From: (insert name)
To:
[email protected]
Senator Xenophon,
I am very pleased that you have taken issue with pilot training standards in this country.
I am very concerned that the Australian Airline Industry will be putting passenger lives in danger if it continues with plans to place Cadet Trainees newly qualified as basic Commercial Pilots into the First Officer seats on commercial airline services.
Sound aviation safety practices are taken for granted in Australia. I fear that we will be heading for a Colgan Air-like accident in this country if Airline Management insists on placing under-experienced pilots in the control seats of large jet airliners.
The US Congress has recently mandated the following minimums for airline pilots before they may operate as crewmembers on a commercial airline:
Minimum Licence Level – Air Transport Pilot Licence
Minimum Flight Experience – 1500 Hours
Minimum Age – 23 years
I fully support this strengthening of safety standards in the US and request your support to ensure the same sweeping safety reforms are made to similarly protect the travelling public here in Australia.
I would greatly appreciate your attendance at the next Aviation Industry meeting in Melbourne on 27 September in order to assist with public recognition of this safety-critical issue.
Lives may be lost if the Government and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority does not recognise that the duty of care for public safety in Australia demands an airline pilot with more than 200 hours of flight experience.
Thanks for all your hard work and continuing support for aviation-related safety-critical issues.
Sincerely,
(insert name)