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Fat & Ugly Pilots And FAs Need Not Apply...

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Compared to their U.S. counterparts, the European crews sure look the part, like something out of a movie the way they negotiate through the terminal. They seem more sophisticated, debonair, and have a sort of "je ne sais quoi" to them. Major pilots in the U.S. heading to the shuttle look more like Ralph Kramden after a double shift down at the bus depot. Disheveled, out of shape, with an accompanied scowl, betraying a look of disgust and excessive pride.
 
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you've never seen a BA crew then have you..
 
Compared to their U.S. counterparts, the European crews sure look the part, like something out of a movie the way they negotiate through the terminal. They seem more sophisticated, debonair, and have a sort of "je ne sais quoi" to them. Major pilots in the U.S. heading to the shuttle look more like Ralph Kramden after a double shift down at the bus depot. Disheveled, out of shape, with an accompanied scowl, betraying a look of disgust and excessive pride.


Yea, but can they fly.
 
flying in the US is a lot tougher duty. And US pilots are just better pilots....they dont need to look good.

Good looks never saved a doomed plane.
 
flying in the US is a lot tougher duty. And US pilots are just better pilots....they dont need to look good.

Good looks never saved a doomed plane.

But being a good aviator and not having a spare tire around your waist and having all your hair is much better....!:beer:
 
Uhhhhh, I'd ease up on the "US pilots are just better pilots" talk, after 25 years of NE flying, check airman on several jets I found myself furloughed and taking employment in the middle wast for 2 yes and then another 2 in China. I'll be the first to admit I thought I was pretty hot stuff, the reality was foreign sim standards and ICAO flying was a steep learning curve. Now that I'm back at my "major" as a wide body F/o and sim instructor, trust me, most of our pilots could never cut it abroad
 
...trust me, most of our pilots could never cut it abroad

Can you be more specific ? In what ways would they fall short ?

There are quite a few American pilots in the expat world, apparently doing OK.
 
Can you be more specific ? In what ways would they fall short ?

There are quite a few American pilots in the expat world, apparently doing OK.

Mostly attitude. We question authority. Non-Western pilots don't.

Training is longer overseas, at least in Asia. There is a bit of provincialism with Americans. "We do it better." That's not necessarily true. We have more experience and are more willing to share and learn from others.

The problem with Asian pilot culture is that they tend to be very rote pilots. There is only one way to fly airplanes. Put them outside SOP and they kinda freak out a bit. They are also continually afraid for their jobs. FOQA data is used against them. FOQA is God.

I've sat in the JS of just about every US carrier. None stand out as better than the others.
 
HalinTexas,

So, this just involves cultural differences appearing in the airline business in the form of attitudes rather than stick-and-rudder skills ? It would seem something cultural would be very hard to change. Some Westerners have come to terms with it well enough to function in a performance-or-punishment environment (they're better men than I).

I think it was Dumb Pilot who said in another thread something akin to...their reality isn't our reality.

That sure seems to describe what you explained.

The first question that comes to my mind is: how is THEIR reality working for them ?

The carriers in question continue to operate so can you say their reality is working well enough ?
 

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