Legislation On The Table
Flight experience requirement for US pilots may increase from 250 to 1500 hours
Friends and relatives of people who died when a Colgan Air plane crashed in Clarence Center near Buffalo on February 10, 2010, have been lobbying for an increase in the number of flight hours required for US pilots before they are licensed to fly.
Airline pilot unions as well are also pushing for the higher requirement.
The legislation would require US pilots to obtain at least 1,500 hours of flight experience, versus the 250 hours required now, in order to get a job in an airline cockpit. The House-Senate agreement is part of broader aviation legislation being negotiated in Congress.
The National Transportation Safety Board this year said Colgan Captain Marvin Renslow caused a crash by incorrectly responding to a stall warning in the cockpit. Renslow died along with all passengers, crew, and one person on the ground, after the flight for Continental Airlines, Inc. departed from Newark, New Jersey’s Liberty airport.
Scott Maurer, whose daughter, Lorin Maurer, was killed in the accident, attended today’s meeting in Washington along with Kevin Kuwik of Columbus, Ohio, who said he was dating Lorin at the time of the crash. Kevin said the deal is “very positive” and is among safety changes that “should have been happening” more than a year ago.
Comments
Regardless of total flight hours, new crew members should be thoroughly trained in effective crew coordination. The Colgan CVR conversation sounded like chatter had been used in order to stay alert at the expense of situational awareness. While ultimate responsibility for safety lies with captain and first officer, Colgan itself had been complicit by contributing to the accident chain with poor training and poor monitoring. Flight checks are often passable with scripted procedures and positive attitudes in order to avoid underlying problems with critical thinking and differing opinion.
Industry will assume a win-win legislative effort will again push responsibility onto pilots who in reality don't possess overriding launch decision making authority that contradicts company pressure for overall efficiency.
The silent killer is not found in log books or the CFR but with pilots who sacrifice flight safety by bypassing chronic personal health limitation warnings to alter their own judgment in order to achieve better aircraft and scheduling in their careers. With the Colgan flight, a better life had unfortunately began with the end of this one.
GOOD LUCK GETTING 1,500 HOUR PILOTS TO WORK FOR $17,000 A YEAR.
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