KQ method of addressing pilot shortage
As Kenyans it is very disturbing and humiliating to stomach this expat pilot intake being considered at KQ.I personally got discriminated even in neighbouring Tanzania!We REALLY should safeguard employment for Kenyans like every other nation does.
It is costly to keep maintaining our licenses annually or bi-annually to be eligible for employment (especially when unemployed).Some of us have ATPLs and considerable experience and are still jobless...If KQ needs their pilot shortage addressed efficiently they might want to review their recruiting process and request different benchmarks for different categories of experience to facilitate a more expeditious local pilot intake.Surely the pilot shortage can be thus addressed in no time.The psychometric and psychomotor testing might be relevant at the ab-initio stage but surely for those already proven in the field a simulator flight evaluation should be sufficient to discover the potential talents or weaknesses from a CRM perspective, especially when academic qualifications have already been met.Higher education should also be given more weight over KCSE...and what if schooling was done abroad in an exam system clearly more superior to our Kenyan system, shouldn't that be MORE credit worthy?
Importantly, the recent edition in the application process which adds a new constraint of restricting number of times one can apply to twice is really an impedence in the method used to address this widely acclaimed pilot shortage at Kenya Airways.Another issue is why is primary focus on ab-initios and Direct Captains on E JET or equivalent only...there is no equivalent of E JETS in Kenya...neither CRJ ,ERJ 135, dc9,MD80 or any other jet we know in Kenya equivalent...if we had Fly by wire Airbus may be..but we do not.Why not consider as a priority Direct entry F.O.s with full ATPL to fast track them for Command upgrade or create movement for those senior F.O.'s already in KQ to pave way for experienced Kenyan F.O.s .Also WHY NOT give accelerated training on Direct entry ATPL F.O.s with command on turbo prop above 12tonnes or similar criterion after giving them a command assessment on their sim evaluation check before joining?
KQ wants to maintain the anachronistic process of recruitment (that Airforce Aptitude was used since colonial times and only two tests bear any bearing on aeronautical aptitude..instrument nterpretation and flight visuo spatial awareness).Where there is a shortage I would think a system to alleviate that shortage might be considered to relaxing the non-flying relevant criteria for entry and certainly not impose constraints such as the maximum number of times one can apply, or having to wait a whole year after failing an attempt...why not 3 months or six months...it is not a jail sentence or is it??
KALPA...are you listening?
Last edited by Vc10Tail; 22nd Feb 2012 at 09:25.