Anyone still Wannabe, today?

[tacpot]

I doubt that there are many aspiring to the cockpit today. What a god awful situation for a professional pilot to find themselves in!

But when the USA has had their revenge and exorcised their ghosts over these terrible, terrible events, this is going to mean some pretty significant changes in the careers we aspire to.

What's the feeling out there in PPRUNE-land, do we think the industry can come up with viable precautions to prevent any of us ever having to face the situation those poor pilots must have had found themselves in?

Condolensces to everyone affected by this - I can't imagine there are many who aren't. :(

[scroggs]

Keep the faith. Despite everything that's happened today - and there are suggestions that it's not over yet - air travel will eventually recover to merely its usual level of cyclical unpredictability!
The US aviation industry is likely to be very badly affected. Airport security in the US, particularly for domestic travel, has not been as rigourous as in Europe in the recent past because the perceived risk has been small. That will, obviously, change. Many international passengers will not want to travel on an American airline for some time. The US is likely to be much more selective about which foreign airlines it allows to fly into the country, and there may for a while be stricter limitations on which gateway airports foreign carriers may use. US domestic travel will experience a huge change as security is ramped up to international levels - and this will undoubtedly cause airline failures among the deregulated commuter and domestic carriers. There are many elements of US national security that are not directly airline related that will need to be addressed also.
Having said that, international commerce and tourism will demand a return to the status quo, or as nearly as possible, within a reasonable timescale. Procedures will be developed to allow that to happen while improving airline security, but we have to accept that democratic freedom carries certain risks - and these events are the extremity of those risks.
Unless similar attacks happen in Europe, which of course is quite possible, it is unlikely that European domestic and short-haul travel will be badly affected.
However, America will want revenge, if only to show that this kind of outrage cannot go unpunished. We may be at the beginning of a concerted economic and military clampdown on whatever area of the world initiated these events. Maybe even war. The effects on the world's airline industry of the Gulf War (which also happened in a recessionary period) are still fairly fresh in the industry's memory. It hurt badly for a couple of years, and it will again. But we recovered, and we will again.
Like I have always said on this forum, keep a backup plan. You never know what might happen in the future. I suspect the military may be the best employer for the next couple of years.....

[ 11 September 2001: Message edited by: Scroggs ]

[Luke SkyToddler]

It's going to mean some pretty serious changes in airport security and probably some new airline SOPs, but aviation is here to stay, and despite what's happened I think there's a bright future for us.

I'm sure all of us are absolutely sickened to the core by the events of yesterday, but you can't lose sight of the fact that aviation has also brought many of us more happiness and satisfaction than we'd ever have in any other job. And you can't let pigs like yesterday's perpetrators have any affect on the way you run your life ... that just means they win.

Besides, after yesterday, aviation ought to be pretty safe for the next few years ... I don't think there's gonna be that many would-be terrorists left alive within the next few weeks, George Dubbya is going to wipe them and and anyone that supports them, off the face of the planet forever. Go you good thing!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Superpilot]

Firstly I’m not scared of nutters like that, I’ve dealt with too many already to be scared of them. I’m hoping I can look death in the face and remain pretty cool.

Regarding the changes. I think they’re long overdue, but there’s a limit to what we can achieve. What about the bluff call “I have a bomb!!!”. How can we possibly overcome that problem? Do we:

A.) Risk it all and give them the plane.
B.) Lock the doors and bank on them not blowing up the plane.

Well, I feel sorry for some wannabe’s out there. There will no doubt be a lot of suspicion at guys who look remotely M.E’ern.

[Funkie]

More so than ever!

No doubt many people are questioning their aspirations of becoming a pilot, and for some time seeing the horrific footage over the last few day's, I too have been having a quiet think to myself.

I feel that if I were to stop my ambitions of becoming a commercial pilot, then the persons responsible for these terrible atrocities would only have scored another point in their attempt to demise the freedom that our forefathers fought for.

Although BA and others may put a stop to their current CEP scheme, air travel will always be required, and hence pilot's will always be needed to fly these aircraft.

Until the time that airlines start cadet recruitment again, I will still be flying and working towards my goal of being a commercial airline pilot, and I hope that all of the wannabes within this fine place can do the same.

Regards

Fra

[VFE]

I'll ditto that Fra. My thoughts exactly.

[bumpfich]

I must admit that I have never considered *not* persuing my ambition to become a commercial pilot because of the actions of the minority on US soil.

It only makes me more determined.

[lekkerste]

Scroggs,
I agree with you. The long term future of the industry is good. The short to medium term looks like it is going to be dreadful. Any airline with a dependence on transatlantic traffic is going to be in serious trouble. I am currently stranded in the states. When I return I think there is an outside chance I will eventually be looking for another job. What is almost a certainty is that I will have plenty of time to do those things I have been putting off for a long time.

I certainly don't feel bad about it though. Every time I put the tv on, it puts things in perspective. I didn't work at the WTC, or have family who did. My thoughts are with them and their families at this dreadful time.

[AH64 APACHE]

I feel that we are all looking at the wrong thing with regards ti this terrible attrocity as despite all the best efforts of the crew and the other passengers we are unable to prevent people who are willing to die for their lives in wxchange for their own. How do we know that these hijackers are going to be the ones who just want to get to another country or want to kill themselves!! If they want to kill themselves then they will and I do not beleive that we can do anythingabout it as we are helpless when people are willing to die for their cause.
We can only get security as good as we canand then maybe we have to get insurance!!!
Sorry to be so negative but it must be recognised!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: null