Tonight's Front Line...the risks of flying cheap

[Randy_Cain]

Hi,

I guess the title says it. It's about the regional pilots hiding behind large airline paints with half the training and half the maintenance. (This is an overall premise, not a fact...the theme of the show)

Sorry for the late notice...it's starting now. Find your local PBS station and check your air date.

Yours,

[aeroart]

I watched that. It was pretty scary.

Art

[Pixel Pilot]

Hi

I watched this show too. Firstly, the FAA doesn't seem to understand how the lack of sleep affects pilot performance. Secondly, Colgan Air's management didn't create a culture of safety. Asking a pilot with no experience in the airplane to do a check ride was outrageous and that's not the only thing that three former pilots accused them of. Lastly the big carriers create contracts with the regionals that contain perverse incentives and they do allow passengers to believe that they are flying on an airline that adheres to the same training and safety standards as theirs.

Ed

[sunny9850]

Unfortunately I missed the show, but it is available for viewing on the web.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/flyingcheap/

But even before watching the program I would add that not all pilots fling for the minors are under trained freshlings from a training academy. Quite a few are actually "grey beards" from the majors that chose to take a step back rather than a long or longer furlough.

I happen to know a couple of that kind...and would gladly put my live in their hands any day.

ps. Having now watched the sow I want to add that once again PBS showed the rest of the so-called media how to "report" something.

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/flyingcheap/talk/

The online discussion of the subject is also very enlightening.

The sleep deprivation or at least lack of proper sleep is in my opinion the more pressing issue and does affect even the most experienced crews. And in that case the FAA needs to do more.
The crew time they are paid for and that they can accumulate on one day needs to be looked at very closely.

Dead-Heading or Jumpseating to your flight for a few hours , then fly multiple legs in a relatively cramped CRJ cockpit and then bunk out for a few hours is not safe in the long term.

And for heavens sake....they should be able to make a fair living wage. In most cases they make far less than a LA Bus driver.
One of my friends got hired by ConExpress as FO, a little bit of a family tradition since Dad big Joe retired from AA, and the two older brothers fly for the now merged Major out of Atlanta/Minneapolis.

But after a year or two had to throw in the towel...just could not afford that job anymore with a child on the way. He now drives a gravel truck....and instructs again...making 4 or 5 times as much as with the airline and is home every night.


Stefan

[acourt]

My first flying job at a regional paid $15,000 a year. I qualified for food stamps and government assisted housing. Thank goodness my wife had a good paying job!

And don't even get me started on the FAA's duty time "limitations" that allow "continuous duty overnights" and "reduced rest."

I'd also like to reiterate that not everyone at a regional is an incompetent boob. Every profession has its A+ guys and its D+ guys on every level. Airlines are no different.

Al