INVESTIGATION: Are Regional Airline Pilots Rested?

I think instead of going "undercover", they would do better calling Airline pilots and talking off the record.

Noboby is gonna admit to fatigue, and the industry will push it as far as they can go. Common sense people should know fatigue is an issue. Most companies wouldn't want people to work that long per day for economic reasons, tired people are not productive.
 
How dare those reporters go undercover! My number one rule being a pilot isn't safety, it's not talk to the media! :sarcasm:

Actually I'm glad someone is playing attention, although, they kept saying Delta connection and saw only NW airplanes and also they say that pilots can fly up to 16 hrs a day? Holy crap!
 
...they would do better calling Airline pilots and talking off the record.

Nobody is gonna admit to fatigue...

They don't have to go off the record. Pilots are saying damning things on the record. These pilots are admitting to fatigue, and not only that, they're admitting it's their own fault! "I don't sleep during the day, 'cause I'd rather be at the lake."

For those who think backpacks and hair gel are the biggest things contributing to a perceived lack of professionalism among regional pilots, you might want to think again.
 
They don't have to go off the record. Pilots are saying damning things on the record. These pilots are admitting to fatigue, and not only that, they're admitting it's their own fault! "I don't sleep during the day, 'cause I'd rather be at the lake."

For those who think backpacks and hair gel are the biggest things contributing to a perceived lack of professionalism among regional pilots, you might want to think again.

You see, that'd require not attacking the youth within the profession. We can't have that now can we?
 
They don't have to go off the record. Pilots are saying damning things on the record. These pilots are admitting to fatigue, and not only that, they're admitting it's their own fault! "I don't sleep during the day, 'cause I'd rather be at the lake."

For those who think backpacks and hair gel are the biggest things contributing to a perceived lack of professionalism among regional pilots, you might want to think again.
Watch that again...they are NOT on the record. It is the old hidden camera trick. You know, the special report investigating the used car dealer where they take a hidden camera and go into the dealership...these guys are now being preyed upon by the media in a similar fashion.

Of course, I think they have to sign a waiver to let their images and voices be used, and if the news did not follow through with this, then there is a good law suit coming. If they did sign a waiver, then yes they aren't the brightest bunch.

Just goes to show, you NEVER know who you are talking to. Guard your comments unless you want them on the 11 O'clock news!
 
You see, that'd require not attacking the youth within the profession. We can't have that now can we?

I probably should have said that differently. I agree, it's not the youth that's the problem. It's the attitude that sometimes tends to accompany youth, but also is in no way confined to youth.

My point was that our behavior, our own words, can do (are doing?) much more damage to our image and our profession than adolescent looking pilots, and certainly more damage than poor working conditions.
 
Watch that again...they are NOT on the record. It is the old hidden camera trick. You know, the special report investigating the used car dealer where they take a hidden camera and go into the dealership...these guys are now being preyed upon by the media in a similar fashion.

Of course, I think they have to sign a waiver to let their images and voices be used, and if the news did not follow through with this, then there is a good law suit coming. If they did sign a waiver, then yes they aren't the brightest bunch.

Just goes to show, you NEVER know who you are talking to. Guard your comments unless you want them on the 11 O'clock news!
I have to say that is really sad that we have come to the fact that we all have to PC our comments to EVERYBODY. Just sad.
 
They don't have to go off the record. Pilots are saying damning things on the record. These pilots are admitting to fatigue, and not only that, they're admitting it's their own fault! "I don't sleep during the day, 'cause I'd rather be at the lake."

For those who think backpacks and hair gel are the biggest things contributing to a perceived lack of professionalism among regional pilots, you might want to think again.
I'm sorry but you obviously don't know what "on the record" means. I can name dozens of pilots that would gladly speak "unattributable, background, or off the record" that would tell the press exactly the untenable position they are put it on a regular basis by the antiquated rules. How we have to attempt to resolve these dilemmas with limited options forced upon us by the rules should be widely reported by the press, but not at the cost of getting our words publicized twisted and used against us. Instead they do this stupid gotcha, where there is no evidence of rules being violated (cont duty overnights are flat out legal), and do nothing to further the public policy debate.You completely missed the point. Peace
 
I'm sorry but you obviously don't know what "on the record" means. I can name dozens of pilots that would gladly speak "unattributable, background, or off the record" that would tell the press exactly the untenable position they are put it on a regular basis by the antiquated rules. How we have to attempt to resolve these dilemmas with limited options forced upon us by the rules should be widely reported by the press, but not at the cost of getting our words publicized twisted and used against us. Instead they do this stupid gotcha, where there is no evidence of rules being violated (cont duty overnights are flat out legal), and do nothing to further the public policy debate.You completely missed the point. Peace

I was wrong to say these pilots were "on the record." Touche. On the other hand, I wouldn't describe them as "background" sources, either. Would you?

My point was that these pilots basically told a reporter (on or off the record, it doesn't matter) that they flew fatigued on a completely legitimate, "flat out legal" CDO where they had plenty of opportunity for rest, because they would rather be at the lake than sleeping during the day. That doesn't need any twisting to make us all look bad.

Yeah, the reporting is horrible. It's sensational and skewed. But we can't be handing it to them on a platter... Just like you said, a CDO is flat out legal. There should be nothing for the press to find going undercover on a routine CDO, right? But, instead of the pilots explaining that rest at a hotel during a CDO is in addition to their legal rest period during the day (then maybe directing the reporter to some real examples of where current practices do not provide adequate opportunity for rest; i.e. the untenable position you were talking about), they're admitting that they fly fatigued because they choose not to take advantage of their scheduled rest period. Not helpful.

Yes? No?
 
I didn't think the pilots knew they were being recorded or knew the people talking to them were reporters looking for a story. Maybe that is where we are getting our wires crossed. They should have kept their mouths shut.
My critique was that the press likes to play super secret squirel, when any investigative reporter would try to get the true scoop with unattributable sources via background of off record followed by coroberation.

I think we agree on the cheesy news piece no?:D
 
Yeah, that may be it. I assumed there was a microphone in front of them, and they knew who they were talking to.

Definitely agree on the quality of the news story!
 
They don't have to go off the record. Pilots are saying damning things on the record. These pilots are admitting to fatigue, and not only that, they're admitting it's their own fault! "I don't sleep during the day, 'cause I'd rather be at the lake."

For those who think backpacks and hair gel are the biggest things contributing to a perceived lack of professionalism among regional pilots, you might want to think again.

Well, would you rather have a happy pilot, or a rested pilot? It seems that it impossible to have both. I dont think we should be crucifying this guy for basically admitting that he tries to have some semblance of a normal life. After a 15 hour duty shift, i dont wanna waste away and entire day by sleeping either. Its hard enough to keep morale up after pulling 15 hour duty days six days a week, take away your personal life, and its down right impossible. I think thats the reason many pilots look at what little rest they get on a CDO as "enough to get by".
 
Actually I'm glad someone is playing attention, although, they kept saying Delta connection and saw only NW airplanes and also they say that pilots can fly up to 16 hrs a day? Holy crap!

...Delta bought NW, so Mesaba, the planes that you saw in the video are now in fact Delta conection planes. However they're still in NWA livery!
 
I have to say that is really sad that we have come to the fact that we all have to PC our comments to EVERYBODY. Just sad.
I don't think its sad to act like a professional to strangers.

You don't hear cops admit to tazing innocent people. You don't hear politicians chatting with random people about how often they take bribes.

Why would a professional pilot admit to breaking the law to a stranger?
 
I don't think its sad to act like a professional to strangers.

You don't hear cops admit to tazing innocent people. You don't hear politicians chatting with random people about how often they take bribes.

Why would a professional pilot admit to breaking the law to a stranger?

lolwut?

breaking the law because he said he'd rather be at the lake?

give me a break. this whole deal is way out of hand. hell yeah pilots are tired. it shouldnt be some black mark that he made that statement. YES, PILOTS ARE TIRED AND GET SHAFTED ON SCHEDULES. do you disagree?

oh and actually ps - i hear PLENTY of cops talking about how they beat up this or that guy, kicked the crap out of some *insert offensive racial descriptor here*, etc etc. cops LOVE to brag about their power-trip behaviors.

see, i can generalize too!
 
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