The glory days are over
Melancholy as "Glory Days" is, it needed to be said, preferably by someone with Barry Schiff's kind of credentials (" Proficient Pilot: The Glory Days Are Over," June Pilot). If Schiff does catch any flak, it probably won't come from either the younger airline pilots like his sons or the old salts who are still flying alongside of them. While I completely agree with every point Schiff made, there was one he barely touched that I believe will have an ever-increasing impact on the profession of piloting — it was more fun when it was less automated.
The same progress in technology that has advanced aviation throughout its first century is also making the human pilot a less relevant and necessary part of the operational process. As pilots become less doers and more monitors, the personal challenge that has made piloting such a gratifying profession for decades is fading, and the satisfaction of accomplishment along with it. The thinking person's game of aviating and navigating is being replaced with watching the computers to confirm that the programs are running as planned. Automation is taking pilots where the radio operator, the navigator, and the flight engineer have gone. In just a decade, unmanned aerial vehicles have gone from an interesting concept to a serious part of aviation. The aerospace industry isn't just talking when it says the F-22 is the "last manned fighter."
I don't think it's a coincidence that no one has stepped up to assume Bob Hoover's mantle. With automation making it ever-increasingly possible to operate aircraft with almost unbelievable precision, what incentive is there for humans to hone their own stick-and-rudder skills to a razor-sharp edge for professional purposes? Autopilots and flight management systems (and their software) are becoming to the human pilot what the steam drill was to John Henry and his hammer.
New Castle, Delaware
Excellent, Barry! Refreshing to see someone say it like it is. The demise of TWA and Pan Am truly was a shocker. As a U.S. Air Force Reserve flight doctor for half my life, I saw dozens of pilots resume Air Force Reserve duty in order to cut their losses, feed the family, and continue logging turbine time. A large number of those pilots also had post-graduate degrees in other vocations. It's the only way to go when planning a flying career these days.
Bakersfield, California
It saddens and disappoints me to read Barry Schiff's latest article on the "Glory Days" of commercial aviation. Growing up as the son of a Pan Am captain, I remember that the airline provided our family unparalleled experiences traveling internationally. Not only did Pan Am families have unlimited-pass riding privileges, but also they were treated like royalty and with mutual respect by overseas station personnel.
However, I disagree with Schiff's assertion that the benefits, financial or otherwise, of being a commercial pilot are tarnished. There is the other side of the commercial airport to look at: cargo airlines. As a former pilot with an all-747 cargo airline, I was able to routinely visit six continents at a pay scale my fellow commuter and regional passenger pilots couldn't achieve in the same time span. As a current 747 first officer at a different cargo airline, I've been flying internationally, by choice, since date of hire. Sure, we don't get to do the "glory walk" through the terminal, but we don't have to give directions to the nearest Starbucks or bathroom every 5 minutes either. As the passenger-airline pay and benefits are being degraded, the cargo airline pilots are maintaining and shooting for pay and benefit models comparable to or better than pre-9/11's. I encourage all student pilots who ask my advice to look into corporate and cargo carriers; passenger flying isn't the only game in town. Flying freight pays; you just have to believe in yourself.
Madison, New Hampshire
Almost everyone knows that to disparage aviation is akin to blasphemy. I say this not because aviation is a religion (which it is) or an addiction (which it is), but because our supposed prosperity and health depend on numbers. After all, the more pilots we have, the greater clout we will have with Congress and with those who wish to do us harm. Thus, to speak ill of aviation is the same as stabbing oneself to death. However, I believe that we have gone too far in perpetrating the big lie. I am not saying we shouldn't promote aviation as a career, but I believe the neophyte aviator should be made aware of the many negative aspects of choosing an aviation career. To do otherwise is pure and simple fraud.
Decatur, Illinois
I recently resigned as first officer at Continental Express (ExpressJet), for just the reasons in the article. I have a family to support and that's not feasible on airline wages. I have gone back to technical writing for a small software company (instant 400-percent pay increase and every night home with the kids). I spent so many years getting to that cockpit, and when I got there I realized I couldn't stay. The glamour, professionalism, and respect that probably existed in the past are long gone. We are doing a very serious, highly visible, high-risk, and high-liability job with no tangible rewards attached. The brass ring that used to make the sacrifices worthwhile has tarnished and corroded to the point that it's not worth reaching for anymore.
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Mr. Kennedy's rocky ride
I read with great interest and compassion the article by John Croft (" Medically Speaking: Mr. Kennedy's Rocky Ride," June Pilot). It may interest your readers that since 2001, I have worked with many people who experience dizziness and hearing problems. As a nurse, I have done a lot of research on the subject. And counter to what people are told, there are things that might actually be causing these symptoms and things that can be done to help mitigate the effects of Méniere's disease. It is our experience that once people find hope and understand why this is happening, they also find ways to deal with the unpleasant symptoms. We are always pleased to pass along our observations via our Web site.
British Columbia, Canada
I found "Mr. Kennedy's Rocky Ride" very informative. I am a middle-aged pilot myself, and I appreciate articles like this that discuss health issues affecting pilots. It is good to know that — when faced with a hard-to-diagnose condition — an informed pilot working with a knowledgeable physician and medical examiner can return to flight status. I want to thank Mr. Kennedy for allowing the author, John Croft, to write about his medical condition.
Pasadena, Maryland
The forgotten mechanic
I just want to commend Rod Machado for the article on airframe and powerplant mechanics (A&Ps) in the June issue ("License to Learn: The Forgotten Mechanic"). I have been a law enforcement officer for almost 25 years and will soon be eligible for retirement. In preparation for a possible new career, I enrolled in the aviation maintenance technician program at the state technical college. The amount of knowledge that an A&P has to acquire is incredibly massive, comparable to the knowledge base I had to acquire for law enforcement. The practical and technical aspects of the profession require not only a dedication of time in the classroom, shop, or lab, but also considerable time in homework and study, especially when learning Part 43. It takes more than just a fair mechanic to make an A&P. If you think this is something you're interested in, make sure you brush up on your math and geometry skills as well; you can't repair an airframe without them. A&Ps may look like grease monkeys sometimes, but good ones are truly professional in their work and their education.
Greer, South Carolina
Cockpit relationship management
I read with guarded interest Marisa Fay's article detailing the various hoops one may be forced to jump through in the placation of a reluctant flying companion (" Flying Together: Cockpit Relationship Management," June Pilot). While it's true that "modification" of the pilot's behavior and operational procedures to a more acceptable, accommodating, politically correct, warm and fuzzy approach may encourage participation by a reluctant and disinterested spouse, why would one want to go there in the first place? After application of said modifications I found flying to be less enjoyable and more akin to garage-sale shopping (not a good thing). A much more effective solution was to change flying companions. Selection criteria for new companion/spousal candidates included passing the flight test. I can attest from experience that not all flying companions are complaining, snack-stuffing, head-resting, disinterested seat occupants. Now the only "issues" are who will do the flying and who will buy the burger.
Corvallis, Oregon
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