operational decisions, adherence to legal limits and SOPs, appropriate oversight of aviation at government level through a national organisation (CAA, FAA etc) and so forth. No doubt some of you can reasonably say that a number of Eastern Bloc airlines have this in place and a number of smaller airlines do not here in Western Europe or the States. Nonetheless, when taken as a whole picture, I hope that even the ardent propagandist out there for Soviet aviation would recognise that there are significantly more problems around in Eastern Bloc than there are in the 'West'.
Incidentally, when I read such fatuous comments as 'he's a "fast jet" man? so don't mind him. Small cockpit, small mind', it does nothing to instill confidence in the debating opposition or indeed their powers of deduction. I am indeed a fast jet man, but have also flown old-wreck cargo planes, modern turboprops and passenger jets. I have flown more hours on Airbuses than all my military types put together and more often than not spend my working day next to someone who is not from the UK. You may not like what I have to say in the debate - but please do not assume that I know nothing.