Low time cruise pilots
bubbers44 Quote " Hopefully we can stop the flow of low time cruise type pilots getting into the airlines, then monitoring autopilots and becoming captains with no actual flying experience hand flown. It probably isn't going to be allowed to happen because of the cost by the bean counters."
You are correct, of course. But although the bean counters love it, it is the regulator that allows this practice.
A well known airline based at the Fragrant Harbour uses low time Second Officers during criuse. These Second Officers do not even hold a full type rating, yet the aircraft is certificated to be operated by two pilots. This is criminal, in my opinion.
I wonder, then, what the definition of a pilot is.
I believe that the fare paying passenger has a right to expect two fully licenced and type rated pilots to be at the controls of the aircraft in which they are travelling.
Sadly, there are weak regulators who are nothing but whipping boys, merely endorsing the operator's demands.
The recently introduced MPL serves to illustrate the problem - it is not going to get any better, unfortunately.
Last edited by FERetd; 10th Jun 2012 at 10:41.