Sometimes I wonder...
I watched an episode of the new series last night. It featured a familiar scenario. A keen young pilot, already checked out on the DC3, aspires to fly the Electra. We see him staggering about at 3.30 am loading up the DC3 and then (we're told) flying it on a scheduled run. Some (unspecified) number of hours subsequently he gets a chance to accompany the Electra on a flight delivering fuel: we see him nodding off on the outbound leg (which I imagine he's not qualified to fly as trainee FO as it's a revenue flight) and hear that he's completely exhausted from the early start and his previous exertions.
Now, on the return leg he's in the RH seat for his first crack at the Electra. Trouble is he's practically delirious with exhaustion and performs abominably at every stage - despite, in previous sections of the program, being shown as a rather level-headed and competent young chap. He's b0llocked and generally humiliated in the characteristic Buffalo house style.
I'm beginning to wonder, as with "Dangerous Flights" whether the requirement for dramatic footage is seriously distorting the operational judgement of the participants. In the example above I'm inclined to think that even if the strategy was to prevent the eager youngster from getting over-confident (although he didn't seem the type, unlike some of the eager beavers they exploit) it was a stupid, hazardous and ultimately counter-productive decision to introduce him to the aircraft whilst he was in that state.
Buffalo are obviously earning nicely from the series, both directly and in terms of spin-off benefits (how much would it cost to buy that level of TV advertising?) and by now it must be obvious to them what's required, even if the regular operation of ancient aircraft doesn't present sufficient dramatic tension. Falling off an icy wing is trivial compared to some of the stuff we see in these programs.
On a recent "DF" I watched a mechanic fitting a brake manifold on an A320 using a pair of stilsons to tighten up the hydraulic lines! En route subsequently the aircraft reported a hydraulic leak and landed at Bangor under an emergency with questionable brake performance. When I used to have earth moving equipment I wouldn't have used a stilsons to tighten anything on the hydraulics.