Hawker750. Pay peanuts get.........................
”Why does owning a pilot's licence make some guys so arrogant. Flying is simply a learnt skill that 90% of the population are capable of being taught. Experience is simply that.”
I am not sure it is earning the pilot’s license that makes some guys so arrogant, as it is the arrogant, self-assured, power/prestige driven individuals endowed with those personality traits are drawn to flying. How many military fighter pilot type 20-30-something year olds have you come across that are unassuming, quiet, reserved, humble and “grateful that you took the time to notice me” types?
I don’t know a thing about “hawker750”? Perhaps 90% of the population is capable of being taught to fly, but that does not make them capable airman.
I worked for a individual who was worth billions, ran his own high profile company and was a licensed pilot. He would call up and have us get the jet ready: flighplanned, fueled, preflighted. He would show up, jump in and fly off solo. He did not have the time for recurrent training, nor did he know or care about the ‘regulations’ and forget about asking system or performance questions. There is a world of difference between that individual and the commander of the jetliner that ditched his airbus in the Hudson River some time ago. Both are jet pilots, but they are not equal. I know which one I would want in command of my Kenyan Airliner departing Cameroon on a dark stormy night with level 5 thunderstorms around.
I, on the other hand, do not presume to know how to run a multinational company with hundreds or thousands of employees even though I have a business degree. Often you get what you pay for. Pay peanuts you get monkeys. However paying a king’s ransom does not guarantee you will get a prince; you might still end up with monkeys.
If you think flight crews, training and equipment are expensive; what about a hull loss and a smoking crater in the ground? 90% of the population may be capable of being licensed, but not placed in command of a commercial airliner.
Respectfully,
Last edited by Northbeach; 7th October 2009 at 18:42.