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31,970 hours of flying experience is perhaps a bit too much.

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31,970 hours of flying experience is perhaps a bit too much.

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Old 24th Oct 2017, 11:08
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31,970 hours of flying experience is perhaps a bit too much.

US cargo plane that narrowly avoided Hong Kong mountain was warned of danger three times in two minutes | South China Morning Post
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 00:08
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If he's got 32,000 hours, he's no doubt one of the old farts that refuses to retire. He'll probably try to continue his pathetic run by being a simulator instructor after he can't legally fly anymore. There comes a time when experience doesn't make up for mental degeneration caused by aging.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 00:12
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Yes, correct in your assessment. Both the senile old buggers and the no-nothing spiky haired brigade are equally dangerous. Interestingly, the way CX is going, those will be the only two groups left in this airline. Food for thought? (but Anna knows best)
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 01:38
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Originally Posted by Pogie
If he's got 32,000 hours, he's no doubt one of the old farts that refuses to retire. He'll probably try to continue his pathetic run by being a simulator instructor after he can't legally fly anymore. There comes a time when experience doesn't make up for mental degeneration caused by aging.
The guy started at 18 y.o. Fly 1000 hours a year. He is now 50 years old. Hence 32000 hours. OK?
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 02:54
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old or young makes no diff... anyone can make mistakes. The trick is catching them or recognising them before they kill you... if all you got out of this was to denigrate 50 years of staying alive in aircraft then you're obviously feeling invincible.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 03:57
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Tam said the American cargo plane was flying below the standard vertical distance of 1,000 feet – or 305 metres – from the ground stipulated by the Civil Aviation Department, yet potential punishments for the pilots and the operator would depend on the final result of investigations as well as relevant regulations in the United States.
One has to ask why a legislator is getting involved with the investigation at this stage, and why he is talking about punishment for an error. The investigation process needs to run independent from any regulation or politics until the final report is published. Currently, the CAD investigate accidents and serious incidents, contrary to ICAO Standards and Recognised Practices. There is a clear conflict of interest here as a line o investigation will be the actions of the controllers - their own employees.

They have recently been obliged to set up a fully independent investigation body, but are dragging their heels over it.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 12:53
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Welcome to the Third World.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 20:21
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Over a 40 year aviation career (after doing other fun things) I appear to have averaged just over 400hrs per annum. 1000hrs pa? Is that legal? This guy must be worn out.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 20:50
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Hours don't necessarily make you good

Having many thousands of hours in the air is not necessarily a good guide to a good aviator at all. There are a great many pilots around with half of those huge totals who are far better, safer and competent.
I knew of an old pilot in Australia who wanted to retire with as many hours as possible so he remained on the DC4 freighter to do this. Trouble was he would plug the auto pilot in not long after take off , slide his seat back and go to sleep and tell the F/O to wake him on mid descent . He did this on every flight as most were back of the clock and he literally slept through 75% of his flights.
The huge number of hours were mostly gained whilst asleep so that does not make him a good aviator. If one did not know one would think that with so many hours he must be so experienced and a brilliant pilot.
Hours do not make the man , experience does and especially when flying and being awake.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 21:06
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Hours don't necessarily make you good

Please correct me if I am wrong, but it used to be understood that US pilots logged every minute in an aircraft. This included dead-heading, flights going on holiday with the family, private flying and of course commuting to work regularly in their own aeroplane. Soon adds up…….

Me? I’m a mere learner with only 22000+, an’ I’m nearly 80 ! Still enjoying aeros though !
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 22:27
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DC4s had autopilots?
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 22:46
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Yes they did (rudimentary). Used to fly one in Africa in the 80's. Great airplane, rugged and reliable. Look up the Douglas DC-4 Association of South Africa.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 22:54
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Originally Posted by Sleeve Wing
Please correct me if I am wrong, but it used to be understood that US pilots logged every minute in an aircraft. This included dead-heading, flights going on holiday with the family, private flying and of course commuting to work regularly in their own aeroplane. Soon adds up…….

Me? I’m a mere learner with only 22000+, an’ I’m nearly 80 ! Still enjoying aeros though !!
Not true. Yes, they get paid for dead heading, but no logged time for being a passenger. Private flying for any purpose, yes, logged time. Military flying, yes.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 22:55
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Thanks, Traf. I will. :-)
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 00:16
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Curtain rod

Careful what you say or CX might end up like another airline where only your seat time is counted for flying hours - goodbye overtime!
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 00:38
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...and goodbye what few pilots are still thinking of staying at CX
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 01:03
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In Command

To look at this another way.
Awake or asleep, in the seat or on the toilet. When you are pilot in command the command part (responsibility) does not take a break until you are parked at the other end and stepping off of the aircraft.
Experience is not just about manipulation. It is exposure to risk and the management of said risks. Like any leader, be it the general of an army, a ships captain or the president/prime minister, the job does not stop if you are catching a nap whilst either in office or on a military campaign. Delegating roles and responsibilities is part of being in command. The buck will stop with said commander.
You cannot buy or train experience. It is gathered slowly over many years of exposure to risk.
The automation of aircraft does not address or replace the flexibility of the human influence on achieving safer outcomes when automation reaches the limit of its design.
This is a long winded way of pointing out the systemic shortage in experience levels and the limitations inherent in machines.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 01:10
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If I’m on an aircraft
In uniform
On the GD
Listed as operating crew - probably Commander, with Command responsibility
Getting paid (I.e. at WORK)

....then it’s logged time.

Nothing to do with vanity, I don’t need a few dozen extra hours to make my logbook look good.

You’re foolish if you think otherwise.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 02:33
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It is called Total Aeronautical Experience. Hence why as co-pilot, only a percentage is counted toward TAE. There is only PIC.
Logging time at home pretty much sums up your understanding of the reasoning to which I was alluding.
There is much more to the job of an airline pilot than merely manipulating the stick.
I am not responsible for an aircraft and its occupants safety when home in bed dreaming of life beyond this developing circus of perceptions.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 04:05
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One would assume that when one becomes a commander of a wide body ULH aircraft that flying hours become irrelevant. It's year of service that I believe is more pertinent. I doubt anyone is doing it for vanity at that point. Does it really matter if one has 25,000 hours or 15,000 hours?
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