Have you read your post before hitting the send button?? the arrogance / inflated self opinion is a tad alarming! Very glad I dont have to share a cockpit with you, on one of your "long haul" flights. I have spent 5 years widebody airbus & 3 years 747, now working for the dreaded Ryanair and without a doubt, it is far more challenging as a captain in terms of : non precision approaches / cat B & C airports, winter ops, low vis, limited duty periods, and extremely limited operations back up. some days a combination of all of the above is the norm. On average far more forward planning/ thinking is required, and in my humble opinion you can get bitten on the ass a lot sooner. I miss the Acars, ops back up and relaxed nature of the long haul stuff, but have a much better home life, 5 on 4 off fixed roster, (no packing!) The knowledge base required for long haul is not greater as you say, just different , I fly with some very sharp people here, and when I think back to the long haul stuff , most days were a piece of cake. Hardest part was packing the suicase.
