"It's not the schools, it's not the FAA or the JAA. It's the individual! If you want to be excellent in the cockpit it takes WORK and DEDICATION. I've trained pilots for 30 yrs and from a c-150 to MD-11 one trait you can tell immediately is their work ethic. Some have some don't. College degree? What an idiot u r to think that makes a difference. The best students I had in little airplanes were the back hoe drivers, mechanics, hand eye coord. skill in other words. The worst, doctors and lawyers, who have been told they are the smartest on the planet by parents and teachers. They actually believe it! On your next long haul see if your fo picks up his QRH and scans thru it when he's just sittin there. If he does, marry him."
I'd second that, broadly speaking.
Over the years I've recruited many many people, one golden rule for me, in the absence of specialist HR training etc., has always been recruit for attitude & application, if these can be established then I'm happy to provide training. Never failed. (lucky?)
Was interviewed by an MBA BBeverything Academic once as to the basis of "our secret" in being successful.
Find people with common sense, if they haven't that they fail starting base.
Now bugger off, we're busy...
