http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/topic/2103/t/What-to-do-when-you-have-to-fly-regional-.html en-us Copyright 2006, Kickapps feeds@kickapps.com (FeedMaster) webmaster@kickapps.com (WebMaster) Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:06 GMT Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:46:59 GMT Kickapps Feeds 1.0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 {pics-1.1 "http://www.icra.org/ratingsv02.html" l gen true for "http://kickapps.com" r (nz 1 vz 1 lz 1 oz 1 cz 1 ) "http://www.rsac.org/ratingsv01.html" l gen true for "http://kickapps.com" r (n 0 s 0 v 0 l 0 )) Search Domain q http://kickapps.com/search/direct/ http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/reply/7443/t/What-to-do-when-you-have-to-fly-regional-.html#reply-7443 feeds@kickapps.com (eemille) http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/sreply/7443 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:46:59 PST http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/reply/7439/t/What-to-do-when-you-have-to-fly-regional-.html#reply-7439
Major airlines are not going to end the practice of farming out their routes to regionals. That seems to be here to stay. (The wage aspect, while certainly a sorry thing, is a big motivator.)

However, I should point out a couple of things. First, I used to fly for a couple of regional airlines (back in the early to mid 1970s). Regionals are FAR safer now than they were when I flew for them. (Um -- please don't take that in a way that I didn't intend.)

Back then, they were covered by Federal Aviation Regulations that mostly applied to air taxis and on-demand charters involving small airplanes. The concept of a regional (then called "commuter") airline was just coming into existence. Now, they are covered by the same regulations that apply to the largest airlines. And -- very importantly -- part of this covers airplane performance requirements. E.g., being able to maintain a particular climb gradient if an engine fails upon... ]]> feeds@kickapps.com (Capn Steve) http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/sreply/7439 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:37:28 PST http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/reply/7438/t/What-to-do-when-you-have-to-fly-regional-.html#reply-7438
What they care about is what's best for the bottom-line--what keeps Delta afloat in these trying financial times where both business and personal travel have declined. There's nothing you, a random passenger, group of passengers can do to alter their use of Shuttle America (which is a feeder for a few different airlines).

If you like your job, take the trips and rack up the miles. You'll be just fine. ]]> feeds@kickapps.com (OneAnt) http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/sreply/7438 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:35:19 PST http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/reply/7436/t/What-to-do-when-you-have-to-fly-regional-.html#reply-7436
But there is more involved. These new pilots start on turboprops and it takes a while to move up to the jets. Either way, that isn't so bad. The turboprops are VERY easy to fly. Then, when a pilot moves to the jets, there is a lot of experience behind them for handling the jets.

The Buffalo accident highlighted a set of problems which has been needing action for years: low pay, extreme fatigue, and the fact that newer pilots need - not the FAA standard amount of training - but extra training. It also made it clear that a pilot's record needs to be known before he or she is hired.

In the old days, enough... ]]> feeds@kickapps.com (Capt Tom Bunn MSW LCSW) http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/sreply/7436 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:23:51 PST http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/topic/2103/t/What-to-do-when-you-have-to-fly-regional-.html
I'm obviously not very happy about this, and I let Delta know. Is there any more that we can do? Is there any other advice about either getting around the regional airlines, or about how we might pressure the major airlines into ending this practice?

Thanks! ]]> feeds@kickapps.com (eemille) http://fearofflyingmessageboard.com/topic/2103 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:06 PST