This is what I sent to the guy. It just isn't right that people think we don't have to do any real work. That's just not the case.
Dear Sir,
I was astounded when I read your recent article on overpaid pilots. You probably printed the most over-simplified, ill-informed article I have had the displeasure to read. I am a furloughed US Airways Express pilot and I can assure you that there is much more to the job than making sure the autopilot is "on." I don't mean to belittle your own profession but I imagine your professional development would pale in comparison to the grueling training regimen that these pilots, who you publicly attack, have all gone through. Every six to twelve months a pilots' job is on the line when he goes through his or her bi-annual flight evaluation as well as medical examination.
Every time a pilot goes to work he is responsible for the lives of anywhere from nineteen to nearly four hundred people. If an engine happens to quit on takeoff the autopilot certainly won't bring you safely back to the ground. An oversight or mishandled procedure can result in disaster. You absolutely cannot make a mistake, regardless of whether you're tired or just having an off day. I have flown approaches in horrendous weather, to the point where I was on edge, and upon successfully arriving I was confronted with passengers who were disappointed about being late. Flying is so commonplace that people do not realize how many things can go wrong and the fact that millions fly safely is a testament to the skill and training of US airline pilots. Imagine working a 15 hour day that ends in you having to safely land a plane in marginal weather while you battle fatigue. Pilots are forced to make very difficult decisions day in and day out of which most passengers are completely ignorant .
Before you wrote that article you should have done some research on what really goes on in the cockpit and what these people are prepared to handle in order to ensure your safety. Sure the normal operations become routine because you do them daily for years. It is the abnormal situations which can and will kill people if they are not handled properly. What is that worth to you to know that the person in control of your aircraft is trained to the most exacting standards? Aviation is odd because people in general understand so little of what is involved.
There is a classic saying that flying a plane is hours of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror. Now when that moment occurs who do you want flying the plane? The professions that command high salaries tend to attract high caliber employees. Your article makes me think that you are terribly misinformed about what I do for a living. I very much resent being at the mercy of ignorant newspaper columnists who don't report issues in context and leave out salient facts. If you want to talk salaries let's talk about what airline executives are making as they make poor business decisions. If we flew our airplanes with the same carelessness I guarantee that you would think twice about ever getting on an airplane.
Dear Sir,
I was astounded when I read your recent article on overpaid pilots. You probably printed the most over-simplified, ill-informed article I have had the displeasure to read. I am a furloughed US Airways Express pilot and I can assure you that there is much more to the job than making sure the autopilot is "on." I don't mean to belittle your own profession but I imagine your professional development would pale in comparison to the grueling training regimen that these pilots, who you publicly attack, have all gone through. Every six to twelve months a pilots' job is on the line when he goes through his or her bi-annual flight evaluation as well as medical examination.
Every time a pilot goes to work he is responsible for the lives of anywhere from nineteen to nearly four hundred people. If an engine happens to quit on takeoff the autopilot certainly won't bring you safely back to the ground. An oversight or mishandled procedure can result in disaster. You absolutely cannot make a mistake, regardless of whether you're tired or just having an off day. I have flown approaches in horrendous weather, to the point where I was on edge, and upon successfully arriving I was confronted with passengers who were disappointed about being late. Flying is so commonplace that people do not realize how many things can go wrong and the fact that millions fly safely is a testament to the skill and training of US airline pilots. Imagine working a 15 hour day that ends in you having to safely land a plane in marginal weather while you battle fatigue. Pilots are forced to make very difficult decisions day in and day out of which most passengers are completely ignorant .
Before you wrote that article you should have done some research on what really goes on in the cockpit and what these people are prepared to handle in order to ensure your safety. Sure the normal operations become routine because you do them daily for years. It is the abnormal situations which can and will kill people if they are not handled properly. What is that worth to you to know that the person in control of your aircraft is trained to the most exacting standards? Aviation is odd because people in general understand so little of what is involved.
There is a classic saying that flying a plane is hours of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror. Now when that moment occurs who do you want flying the plane? The professions that command high salaries tend to attract high caliber employees. Your article makes me think that you are terribly misinformed about what I do for a living. I very much resent being at the mercy of ignorant newspaper columnists who don't report issues in context and leave out salient facts. If you want to talk salaries let's talk about what airline executives are making as they make poor business decisions. If we flew our airplanes with the same carelessness I guarantee that you would think twice about ever getting on an airplane.
