FAA chief says plane that overshot Minneapolis shows...

The Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot Minneapolis are part of a larger problem - eroding professionalism among commercial airline pilots, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt said Wednesday.

[Jim]

Mr. Babbitt- former ALPA cheif, should know better than anyone you get the professionalism you pay for. Airline managments pull in hundred of million dollars per year while refusing minimal pay raises to their pilots responsible for the lives and asfety of everyone on board will continue to take an unfortunate human factor toll on airline performance.

When will a politician stand up for what is right and not just what is the cheapest and eventually dangerous solution?

[OldCapt]

Jim wrote:

Mr. Babbitt- former ALPA cheif, should know better than anyone you get the professionalism you pay for. Airline managments pull in hundred of million dollars per year while refusing minimal pay raises to their pilots responsible for the lives and asfety of everyone on board will continue to take an unfortunate human factor toll on airline performance.
When will a politician stand up for what is right and not just what is the cheapest and eventually dangerous solution?

That is unmitigated bull. These guys were not only well paid but just got about a 20% raise. Professionalism is not dependent on one's compensation, it is a state of mind and an approach to one's profession. Politicians are not responsible for pilot's salaries, pilots are. If a pilot feels he is not compensated to the point that he can perform professionally, he should get out of the business. Some of the worst accidents in history were caused by some of the highest paid pilots. Tenerife comes to mind. Face it, these guys screwed up royally and deserve to be publicly pilloried for their total lack of concern for their passengers. They have done irreparable damage to the entire flying profession and I and many others in the flying public hope that they NEVER return to a cockpit again!

[Tom]

Babbitt calls Sully a professional, and he is. To bad his pay does not reflect that. His takehome pay for the two hour flight from lga to clt was a whole 175 dollars. Saving a 155 peoples lives is worth alot more than that.

[capt avgas]

Here's the real problem and the answers. The Airbus is a hands off airplane in cruise. It will not ring a chime when an ACARS message arrives but will scare the crap out of you if the FA calls. They weren't sleeping, but weren't paying attention either. As far as pay goes, you can go to pilotpay.com and confirm this. The highest are UPS, FX, WN(SWA), Then drops from there. Cargo pays more because of less competition and you can't price on the internet. WN pays more because management believes they are worth it. The rest of us won't stick up for ourselves and feel it's better to just have a job, ie. ALPA carriers. So the moral of the story is, go to Harvard Law and get in airline management. You will get respect from your peers and pay to match.

[OldCapt]

capt avgas wrote:

Here's the real problem and the answers. The Airbus is a hands off airplane in cruise. It will not ring a cagement. You will get respect from your peers and pay to match.

You are assuming the average pilot has the grades, intelligence, discipline and financial wherewithal to make it through Harvard. Having worked with them for 34 years, I doubt it.

[Another pilot]

I see absolutely no link to pilot pay and professionalism. I come to work every day and do and fly everyone safely and as close to on time as possible because that was what I choose to do as a career. No one forced you or me to become a pilot!! If you do not like it then find a new career to complain about! I for one am waiting for an apology from this crew to the flying public but more importantly to their fellow pilots for the shame they have brought on our profession.

[capt avgas]

I never implied that pilots should go to Harvard instead. In general, management can control our lives because they can. If I were management, I would do my best to extract what I can from them and reward my self for doing it.

[angry blackman]

you white ho's, have kept the blackman from his rightful position in the airline cockpit.
It time to replace the white trailer trash with their college degrees with some real black studs who won't be using no computers, because we don't have no money for no stinking computers.

[nurse nancy]

Another pilot wrote:

I see absolutely no link to pilot pay and professionalism. I come to work every day and do and fly everyone safely and as close to on time as possible because that was what I choose to do as a career. No one forced you or me to become a pilot!! If you do not like it then find a new career to complain about! I for one am waiting for an apology from this crew to the flying public but more importantly to their fellow pilots for the shame they have brought on our profession.

Very well said. Complete negligence on the part of the pilots. Their job was to fly the plane to MSP and paid good money to do so. I wouldn't trust them to polish my white shoes. I

[OldCapt]

angry blackman wrote:

you white ho's, have kept the blackman from his rightful position in the airline cockpit.
It time to replace the white trailer trash with their college degrees with some real black studs who won't be using no computers, because we don't have no money for no stinking computers.

What do you want to bet this was actually written by angry, moronic shit kicking Texas White man?