Scandiweather

[shaggie]

It seems to me that some scandinavian airlines hire staff out of hours only and not considering the fact that a pilot with 1000 h from one environment can be 1000 totaly different hours from another environment. I mean, not even 2000 h from florida should be equalled to 1000 h flown in snow, icing, real IMC. For example a friend of mine, CPL from US, has 2000 h total. Mostly 172. He has never experienced icing conditions, slippery/icy runways etc. And he is considered before the guy with 1000 h, more multi and have all experience from the ****weather in Scandinavia. The example is from a company in Sweden.

Don't get me wrong US guys, I have friends educated in the states, real good pilots.

Another point is that it takes twice as long to build hours (as instr.) in Scandinavia compared to for example US, this due to a lot of cancellations due to bad weather, wich also is a part of the game that I think should be considered higher (this is experience as well).
How many hours do you have?
-1000 total and 1000 cancelled due to ****weather...

Is this a fact or am I mistaken?

[Hung start]

Many moons ago, when I was flying in the US, only time in IMC was allowed to be logged. Scandinavian (Danish) rules at that time allowed for ALL time flown under IFR rules to be logged. I flew in the northeast, where weather certainly can be, and is, just as nasty as here in Scandiland. That way, I probably logged less IFR time, than my friends who stayed here, but flew at least as much, if not more.

But how to differentiate between the two.??
Our Scandi pilot with 1000 hours, may not have that much actual IMC time anyway, and the US guy could have a lot.
For all it´s worth, few here in Scandinavia fly around in CATII and icing, unless they fly advanced airplanes. And if they do that, they would have the advantage anyway, over the "nice weather flyer", when applying for a job.

It´s hard to judge, who flew the most in challenging weather. Easy to look at types flown, and number of hours!!

[KADS]

This topic is as old as the junkers....

Shaggie, your opinion is very usual among people who have not been to the states themselves flying over there, but has listen to rumours travelling most scandinavian flight schools. Please keep in mind that representatives of flight schools in scandinavia will of course try to degrade traing abroad, thereby enhancing your picture of their own training. Doing my conversion in Sweden I had alot of cancelled flights due to bad wx but like you say, they are "cancelled", not generating any experience what so ever, except for perhaps interpreting wx charts which isn't that hard after all. Most frustrating and money consuming.....

As Hung mention, the time in the states are logged ACTUAL IMC meaning you actually fly without external references whereas here you can theoretically get your licenses without actually flying in clouds. (Not implying that is the case, just saying theoretically). I found the flying "over there" far more experience building since you are given the possibility in flying in an airspace far busier and demanding than you will ever find in Sweden. Even if you are flying in the south and not encountering any icing conditions as you call for, you will instead be prone to encounter the fastest changing wx condtions there are by those afternoon squall lines which are unheard of in scandinavia. You can go from clear skies flying one direction to a 200 nm wide line of CB with tops to 60.000' on your return trip an hour later, not to mention associated tornadoes. So which is more challenging? I don't know? It is a personal opinion but mine is that flying in Europe which I have now done commercially for almost four years, I've never been close to taking as many wx related decisions as I did during my two years in the states...
And surely one can not down grade American flight hours in the manner you suggest, just soley on lack of contaminated runways and not having to wait for the wx to clear.....

[This message has been edited by KADS (edited 28 April 2001).]

[This message has been edited by KADS (edited 28 April 2001).]

[KADS]

Shaggie, are ya still around, or are ya done with the topic ;)??

[Falcon-driver]

Very well said,
Been in The US for the last 11 years.
I dont know if icing in the NE US is different than icing in Scandinavia. My experience tells me its not. I'm currently flying all over the world with a US airline and my experience is that icing is icing and
funny enough, airplanes fly the same way if you are in The US, Scandinavia, Asia, South America etc....
Best regards and happy flying.