Comments on: Who’s flying your plane? Senators think you should know

By: Charlie Leocha

Charlie Leocha — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:29:33 +0000

I really don’t think that there is any chance that the public will get access to pilots records, however, the airlines and the FAA should have full disclosure.

I’ll bet that Babbitt was one of the pilots working to protect their privacy back in the day. Now, he is being put in a tough position as a former head of the pilots union. So far the FAA has actually worked harder to protect the pilots and the airlines than they work protecting the public.

How much access the unions and pilots want to relinquish will be interesting as this moves forward.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:19:48 +0000

What is incredible to me is that, if you apply for most jobs today, even for a position such as a window washer, restaurant bus person, or janitor, the prospective employer can see your credit history, despite the positions having nothing to do with what your credit history says, nor are these positions where lives would be in your hands.
But a bad pilot can apply to fly 300 people in a jumbo jet without worry that his full flying history on the FAA’s record books can be seen by any airline that may hire him!

Go figure!

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:50:54 +0000

Dorgan repeatedly noted that the pilots records should be as open and available to the public and the airlines as the aircraft records are.
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I’ve read this article with interest several times. Charlie, thanks for an interesting and educating article. The problem, as usual, seems to fall between the airlines and the FAA. I never knew that airlines didnt have access to pilot performance issues such as checkrides. The Colgan Pilot failed repeated check rides and competency testing. But, where was the discipline? the return to training? and who held the pilot accountable for this (repeated) occurrence?
The FAA does the checkrides and the company does mostly, all other training. Records should be accessible between the two agencies, the faa and the airline.
but, NOT THE PUBLIC. Sharing the records seems to be the issue along with thorough training approved by the FAA.

By: Judy

Judy — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:30:24 +0000

If you are a pilot flying a plane your records should be available to view, because of all the lives that you have in your hands everyday while flying. If you are going to pilot a plane, people should know what kind of training you have had.

I remember flying from South Caroline to North Caroline while in the service. The pilot was a women with a woo hoo attitude we were flying into charolette the winds where really bad the small plane was bouncing all over the place. everyone was white knuckled and all I kept saying to myself was thank goodness I did not eat this morning, my stomach was in my throat. The pilot was laughing and acting like a kid. just before we landed she said thankyou for flying with me on my first flight. I could not wait to get off of the plane all the passengers ran off the plane once we were on the ground and cleared to get off.