Question for the big iron drivers

[Pilawt]

On a travel message board I haunt, I managed to get into a discussion with non-pilots about airlines, stemming from the GermanWings debacle. I was taking the position that a prospective airline pilot coming from a country like the US, with a strong general aviation industry, is at an advantage because he/she is more likely to come to the job with a broader range of aviation experience; while those from places where G.A. is prohibitively expensive and/or excessively regulated, are at a disadvantage. In short, G.A. makes the airlines safer.

After one poster accused me of "culture bias," another wiseacre countered with the $64 question: "How relevant is time spent as a private pilot flying a single-engine Cessna to flying a Boeing 767?"

I think I know the answer, but having not flown anything larger than a DC-3, I don't feel qualified to be the one to say it.

What say you?

 

[Gucci Pilot]

Flying GA before going to AF pilot training sure helped me and I recommend it to anyone going into the Air Force trying to be a pilot. I'd say it is the same for airlines.

 

[dans2992]

I bet if the guys landing that Korean 777 at SFO flew GA on weekends that accident would never have happened...

 

[warthog1984]

Let's see:

Flights with GA-trained pilots:
*Air Canada 143
*US 1549

vs

Flights without GA-trained pilots
*Asiana 214
*Air France 447
*Korean Air Cargo 8509

 

[Gucci Pilot]

*US 1549

FIFY.

 

[German guy]

[...] After one poster accused me of "culture bias," another wiseacre countered with the $64 question: "How relevant is time spent as a private pilot flying a single-engine Cessna to flying a Boeing 767?" [...]

The way it works in the US at least helps to filter out those who are not absolutely committed to getting a job in the cockpit. As it takes such a long time to get into one and as potential airline pilots will most likely get in contact with others who actually made it, it is IMHO also a lot more likely that they understand what their future jobs will look like.

Flying in Germany is a.) not very common and b.) very expensive. I know a few Lufthansa pilots, one of my closer friend is one them. Of those who I met, 2 or 3 had prior glider experience, the rest had zero prior contact with aviation, when they were hired. I don't know about the current requirements, in the past the maximum(!!) age at which the Lufthansa hired future pilots was 23, minimum 17. Most of the pilots I know, were hired right out of high school.

While all of them where really smart guys, it seemed as none of them had any ideas of what the job will actually look like. They imagined themselves looking cool, making lots of money and hanging out with the stewardesses in fancy hotels.

I also believe that the lack of any kind of prior work experience or education, in combination with a very well paid job, puts such pilots under enormous stress. Quite a few of these guys bought nice cars and house and took up high loans for this. If they lose their medical, they lose everything. My buddy has an insurance for this, it would however only pay him a fraction of what he would earn as a pilot.

I therefore think that the rocky path into a cockpit, through GA, indeed reduces the risk that people end up in an airliner, who don't belong there. Also, the skills and experiences one has acquired in a Cessna 152 never hurt. As mentioned by dans2992 - I don't think that a former US flight instruction would have crashed the 777 at SFO. A former CFI or freight dog would also be more likely be able to read and understand weather reports. The guys at Lufthansa, I suspect it is the same at other airlines, neither have to plan their flights nor care about the the weather - they have specialists who do it for them. They get a summary and an already made go / no go decision. While the pilots could overrule this decision, this is actually only a theoretical option, as they are presented with the briefing only shortly before takeoff and because they entirely lack of weather related knowledge, because all they learned was what was required for the exams.

 

[deyoung]

They get a summary and an already made go / no go decision. While the pilots could overrule this decision, this is actually only a theoretical option [...]

I don't know that this is necessarily true, but I wouldn't be at all surprised; I'd bet that although the pilot can override a "go" decision and not go, there's probably a LOT of company pressure not to do that, and if she or she does it they better have a really good reason. For me, "no go" might be as general as "well, I just don't really like the way this is looking and I don't have a good feeling about it." If you do that much for an airline I doubt you'll be flying a lot for them.

 

[Anymouse]

Google "Gimli Glider."