Do people get scared when they see young pilots in the cockpit?

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socal flyer

Do people get scared when they see young pilots in the cockpit?

Lead

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Posts: 1

(08/12/09 09:33:38)

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Well, I'm 18 and I've been flying (behind the cockpit) since I was 9. Yes, since I was 9. First time I sat behind the cockpit was in a Cessna 172N at Long Beach. As of now, I'm a student pilot and I completed my first solo only a week ago. I didn't start doing this full time until about a year ago. My progress is now going quite fast, and I'm guessing it will be 3-4 years until I hit the airlines. However, I have a concern about passengers being afraid by seeing a fairly young pilot at the controls. Now, I now I won't be flying jets at this time, but I also know that turboprop aircraft are still highly used for regionals.

So, do people get worried seeing a young looking pilot in the cockpit? I have also heard of many pilots that make the left seat of aircraft like 737s, 757s, 717s, A319s, etc at young ages like 27-28.

Liv

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Posts: 15

(08/12/09 13:33:07)

I think a lot of opinions will differ on this. Considering the training ye seem to go through these days it wouldn't bother me how young a pilot was. I know a lot of experience is gotten through actual flight time on these aircrafts and why people would feel better seeing an ex military 40-something flying the plane. But as long as the pilots are qualified i'm willing to trust them. Best of luck with your training, hope you make the left seat by 27-28

OneAnt

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Posts: 875

(08/13/09 08:04:50)

Generally speaking, the younger the pilot, the less flying experience. Though this isn't always true; just look at the Colgan Air crash: older pilot with the equivalent of a younger pilot's experience.

Also, a 28 year old becoming a captain on that list of aircraft you mentioned is more the exception than the rule. My guess is you'd have to excel far beyond your colleagues, who represent the average commercial pilot, to see that happen.

But to answer your question, no, I don't get worried or nervous when I see a young-looking pilot. I trust that the checks and balances in place would not allow that pilot to fly the plane I'm on if they weren't up to the job.

No matter how elite the group, there's always a 10%, if you know what I mean. But, since the chances of a problem occurring at all are so small, the chances of a problem occurring while I'm in an aircraft helmed by one of that 10% is even smaller.

Hardie

Hate to say it........

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Posts: 35

(08/13/09 09:18:39)

But I do get nervous when I see a young person flying. I hate saying it because it is just another irrational thought that I have concerning my fear. The same as wearing the same clothes on each flight or making sure I have my 'lucky pen'.

Capn Steve

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Posts: 618

(08/15/09 15:19:23)

I started flying as an F/O for a commuter airline (long-defunct) when I was 23. And I looked younger than that. I can't tell you how many passengers asked me, "Are you really old enough to be flying an airplane?" (At that point I'd been flying for over six years.)

(Actually, I've had people tell me recently, "You don't LOOK old enough to be retired.")

So, yeah, people seem to be concerned about it. But -- y'know what? That's THEIR problem, not the pilot's.

Sometimes pilots become Captains for major airlines when they're still in their 20s. Even early 30s. But that is VERY rare. And -- it has nothing whatsoever to do with "excelling far beyond their colleagues." (Sorry, OneAnt, but I must debunk your theory in this case.) The situation would be -- the pilot was FORTUNATE enough to be hired by the airline at a very young age -- say, 22 or 23. AND -- the airline is in an expansion mode. (Hard to fathom in these tough times, but in a prosperous economy, sometimes they can expand very rapidly. Has happened before, and it will happen again.) By the time the pilot has been with the airline for five or six years -- sometimes even less -- he/she has enough seniority to bid a Captain position. Assuming that he/she successfully completes upgrade training, well, there you are. A 28-year-old 737 or A320 Captain.

Again -- this has nothing to do with being superior to their fellow pilots. (I've seen a few in this situation who seemed to think so, and got swelled heads. But they were being totally delusional. And they were basically total jerks.) It has to do with a combination of circumstances that no one really has any control over. All pilots would like to have this happen to them, but very few actually do.

BTW, Socal, congrats on your first solo! (Mine was 43 years ago last month.)

Cheers.

Steve

Stefan

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Posts: 37

(08/16/09 01:24:07)

Flying around most of the time in Asia, I'm witness that (very) young crews -not only Captains- are the standard, not the exception. At least in Asia/Middle-East. As Capn Steve states, this could have all to do with pilot shortage in an expanding economy.
Do these crews have less experience? Yes. Am I therefore more worried? No. I believe that in this "digital" age, accelerated training at a very young age shouldn't be of an issue. I can imagine 30-40 years ago it would have been.

Capn Steve

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Posts: 619

(08/16/09 17:02:47)

Stefan -- right. It's nothing to be concerned about. Just bear in mind that NO pilot is released to line flying without having successfully completed all required training.

Certainly, the very realistic simulators available these days do help. But -- even 30-40 years ago, it wasn't really an issue. Back in the mid-1960s, during an economic boom, the major U.S. airlines were hiring pilots with as few as 300 hours flying time. That, to be sure, hasn't been the norm over the years; for example, I had about 3200 hours when I was hired by Hawaiian Airlines in 1978, and about 7300 hours when I was hired by American in 1987. (For that matter, my Dad had about 1500 hours when he was hired by United in 1952 -- not a whole lot.)

But, there was no evidence -- that I'm aware of -- to indicate that the low-time pilots did any worse during training than the more experienced pilots. As I said, there was a common standard that ALL had to meet, before being turned loose on the line.

In fact, one Captain that I used to fly with at AA was hired -- during the mid-60s boom -- with about 500 hours. Unlike some of the arrogant jerks that I cited in my previous post, he was VERY cognizant of how extremely fortunate he was, and he really appreciated his position. He was a delightful Captain to fly with; I flew with him on one of my very first trips as a 727 F/E new hire, and then again years later on the 767, several trips, flying between Chicago and Europe.

I guess my main point with all this is -- anyone that a passenger sees in a pilot seat -- either left or right -- is qualified to be there. No matter how young. Or how young APPEARING.

Cheers.

Steve

socal flyer

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Posts: 3

(08/17/09 01:40:50)

Ya know, I got this whole idea from when I flew out of Great Falls on United Express on a CRJ-200. I'm tellin' ya, the Captain AND FO looked very young...like...sophomore college students...and a middle aged woman behind me talked to her husband about it. I also remember after we landed the husband says "wow that was a very smooth flight."

Anyways, I don't hold my breath for being a young captain. I would love it more than anything else, but I don't expect it.

Portastorm

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Posts: 97

(08/17/09 04:54:30)

I have to admit that I USED TO FEEL a little more confidence if I saw some gray hair on the head on my pilots. That being said, my most recent trip including two legs on American Eagle with some younger pilots flying the Embraer 145s. Both legs were smooth sailing and enjoyable flights. I've also had some Southwest flights lately with younger pilots and they were fine.

If I'm flying a reputable airline then I know those guys/gals in the cockpit are more than qualified to be up there, regardless of appearance.

ginaLA

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Posts: 16

(08/21/09 16:43:45)

What is age anyway? Reading through this, I think we all create images in our heads about what is safer and aht types of people to trust. I just returned home from my flight with Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong, and the four pilots were two young and two older - what made me feel confident was that they all looked fit and alert. In general I tend to trust younger ones more as I assume they're healthier, but again - I know this is all in my mind and not based on facts. Now I have learned that if I worry I just ask the pilot how long he's been flying, and experiece tells it all - but it still helps that he smiles and seems alert and interested, but again that is just personality, not an age issue.

cheers

OneAnt

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Posts: 877

(08/23/09 16:49:53)

So, I guess the short answer to the question "Do people get scared when they see young pilots in the cockpit?" is:

It depends. Have the pilots been drinking?

Capn Steve

Drinking

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Posts: 622

(08/24/09 16:45:14)

Well, probably, large quantities of caffeine if they've been on a long duty day.

I'm not much of a soft drink consumer. And I usually get my caffeine from tea, in the morning.

But -- on those long flights from Chicago to the West Coast, especially at night, I would be calling the F/As for drinks loaded with caffeine -- and sugar. (Dr. Pepper usually fit the bill.)

The martinis, of course, had to wait until arriving at the hotel.

Cheers.

Steve

OneAnt

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Posts: 878

(08/24/09 18:07:25)

It's what I always tell people. Drinking and driving simply don't mix. So, go and get your drinking out of the way........and THEN go driving.

Same advice should apply for pilots.

Hey, that's why I fly AA exclusively. I have the most in common with the flight deck crew on those ex-LHR flights!

(BTW, this is not a serious post, and should in no way be deemed as one)

Capn Steve

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Posts: 623

(08/25/09 16:16:47)

No seriousness taken here. :-)

guesswhat

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Posts: 15

(08/27/09 06:32:22)

What bothers me more than seeing young pilots (which doesn't bother me at all) is watching all the pilots in the airport eating fast food like Burger King, McDonald's....all the artery clogging stuff!

Don't the major airports have a pilots lounge where the pilots are treated to good meals instead of having to eat the bad stuff?

Capn Steve

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Posts: 624

(08/27/09 17:23:05)

<< What bothers me more than seeing young pilots (which doesn't bother me at all) is watching all the pilots in the airport eating fast food like Burger King, McDonald's....all the artery clogging stuff!

Don't the major airports have a pilots lounge where the pilots are treated to good meals instead of having to eat the bad stuff? >>

In most "pilots' lounges," you're lucky to find a flea-bitten sofa and a couple of badly-cushioned recliner chairs, probably with a broken recline mechanism.

Good meals?? In pilots' lounges?? HAH!!

(Sorry -- not meaning to belittle your question. Really, I'm not. Just telling it as it is. Injecting a dose of reality, as it were.)

Cheers.

Steve

OneAnt

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Posts: 879

(08/27/09 22:28:56)

I got a kick out of guesswhat's post! A pilot's lounge that served full and healthy meals.............what utopia does that reside in? Must be the same utopia where passengers can actually leave an aircraft instead of being stuck overnight.

Truthfully, the main difference between the flight crew and the passengers is that the crew are being paid to fly. Aside from that, there's not much. Sure, the pilot may make a decent living, but most of the 1st class cabin, and a decent number in coach, make more than he/she does. They're all stuck at the same airport with the same choices for food.

The rule of frequent fliers is to always bring your own food if you want to truly govern what it is that you eat.

An Admirals Club panini doesn't compare to a homemade chicken salad. But, since I can't bring a Bombay Sapphire martini through the checkpoint, I settle for the AC's way of doing things.

Capn Steve

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Posts: 625

(08/28/09 12:43:09)

Almost forgot about the banged-up vending machines that dispense the usual crap.

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Do people get scared when they see young pilots in the cockpit?

Do people get scared when they see young pilots in the cockpit?