Unrest ATR Transition Captains in Kingfisher Airlines

[airrider]

Buzz in the aviation community is that Trainee Captains on ATR 72, mostly Ex IAF pilots who have joined the airline from as far back as two years have still not been progressed in their training syllabi to achieve P1 status on type. All of them are highly qualified and experienced. Whereas, young pilots who have acquired their ATPL as late as six months ago have already been released as captains. One wonders why this discriminatory treatment meted out to the ex-service pilots? especially when today it is the need of the hour to have genuine, motivated and experienced commanders. Probably the virtues such as loyalty, discipline etc. are going against them i wonder. Am sure they would be grabbed by other airlines if they decide to quit over the discrimination.

[PT6A]

What a load of tosh........

[jackbauer]

Yeah upgrade the IAF guys. They hold the record for the most crashed fast jets of any airforce in the world. Jaguars, Mig21, even Heli's all endangered species in India due to the superior skills of these talented chaps. I wouldn't let them fly a kite.

[PT6A]

Thanks Jack for the expanded version of why these guys should not be moving seats anytime soon.

[shafs64]

Sounds like politics to me.

[misd-agin]

either that or it's performance.

[av8r76]

It's performance.

[captjns]

These guys are pissed off because of expats occupying their left seat:{.

Now they are pissed off because the locals can't make the grade:{.

What do these pin head want:ugh:?!?!

[Omni Range Zero]

Pin Cushions?

[bear11]

Are you seriously telling me ex IAF pilots have been put on the ATR? Even the civvie Indians would refuse that, they just wanted the A320, minimum. The only way to get locals on the ATR was to offer them their upgrade off the 320 through the ATR fleet (and pay them more money) for a set amount of time/hours.

Their ex-IAF brethren were famous a few years ago for marching into the KF Ops room and having their roster rewritten on the spot as, ahem "requested" with much bowing and scraping involved, so someone must have seriously dirtied their bib:)

[jet_737ng]

I dont about the happenings in KF or their ATR fleet. A former colleague mentioned about a ex- MIG 29 pilot who could not even follow basic SOP's or shoot a 2 eng ILS during training. The IAF spends millions on training of pilots. The pilots who come out before they retire are deadwood, the pilots who IAF is glad to get rid of...By the way this is actual quote of IAF officer...So Let them learn how to fly from the right seat before they start dreaming about four stripes:hmm:

[Sir Niall Dementia]

I did a six months stint in the early 1990's on loan to a South East Asian carrier who were short of pilots, they had a policy of NO ex IAF pilots in command, ever. I wondered why until the day I was crewed with one............:uhoh:

[stubby1]

guys
lets be rational. this is not some ex fighter pilot bashing. there are all kinds of people both sides of uniform. And many ex military pilots have done well in airlines too. I have some good friends in this lot.
Airrider has written about transition captains . How long does it generally take to transition ? Is the training in kingfisher whimsical --- is the issue here.

[Jazbag]

Being a trainer have found ex AF pilots of good calibre with discipline and humility. People should not comment or generalise without adequate knowledge, it only shows where that individual comes from....

Get over the ex IAF bias many airlines are running because of them.

[PT6A]

Where did this idea come from that it is their right to become a Captain? I'm sure it says in their contract that them switching seats is subject to lots of things.....

When the ex RAF pilots pass selection for BA they join in the right seat.... For sometime!

Air Force flying and Airline flying are two differnt animals and they need to time to sharpen the required skillset for the latter.


These ex IAF guys really need to get rid of that large chip they carry round with them.

[Jazbag]

PT6

Many pilots carry a large chip this is the way they project to the public that they can handle any situation. Most keep it hidden and brandish it only when gross differences in the way they have been trained emerge vis a vis other pilots. At times they even brandish it to other ex service pilots

It is difficult to explain : but ex service pilots have flown in very hostile environments and still emerged successfully with quick thinking and basic skills which the average civvy pilot is not exposed to at the grooming stage.

Hence if you ask me to bet on an ex service pilot (with reasonable experience) I would do that as most airlines are doing today and running the operation successfully.

But from whichever source the pilot comes from let us remember that it is finally the result which matters.

Long live aviation and up up for Sully an ex Fast jet pilot. May Indian aviation also try to promote the great things that Indian pilots are doing to avert crisis. The media in India is only to point faults and create negative images.

"Nuff" for now

[stubby1]

airrider
what do u have latest.
Are these transition pilots planning to switch co.? or are they waiting for amends ??:)

[shafs64]

If someone siad i had to fly the ATR i would say thanks very much:ok: