Delta Ab Initio Program Targets Women and Minorities

[Flare_you_fool!]

This thread isn't about ab initio training it's about Delta starting an ab initio training program and only letting minorities and women into the program!!!!!!!!!

[keg167l]

FyF,

Delta did not start the ab-initio program, WMU did. Delta have just chosen to give scholarships to selected students. Anyone can apply to join the course. If selected (and the course demands a certain educational level, normally a college degree) they'll have the same 'advantages' as the Delta students. It is not a cheap course, but concentrated education is not cheap. Ask any lawyer, doctor, or other professional.

RB

[Low_and_Slow]

This thread isn't about ab initio training it's about Delta starting an ab initio training program and only letting minorities and women into the program!!!!!!!!!

Hmm, as far as I can see, they didn't start a program. They simply decided to pay for a bunch of people to use the WM program. You can do the same program if you want to spend the dollar$. Not really any different than Delta giving some money to the United Negro College fund or some other charity that mainly benefits one group.

As for its legality--that would likely depend on what kind of mood we find Sandra Day O'Conner in on that day.

As for whether it's right--I personally prefer programs based on economic criteria (ie. some allowance for poorer schools and worse opportunities for those growing up in disadvantaged areas, less mentoring), not race based. Given that, there is a dearth of minority and woman pilots. The goal of a program should not be to equalize the numbers overall, but to equalize incoming pilots to what they should be, and to provide the support opportunitues (mentoring etc) that those pilots would have had where there more senior woman and minority senior pilots.

All this being said, I don't particularly like the delta program because it aims for the wrong people. In europe Ab-Initio training is much more the norm than in the US, and thus someone coming out of high school or University and seriously looking for an aviation career might be expected to wait until entry to the program to start flying seriously. In the US, someone who really wants to fly is likely to at least have taken some flying lessons. The solution would seem to be to assist [partially fund] those who have already expressed interest and taken concrete steps towards the goal, not people who took other career paths and only showed the inclination to actually do something about it when it was handed to them on a silver platter.

I have an African American friend who is working on an IR now who wants to fly for the airlines. He has expressed the interest and has made some personal sacrifices to reach his goal. I'm sure he'd like some money if they want to send it his way....[*]null

[ 11 July 2001: Message edited by: What was the DH again????? ]

[Flare_you_fool!]

RB,
You know what the intentions of the statement were, yes WMU already had the program, the thread is discussing Delta's policy and selection criteria for award of the scholarship ie women and minorities only
Personally i couldn't care less who they give them to.
Regards FYF

[Roadtrip]

Pandora -
The average new hire copilot at a US major airline has at least several thousand hours of experience, probably military fast or heavy jet, or a civilian corporate or regional captain with lots of airline command experience. They'll have an full ATP license, command experience, lots of actual instrument time, and a track record of success. I'll stack any of those guys up against your best 200 hour student pilot any day.

If some European & UK airlines are desperate enough that they feel they have to fund very expensive ab initio training schemes, then I say have at it. I'm just glad those costs aren't coming out of my profit sharing check.

[TowerDog]

Roadtrip:

Yup, ya hit the nail on the head:

I got hired with a US major late last year
with 11000 hours and a bunch of heavy PIC time.

With experience floating around it is hard to see the need for expensive Ab-Inition programs.

(Some of us middle age guys have a great personality, super clean background and we are just as loyal and trainable as the 200 hour wonder-boys and girls Delta is looking to spend tax-deductible money on..
But, aye, we ain't "Colored" or feminine enough.)

A bit too politically correct for this old TowerDog.

Sounds like nonsense to me.
Take on the commuter guys and girls instead. Those that have paid their dues and paid for their training.
Whether they are white, brown or black