Ramp to cockpit, meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilot
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Ramp to cockpit, meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilot
https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1755319178897092689?s=20
I've obtained internal footage of senior officials at the FAA's Flight Program Operations division — which is responsible for all aspects of aircraft operations — workshopping a plan to reduce the number of white males in aviation. 🧵
The footage begins with FAA acting deputy chief operating officer Angela McCullough saying more workers need to go from "ramp to cockpit," meaning she wants to see more baggage handlers become airline pilots.
As the meeting goes on, McCullough declares that it's important to "get a little uncomfortable." She complains that Flight Operations is "white-male dominated" and tells the managers they need to “talk about what the future could look like."
In response, David ‘Wil’ Riggins, the FAA’s Vice President of Flight Program Operations, says, "That's great, honestly. Those are some words that we really need to spend some time digging through and thinking about."
Several sources have also sent me documentation about one of the FAA's largest programs, called "eFast," which prioritizes "Indian Tribal Owned corporations” and “Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Businesses” for billions of dollars in critical grant funding.
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workshopping a plan to reduce the number of white males in aviation
I have worked with many fellow airline pilots who have had previous 'ramp' jobs and they have all been good pilots. Who they are, I could not care in the slightest as long as they were good at the job.
It was not just Buffalo
A friends father was working the ramp in Montreal for Air Canada back in the 50's. They came around asking who wants to be a pilot and then he was!
Though he was an anglo white male - three strikes against him in todays world, he did OK all the same.
Funny thing is I have mentioned this story to a few people and was told there was no way it happened but it did.
I am not totally opposed to what the FAA is trying to do. I'm an engineer. I divorced in my 50's and started dating. I meet more than a few women who said to me , "I wish I knew what engineers did growing up , I would have liked to become one."
Though he was an anglo white male - three strikes against him in todays world, he did OK all the same.
Funny thing is I have mentioned this story to a few people and was told there was no way it happened but it did.
I am not totally opposed to what the FAA is trying to do. I'm an engineer. I divorced in my 50's and started dating. I meet more than a few women who said to me , "I wish I knew what engineers did growing up , I would have liked to become one."
I was already a non-commercial pilot by the time I did my few years as a ramp worker and I didn’t see much overlap in the skillset between the two occupations. IOW, being a ramp worker would not give you much of a head start toward becoming a pilot. It would be interesting to see how many ramp workers also have an interest in aviation vs it’s just a job like any other.
…workshopping a plan to reduce the number of white males in aviation
Unless you create new jobs specifically open to female applicants only (very dodgy), it is statistically impossible to increase diversity without reducing the number of males in aviation. The methodology about how to get there should rightly be scrutinised, but don’t be too ragebaited by how that’s been framed. Unless you don’t believe there should ever be more than 5% female pilots, the number of males is going to reduce accordingly.
Chief Bottle Washer
Obviously a Thread topic that should be in Jet Blast, given the replies and deteriorating discussion.
