SULLY IS WRONG

SULLY IS ONE OF MY HEROES

BUT WRONG ON TRAINING HOURS

I can not think of another pilot I would want at the controls for the Miracle on the Hudson than Captain Sullenberger. Being a glider pilot he knew that he was unable to fly to any airport in the vicinity because his glide ratio would not take him there safely. He chose the best alternative which was the Hudson and miraculously everyone survived.

Just because Sully is a great stick having trained at the Air Force Academy, in the Air Force and through the airlines does not make him an expert on training. He is 100% right when he states that 250 hours is not enough time for a first officer, but he is wrong stating that 1500 hours of any type flight time is a magic number.

All of this hullabaloo has been brought about because of the Colgan crash in Buffalo. Both pilots at the controls had over 1500 hours. It has been alleged that the First Officer was from Phoenix and had never flown in icing conditions. It has also been alleged that the Captain failed several check rides previous to this accident.

Sully’s all encompassing proposition is that every FO should have 1500 hours and an ATP rating. This is where I disagree with his proposal. To build hours one can become a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) or tow banners to arrive at 1500 hours of time. My problem with this program, which Congress has told the FAA to enact by August, 2013, is that the above type of flying does not give the pilot real world flying experience. The exceptions to this rule are a 750 hour requirement for pilots who flew in the Service and a 1000 hour requirement for those flying at an accredited University program. CFI’s are also having trouble building hours because of the limited student starts.

I would like to see the airlines enact a program where they hire and train pilots to fly. They would require 500 hours in the simulator where all situations could be taught to students with no fear of crashing an airplane. Is 500 hours in the sim a magic number, I do not know. These students would also have 250 hours of actual flying cross country to go along with their sim time. 

I would feel a lot safer having someone at the controls that had extensive training under all scenarios until they are comfortable and capable of handling most situations. Sully, just stating that a pilot should have 1500 hours of any type of flying is wrong.

Regional Pilots who are FO’s are paid food stamp wages. This has to be corrected as student pilots are investing a great deal of their money through family support or loans. Fewer are choosing to be an airline pilot because of the costs involved.

Hopefully the FAA will listen to reason and not just arbitrarily choose 1500 hours of any type of flying that would not be in the best interest of the pilots and the flying public.