As an older pilot in GA I have seen many young pilots start their careers in aviation and mostly all had what it takes to succeed. They worked hard, learnt quickly and were professional in their approach. Some were excellent. The few who were not didn't last long. However, none at the outset were totally prepared for what it takes and that included me whose basic ab-initio instruction was back in what many here think were the good old days. The generation Y thing is, I believe, just a rationalisation.
When I think back on my first commercial work the list of basic mistakes appalls me, but apart from some difficulty in getting to grips with a much modified 206, those errors were not related to flying. However, there was some very useful advice about technique that I have utilised ever since. What I saw from many newly minted CPLs' were some basic flying errors. It wasn't unusual at Alice Springs to watch a landing 210 proceed down the runway in a series of overcorrected flares until the excess speed had washed off. A quiet talk about speed control and using the correct approach speed had benefits. Cross-wind technique was another area.
All commercial pilots will require some instruction/mentoring when they start. It is unrealistic to think that a new-start pilot will know what it takes to operate in a remote area. However, schools could look at some changes. One company I worked for had a training arm attached and the CP had an idea that some of our operating problems in Alice Springs should be introduced as desk exercises for CPL students. He was concerned that navigation exercises at CPL level were basically the same as PPL; fill the tanks and off you go, refuel at the other end and return to start. He wanted the students to consider what they needed to do if they were to fly a 3 hour charter with 4 adults in a 210 where there was limited fuel availability. There were a number of scenarios that we came up with. I don't know if the idea was implemented though.
This is a rather long-winded way of saying that the more things change the more they stay the same. Yes, there are problem areas that should be addressed in training but it is unrealistic to expect a fresh CPL will be ready to go from the outset. What should be kept in mind that with the slow-down of airline recruitment, if not outright stalling or even retraction, pilots in GA are going to be there for some time. Some careful mentoring at the outset could have long-term benefits.
Last edited by PLovett; 19th Jul 2014 at 07:23.