The role of airline Captain is more a state of mind than age. That state of mind comes with training and a readiness to accept the responsibility.
I've flown with much younger pilots and much older pilots, and some of the older should never have been promoted. It's not their ability, or lack of, but a readiness to confront a situation when it occurs, and that's in a person's makeup to a large degree. Technical knowledge is necessary and important but its the approach made by the individual that saves the day.
I recall reading in the accident report that the Captain on the JAL 747 that ploughed into a mountain 21 years ago just abrogated his responsibility completely (something the Japanese are wont to do when the $hit hits the fan), looking out the window when the FO and FE were desperate for some guidance.
Of course, technical knowledge and manipulative skill play a part.
I've flown with Japanese FO's and Captains, and Indian FO's, and I can assure you the worst Indian FO was better than the best Japanese Captain, and the Indian FO's were less than half the Japanese Captains' ages, some late teens/early 20's.
The Indian pilots with whom I've flown have all been very capable. Indians seems to apply themselves to the task, any task, very diligently. They strive to be best when many others rate 'good enough' as adequate.
Yes sir, it's training and attitude more than age, and I think 1500 hours in the RHS is enough provided the FO's been diligent about his tasks and is rated as suitable for upgrade.
You can have a 55 yo Captain with 20,000+ hours but it doesn't follow that he's better than a 25 yo with 5,000 hours even though he probably should be.
The Indian maintenance would be more cause for concern than the ages of the crew up front.
Airline pilots have ever made a big deal of instructors having 10 hours experience 1000 times over, and so it is with airline pilots, but perhaps 1,000 hours 10 times over.
You'll never experience it all even if you're 100 yo and have 50,000 hours experience because you're operating a machine in a dynamic environment.
Last edited by KaptinZZ; 25th Aug 2007 at 07:07.