A few years back I was in a 737 simulator with a European captain who had booked some refresher flying before returning to India on a contract job. He was currently flying with a major Indian airline subsidiary that had suffered a disastrous 737 over-run killing many. I asked him about the general standard of flying skills of the first officers. He gave one example that shook me up. During take off the F/O (young female) failed to give him the 80 knot support call. He glanced over and was astonished to see her hanging on to her seat with both hands and her eyes screwed tight.
In the cruise he told her he got the impression she did not like flying very much. She agreed that was right. She explained that in her part of India, parents would often seek the advice of sooth-sayers before making financial or otherwise similar decisions. Her family did just that in relation to what career their daughter should follow in order to bring money home to the family. The answer was send their daughter to USA to learn to be a pilot and get a job as a pilot back in India.
The daughter had little say in the decision and after graduation with a CPL and 737 type rating in Miami USA, she became a new F/O on a 737. She further explained that not only was she now the cash cow for her family, but her Indian course mates at Miami were all reluctant pilots in the same boat as her. None were interested in flying.
Many years ago, I trained a course of Chinese cadets in NZ for their 737 type rating. Over coffee after our introduction to each other, I asked how they had got into flying in the first place. They said they had no choice in their career. All were in University studying various disciplines when "the authorities" came to their University and directed that all students of a certain year in University were to undergo aircrew medical tests. Those that passed were to be streamed either into the military as pilots or into an airline as pilots. "We are to be the airline pilots" was the their simple answer to my earlier question.
Last edited by A37575; 8th Sep 2012 at 13:12.