avtraveler

Airlines: Lowering the Standard Is Never the Best Choice

This article was speaks of some very real issuses that the Regional Airlines are facing. I would like to correct the statement about "these oilts will be first officers and not at the controls". All airlines including regionals swap every other leg of flight betweent he Cptatin and First Officer flying. The first officer does fly every other flight. What would happen if the Captain became incapacitated? Demand for pilots, is picking up swiftly, both in the U.S. and around the world, predominantly in China and India. U.S. commercial air travel is anticipated to grow by 500,000, to 1.2 billion passengers by 2020, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Domestically, airlines are progressively finding it more efficient to fly smaller planes, which mean more-frequent flights, requiring more pilots.
Many U.S. Regional Carriers are hiring “Low time” pilots at an escalating rate. Classes at the regional airlines are only 50 percent filled, and most airlines have lowered their minimums drastically to attract more pilots. Before 9/11, most airlines required at least 1,500 hours total time. Within the last year, minimums have plunged, and some regional airlines are hiring pilots with as little as 250 hours total time and a high school diploma. Some regional airlines are offering a finder's fee of up to $500 to pilots and employees who bring in a flight officer candidate. Many of these new hires are going to the right seat of CRJ’s or other regional jets. Not only is the “new hire” pilot moving up to an aircraft that is much more sophisticated than a typical training plane, the addition of a multi crew environment with flight attendants offers more complexity. There are a variety of views on how to address these training issues. Although there are several training issues to consider, we often overlook the crew concept. The U.S. does not require an MCC, (Multi Crew Coordination) course into their multi engine or commercial pilot completion standards.
Western Michigan University's, College of Aviation has educated aviation professionals since 1939 and offers complete academic degree programs leading to a bachelor's degree in three areas--aviation flight science, aviation management and maintenance technology. The college entered the international training arena in 1997 with a series of high-profile contracts with international carriers. In 2001, the college first brought its accelerated ab initio curriculum to the domestic airline industry through scholarship awards for training through Delta Air Lines.
WMU’s, College of Aviation, International Cabin Security Research Team is conducting preliminary research to investigate “the training needs for “new hire” regional airline pilots, in a changing environment”. The ultimate goal of the research will be to prepare pilots for success in the regional airline industry. The aim of the research will be focused on the investigation of fundamental flight attendant safety and security considerations, as they relate to the new hire pilot.
Although the research is in its preliminary phase, it could ultimately be used to improve success during the career of a regional airline pilot: the results garnered from such an investigation may potentially increase the effectiveness and reduce the cost involved in the current “wash out rate” in the regional airline industry, as well as enhance current curriculum for similar undergraduate aviation programs.