Globe Cargo

Chris ******* wrote:Guys and Girls,

TIRED PILOTS RISK LIVES!!!

As a real world Commercial Airline Pilot, I take great pride in transporting thousands of passengers around The UK, Europe and the wider world. It is a job I always dreamt of doing, and I know I live many people's dream every day. There is a movement afoot in the European Parliament which will seriously harm the safety of every single flight which operates to JAR rules, and the worst thing about it, is that this government seems not to care, or to want to do anything about it.

Some of you may be aware that as a pilot, we have very strict Flight Time Limitations, especially in the UK. These rules dictate the amount of time we can spend at the controls of an aircraft, similar to how HGV drivers have tachometers which show how long they have been at the wheel. These rules aren't there to enable Pilots like myself to have a cushy job where we can only work for 4 hours at a time, (last week I did a 14 hour day flying to and from Sharm el Sheik, which is at the limits of what is currently legal and acceptable, and safe in my view), they are there to ensure that YOU the flying public are safe!

Some of you may remember 2 years ago there was a crash involving a Colgan Air turboprop in the US in which 50 people died. The NTSB concluded during it's investigation that PILOT FATIGUE was a causal factor in that disaster, and had the pilots not been fatigued they would have had a much better chance of identifying the problem and working to a successful conclusion.

The FAA is now in the process of tightening up their Flight Time Limitations to avoid this happening again, whereas Europe is wanting to go in the opposite direction! We need to act NOW to stop this happening. If nothing is done, the CAA (even though they are completely against the proposed rule changes) will be forced by Europe to adopt the new rules, and airlines will be free to work their pilots harder, and in many pilots views including mine, risk more lives!

So what are we asking you to do?

BALPA (The British Airline Pilots Association) is fighting against this change. Please take 2 minutes of your time to watch the following YouTube video posted by BALPA, then continue reading below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9yumixcN-o

Now if you are a UK citizen and you feel strongly about this, please follow the link I have posted below which takes you to a HM Government E-petition on the subject. We need 100,000 signatures to make Parliament discuss the issue, and let me say again they will be FORCED to talk about it, then BALPA can put their message across and we can make the government listen to our argument, and realise how unsafe these proposals are!

God forbid something were to ever happen in the skies above this country, but if these rules are passed the government will just say 'oh it's Europes fault for imposing these new rules', when in actual fact it will be our politicians fault for not standing up for our superior FTL's and safety regimes.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16050

Let's say 400 members here at *** VA live in the UK, if each of you get 10 people to sign that's 4000, and if the 10 you've asked each get another 10 friends and family to sign, well you do the maths.

Please please please spend 5 minutes to do this, it will help to ensure that the UK continues to have the amazing safety record we enjoy today.

If possible could the Moderators please sticky this thread, and even send a quick briefing room alert to all members to ensure as many people see it as possible.

If you have any questions please feel free to fire away.

Thank you for reading, and many happy landings to you all.

Cheers
Chris

2658 wrote:After the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo prompted the airline industry to require more hours to be hired into even the regionals. The LAW has been passed. The LAW now requires 1500 hours. Right now, the LAW is not required to be enforced until around August 2013. Right now, associations such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association are pushing for lower numbers. AOPA wants 1250 or so for those who want to go alone through a flight school. They want to drop it to 1000 for those who go through a university. They want to drop it to 750 for those in the military. Fight for us wannabes! Go sign as many petitions as you could find.

Personally speaking as an AOPA member, I've been personally talking with my state representatives. Here's the kicker for them, I'm only 17. They never knew what hit them. I want to be a pilot. I don't want to go through that BS. I have a good chance. Let's see what happens.

E6BAV8R wrote:

2658 wrote:After the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo prompted the airline industry to require more hours to be hired into even the regionals. The LAW has been passed. The LAW now requires 1500 hours. Right now, the LAW is not required to be enforced until around August 2013. Right now, associations such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association are pushing for lower numbers. AOPA wants 1250 or so for those who want to go alone through a flight school. They want to drop it to 1000 for those who go through a university. They want to drop it to 750 for those in the military. Fight for us wannabes! Go sign as many petitions as you could find.

Personally speaking as an AOPA member, I've been personally talking with my state representatives. Here's the kicker for them, I'm only 17. They never knew what hit them. I want to be a pilot. I don't want to go through that BS. I have a good chance. Let's see what happens.

The law will stand at 1500 total time. However, there will be many exemptions that can be granted; to where the ACTUAL aircraft flight time will be much lower (as such examples as you gave). Some other ones are: Part 142 University Program, having a bachelor's degree, going through an accredited flight school, completing various program courses, FSTD programs, etc... As it currently stands in the latest draft of the exemptions, a pilot will have around 750 actual flight hours if he takes all civil credits available (non-military).

jcwaugh747 wrote:It is still a PROPOSED Rule Making..... I would not get too wound up until the large lady sings.

2658 wrote:Boy, do I feel like an asshole.

2658 wrote:Boy, do I feel like an asshole.

raa57 wrote:

2658 wrote:Boy, do I feel like an asshole.

Thats what happens when you hijack threads and go completely off topic straight away