"Indian crash investigators are focusing on the speed and touchdown point of an Air India Express 737-8HG that crashed at Mangalore-Bajpe Airport Saturday morning, killing 158 of the 166 passengers and crew onboard. Air India Express is a low-cost subsidiary of the state-run carrier Air India. Flight IX812 was en route from Dubai to Mangalore and the crew did not report any problems with the aircraft or weather. The flight skidded off the 2,450-m. runway, plunging down a 200-ft. gorge and bursting into flames. Mangalore’s airport is located on a hilltop and the main Runway 24/06 has gorges at either end. It was India’s worst aviation disaster in 14 years. There has already been some fall out from the crash as the Indian pilot community has wasted no time in attributing the crash to the fact that the pilot was an expatriate."
CX DFO Update 28 May 2010. (underscored by me)
Just check out the views and brain dead denial on the South Asia & Far East Forum of anyone daring to comment negatively, or state some eyewitness facts & experiences about Indian Aviation. The denial is laughable, if not so damn scary. With 175 hrs TT pilots are in the RHS of a 777 (& 744 as I understand it). Or, with 175 hrs TT they DEMAND such jobs on A320, 737, 777, etc. With 1000 hrs pilots are deemed "highly experienced" (quote from Mangalore ATC). I wonder where this omniscient aviation culture stems from then, eh?
Your "expat" 20,000 hrs is not welcomed when local guys are unemployed with 175 - 250 hrs TT. In their eyes they are just as qualified.
Let's hope the person leading the inquiry is not either a) as xenophobic and / or b) open to corruption.