Agree with Hillerbee: cost-cutting at the end of things is innapropriate decision-making: the safety of any flight has more to do with pilot competence than the machine, which in this case is itself high value: why skimp on the "other important bit"?
A co-pilot or safety pilot adds an added tier of safety; although filling the seat with an occasional low-timer to help out during flight in poor weather, again seems innapropriate advice: the low-timer does not have the expereince to offload an expereinced captain in those circumstances. On the other hand, if the advice is to engage a low-time co to fly with an experienced captain and build experience, and "bring on" company crew, that's a fair proposal.
Whilst not essential, an IR would give additional flexibility, and probably an additional level of safety too. IMC flying is not the same as "poor weather". Many flights (esp commercial fixed wing) would never get from A to B if they couldn't fly through a layer of cloud.
TT
Last edited by Torquetalk; 12th Feb 2009 at 20:01.