I’d go further and say most of the time the plane is flying itself and the crew takes turns monitoring it to ensure it was properly programmed and is following that programming. Once it’s at altitude and set up the goal is to stay awake and recognize the next center call.
I kid but there’s a lot monotony in the process.
RJs?
(Really informative and interesting posts, BTW.)
j
Regional Jets, I presume.
Yes.
The article talks about them dating back to the 1960s, but back then it was really a different concept than the current post 1990-RJs.
At one time apprenticeships were done on very small slow prop planes in minor markets where mistakes were easy to correct, happened slowly, and at worst 9 people got killed.
The modern RJs are exactly as fast & complicated & sophisticated as Boeings or Airbuses, operate in the very same major league airports and weather conditions as the big guys, and carry roughly 50 to 100 people. The opportunities for mistakes are far larger, the potential impact of them is far larger, and the time and resources to correct them are far smaller.
It’s not a good environment for someone still feeling their way towards skill.
Thanks, both.
j
When we went to Belize in order to get to our resort we had to fly from Belize City to Hopkins.
Not a long flight but the plane was a single engine and there was only one pilot: a very obese man who was sweating profusely even though it wasn’t particularly warm that day.
I want my plane flights to have at least 2 engines and at least 2 individuals who don’t look like they’re going to vapor lock & competent to fly it.