Originally Posted by
I.R.PIRATE
Not every single pilot in the world wants to be in the airlines. That is the misconception that lies at the heart of the head-butting between the two camps. Airline pilots believe that every single contract pilot, want to be like them...wrong.
The two camps used to be SAAF and Civvie trained pilots - now it is bush pilots vs airline pilots. I don't really know why any member of either side should be fishing for compliments about how challenging HIS environment is and how s*#thot pilots in HIS group are.
Originally Posted by
I.R.PIRATE
I prefer a pilot who can think on his feet, not one whos thoughts are dictated by what other people have decided, over a discussion in an office. The aviation environment is too flexible and fluid to have had certain decisions made beforehand.
I believe the original question had to do with flying skills, but I will combine that with decisionmaking ability.
I prefer an FO who knows precisely where he is in three-dimentional space and who can operate the FMS and autopilot well. During a monitored non-precision approach (statistically the most dangerous phase of flight in ANY discipline) and as mentioned by Q4NVS, I don't give a continental about my FO's handling skills. I will be doing the landing and he has to deliver me at a position from where I can make a safe landing using the automation available.
I also don't particularly depend on his decisionmaking ability. SOP's are written in part so that a junior FO has a rule that he can follow in calling for a go-around under certain unsafe conditions. He does not need to make a decision. The chief pilot made it for him. By the time he becomes a captain, he will have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of these approaches, and he will have developed the necessary skills.
As an aside. After listening to ex-"bush-pilots" over a beer. I am starting to wonder about decision making ability. Overweight take-offs, flights without adequate diversions, operating with u/s equipment, etc...... It speaks of really good decision making skills!
Finally. Bad pilots have no monopoly on accidents. It happens to the best of us - literally. Murphy does not care about your background.