Originally Posted by Big Pistons Forever
You are right there is a big gap between what FO's are getting now and what they would need to pass a ATP ride and that is exactly where the problem is. I fail to see why doubling the training footprint to allow new hires to get to the required standard is in any way bad. One thing is for sure the airline bean counters consider pilot training a "cost" that must be minimized. The only way the bar is going to be raised is if the industry is forced by regulation to increase training. There is no way the airlines are going to do that on their own.
Originally Posted by MarkerInBound
To keep foreign CAAs happy, the FAA created an SIC type rating. The F/O has their Chief Pilot or training department certify they passed their FAA approved F/O training program and takes the paperwork to the FAA. The FAA will issue a type rating limited to SIC only without any further testing.
For whatever it’s worth, the most recent publication of the proposed revision to the FAA rules regarding pilot training and qualification included statements that strongly suggested that the FAA was proposing doing away with the differences between Captains and First Officers with respect to both the tasks they each had to perform and the standards that had to be met when those tasks were performed by either pilot. My initial response was … it’s about time! But, foolish me … as is typical with regulators who are overly responsive to those they regulate, I now understand that the cost involved in making the training equal is being “
reviewed” … because of the significant cost involved. This, together with the continuation of the AQP (where every airline participating has been authorized to do essentially whatever it is they would prefer to do – and does so with the blessings of the regulator) it would seem that the only purpose that the regulators serve is to “codify” whatever it is that the industry would like to have – which is the very best defense an airline could possibly desire should anyone ever decide to take legal action against them (“…but we’re only complying with FAA requirements…”) and these “like-to-have” motivations come – apparently directly from –the cost to that airline … the less the cost … the more they desire it. And it would seem that unless or until a body count of such proportions is achieved in a single “mishap” that the contributing circumstances can no longer be ignored … we are all going to see a proliferation of less training, less pilot qualification requirements, and substantially more dependence on airplane automation. Hmmm … is anyone suspicious of all the increased regulatory interest in “un-manned” air vehicles?