AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2012 - 30

SAFETYPILOT

BY BRUCE LANDSBERG
PRESIDENT, AOPA FOUNDATION

Backwards!

ver wonder why the career piloting hierarchy is structured the way it is? The most experienced pilots fly the best equipment, often in the most

adage that those who can, do and those who can’t, teach. I’m also not convinced that one needs thousands of hours to be a good instructor—motivation is the key, along with good oversight and mentoring. As a young instructor I was in awe in the presence of corporate and airline types—until discovering the goodies in bigger aircraft, such as the horizontal situation indicator (HSI), the flight director, and distance measuring equipment (DME). Then came the shock of seeing how easy it was to fly with that benign environment. Has it always been so or is this instrumentation. The all-important scan and the ability to watch five things at once were greatly a more recent phenomenon? Does it have an effect AOPA Foundation simplified. Two- and three-axis autopilots made on safety? It’s tough to say, but after the Colgan acciPresident Bruce dent in February 2009 a lot of energy was directed flights much easier and when radar, datalink, and Landsberg seldom at the training process (see “Safety Pilot: A Personal full deice were added, weather flying was not the forgets to lower and Systemic Failure,” May 2010 AOPA Pilot). traumatic and mental exercise one experiences in flaps. Back in the day, airmail pilots apparently basic aircraft. Imagine my amazement upon being were considered some of the best at flying in an introduced to mid- and high-altitude aircraft that extremely tough environment. According to the website airmail flew over the weather—not through it. In the airline and the corporate worlds, the “pay your dues” pioneers.org, “Statistics tell the story. In 1921, Post Office officials recorded 1,764 forced landings, about half due to process applies. (Other professions extract their pound of flesh mechanical failures and half due to weather. In that same year, from newbies as well, but the career path is generally more 12 pilots were killed. In all, 32 pilots lost their lives in the nine assured.) Long-haul flights, aside from being psychologically years of service, approximately one out of every six employed.” and physiologically numbing, will make one takeoff and landing They were capable fliers, as were early airline pilots, but the every, say, eight to 14 hours. The CFI, flying the humble trainer, equipment was not as good as what light GA has today. A lot of might face six to eight landings hourly. An instructor might mail didn’t make it—despite the postal service’s unofficial creed, make more landings with a semi-competent or incompetent “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these student in the left seat than a typical jet pilot makes in months. couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” The big aircraft is at altitude, on autopilot, all the way—and Today it’s a safe bet that the hardware is going to be turbine- flown by the most senior crews. powered, approved for flight into known icing, and completely Now step into the world of the regional airline pilot, who IFR capable—likely with a flight director and autopilot. The top often never gets above 20,000 feet; is dealing with ice and thunpilots were reserved for the toughest flying jobs. derstorms constantly, often in very high density airspace; and Likewise, from the 1930s through the 1960s, instructing was is flying six legs a day in more basic aircraft. Ditto the freight considered important and paid reasonably well. In those days pilot flying Cessna Caravans, old Cessna 402s, Beech King Airs, CFIs usually had a lot of experience and, if not in the airline and Piper Navajos. Guess who’s usually less experienced, paid world, flew charters or corporate, or ran an FBO. Some military much less, and has the much tougher job? pilots moonlighted because they enjoyed teaching. Almost all What would happen if we turned the aviation world comof my early instructors had several thousand hours or more pletely upside down? New pilots who aspired to become of flight time, and understood the aeronautical world from a corporate or airline professionals would fly as first officers, firsthand basis. They didn’t start out instructing; instead, they visiting all the exotic places in high-flying, long-range turbine were mentored by senior pilots in the realm of transportation. equipment. They’d see the world, building experience on the Over the past quarter-century, if one wasn’t trained by the technically easier flights—most of the time. A promotion would military, becoming a CFI was—and largely remains—almost the graduate the midlevel into the highly paid world of short-haul, only way to get enough hours to be considered for an entry-level low-altitude flights. Those who still enjoyed the job, were enthucareer flying job. There are exceptions, but they often involve siastic, and qualified, would become flight instructors—the best taking on a lot of debt or leaving the country with no assurance paid, most knowledgeable, and most respected. “Wow, you fly that there’s a living wage at the end of the rainbow. Many who’d a [pick your trainer here] and with students? That’s amazing!” like to become professional pilots are forced into teaching when Instructors are often told that they’re the most important that isn’t their career objective, and they aren’t very good at it. people in the business, but the industry obviously doesn’t Many professional pilots would probably agree as to who has believe it. Impending pilot shortage and lots of retirements the toughest flying job—the instructor. I don’t buy the pejorative coming? What do you think? 30 • MAY 2012

AOPA PILOT •

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AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - May 2012

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