Things change

[Oldmanb777]

I had breakfast with some aviators i have worked with for many years. We often get together for breakfast, usually about once a month. Some of the guys ( and Gals) who are still working show up. Several are APD's and some are DPE's. So one of the pilots is a mgt type and former fleet manager. (not the actual title). So the talk about current state of the airline industry, and newby pilots. Most of us remember the days when you competed with many thousand other for one job. Now they are begging for new applicants. I remember the nepotism. If you have a relative working at XYZ airline you CAN'T work here! Besides we have 5000+ applicants, what makes you think you are competitive. Now the story is......If your kid, grand kid, or any relative wants to be a pilot, just ask, and we will fast track them to a CAPT position. AMAZING how things have changed. Reminds of 1962. They broke the PFE union and were desperate for pilots, but not this desperate.
The downside is always when the economy tanks. Layoffs will be massive for the late arrivals.

 

[Jdm]

Yep. I was an APD at the previous airline. It’s called “no pilot left behind”. Work with a lot of new hires at a different airline now. Amazing how the skill of interviewing has become more important than the skill of flying.

 

[AlleyCat67]

Yep. I was an APD at the previous airline. It’s called “no pilot left behind”. Work with a lot of new hires at a different airline now. Amazing how the skill of interviewing has become more important than the skill of flying.

I’m curious - what are some the skills you see lacking in newer airline pilots?

 

[MauleSkinner]

I’m curious - what are some the skills you see lacking in newer airline pilots?

I’m not in the airlines, but I’ve seen a lot of new pilots overwhelmed learning to fly ILSs in a jet…which, by the way, isn’t much different than flying an ILS in a Cherokee. But whether it’s being trained too specifically to fly a Cherokee rather than knowledge and skills that can transfer to another airplane, or just the lack of experience, the struggle we see is real.

20 years ago, you couldn’t touch the jet I teach without 5000 hours and significant turbine time.

 

[Tools]

I saw this in the Navy. For some reason, jets are harder. Stupid easy to fly and manage, so I think it’s really just the speed over the ground. Like I said, don’t know why that’s tougher than monkey skills, but it’s the way it seems to be.

FWIW, I was a jet instructor in the navy, 18 years at a major 121, two which were a capt on junior equipment.

 

[midwestpa24]

I saw this in the Navy. For some reason, jets are harder. Stupid easy to fly and manage, so I think it’s really just the speed over the ground. Like I said, don’t know why that’s tougher than monkey skills, but it’s the way it seems to be.

Jets are easier to fly, but as you mentioned speed, also way easier to get behind. If you fall behind in a Cherokee, you can crawl your way back those few feet. In a jet its more of a sprint, because the airplane is now 15 miles ahead of you.

 

[Oldmanb777]

I think its just like people driving a car. Manual tranny is an anti theft device, and all that. But learning a manual makes you understand the energy and how to finesse the power and energy. Instead of just stabbing those pedals on the floor and hoppeing for the best. The new tech is really neat, and wonderful, but you lose something along the way. Just like flying tail wheel. Easy to fly nose gear if you learned in a tailwheel, hard to transition to tail wheel if you learned with nose wheel. You just never learned what a rudder was for, AND how to FINESE that rudder. Might be somewhat of a lost art, but a skill that may save your arse someday. Just like flying a sail plane. Engine failure is survivable if you never had one when you learned how to fly in the first place.
So those lost arts of round dial flying give you a different understanding of your world that has been lost with moving maps. Flying an NDB can be fun ;-)