Originally Posted by
gtseraf
Rui
Sorry, must disagree with you.
There is a shortage of EXPERIENCED pilots and it looks like it will get worse. As a 30 year veteran in the industry, in my opinion, you cannot teach experience. A low hour pilot will come out of school with a basic understanding of how to fly an aeroplane.
Yes, such a pilot can very quickly move through to Captain, however, I am not sure such a person can be the same as a 30 year captain. There is so much about flying safety, which we learn as we fly. I had the privilege of flying with very experienced pilots and learned so much from them.
Another aspect of this immediate result attitude, is that many pilots are prepared to accept crappy deals to get a quick jump into a shiny jet and a command at 26. Sadly, these crappy deals then become the norm in the industry and these young 'uns may well be stuck in the crappy deal for the rest of their careers, almost 40 years.
May be better to suffer a bit as a youngster to ensure the deals remain good, so one can MAXIMISE one's income over a potential 45 year career.
Think long term guys, it is not easy but it is essential!!
I agree with you that there is a shortage of experienced pilots it will get worse. The question is how to solve the problem? It would be nice to build experience step by step but what if there is no other option? In Europe, unlike in Australia, there is virtually no GA in order for young pilots to gain experience. Most regional airlines went bust as low cost carriers took their market, creating a tighter bottleneck. Going straight to jets has been the only viable option for some time. Would you rather stay at home with massive debt from your pilots studies instead of taking the RHS in jet full with passengers?
No airline will give you a LHS or a RHS if you are not fit for the job. If 200 hours pilots in jets is dangerous, the number of accidents would be higher. Yet, statistics do not support that claim.
My solution is that if you want experienced pilots, you have to let them fly. Let every choose their own path, as everyone has different objectives.
In terms of benefits, when you have bills to pay, loan repayments and put food on the table, would you choose a crappy pay or no pay at all?