4 ms·

One such incident was Buffallo. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/nyregion/14pilot.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/nyregion/14pilot.html?_r=0 "Mem

One such incident was Buffallo. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/nyregion/14pilot.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/nyregion/14pilot.html?_r=0 "Members of the board said that the crew of the twin-engine turboprop that crashed, killing all 49 people on board and one on the ground, was set up for fatigue and inattention before they even took off, partly because of the structure of the commuter airline business. "

dingaling 10y ago
But that wasn't related to their remuneration, rather the structure of the commuter airline business. The copilot was fatigued by living in Seattle but working in Newark for a paltry $24k. Paying her more wouldn't have helped, in fact it might have encouraged more new pilots to try the same. On the contrary side in Ireland last month we had two experienced pilots, each earning > 120k Euros, inadvertently and fatally fly a Coastguard helicopter into a rock at night. Accidents happen regardless of pay grade.
- chinathrow 10y ago
  Paying more could help relocate and live in a comfortable distance to where you are based as a pilot. Renumeration is part of the structure.
  - rollingRelease 10y ago
    But she didn't have to take that job. No one can account for the fact that someone from Seattle didn't have the resources to take on the job she desperately fought for. You know what I wanna be? A movie star! Pay me more than other entry level movie stars because I can't afford to become one on my own, please. I don't want to work at the Starbucks down the street. I want to move to Hollywood, but can't afford it, so pay me more money now to make me the star I know I am going to become once I have the money.
    - kefka 10y ago
      And I suppose you'll say "You can just live on the streets and be homeless" Let me guess: youre a libertarian? Saying that due to the ridiculous dogma of "hurr durr you don't have to work there". Id also add, silver spoon as well.
- whazor 10y ago
  Still, having depressed colleagues around you does not help with a persons well-being. It helps to have a healthy working environment with nice and permanent flight attendees. They could notice when a pilot gets depressed before something bad happens.
diminoten 10y ago
While I understand the power of anecdotes, and I'm sure you could continue to push our availability heuristic into overdrive, the fact is that air travel in the US is incredibly safe, even with current practices related to pilot pay and treatment.
- chinathrow 10y ago
  I haven't said anything that air travel is not incredibly safe - but I am sure it could be _even_ more safer with human working conditions for the whole crew.

dingaling 10y ago

But that wasn't related to their remuneration, rather the structure of the commuter airline business. The copilot was fatigued by living in Seattle but working in Newark for a paltry $24k. Paying her more wouldn't have helped, in fact it might have encouraged more new pilots to try the same. On the contrary side in Ireland last month we had two experienced pilots, each earning > 120k Euros, inadvertently and fatally fly a Coastguard helicopter into a rock at night. Accidents happen regardless of pay grade.

chinathrow 10y ago
Paying more could help relocate and live in a comfortable distance to where you are based as a pilot. Renumeration is part of the structure.
- rollingRelease 10y ago
  But she didn't have to take that job. No one can account for the fact that someone from Seattle didn't have the resources to take on the job she desperately fought for. You know what I wanna be? A movie star! Pay me more than other entry level movie stars because I can't afford to become one on my own, please. I don't want to work at the Starbucks down the street. I want to move to Hollywood, but can't afford it, so pay me more money now to make me the star I know I am going to become once I have the money.
  - kefka 10y ago
    And I suppose you'll say "You can just live on the streets and be homeless" Let me guess: youre a libertarian? Saying that due to the ridiculous dogma of "hurr durr you don't have to work there". Id also add, silver spoon as well.
whazor 10y ago
Still, having depressed colleagues around you does not help with a persons well-being. It helps to have a healthy working environment with nice and permanent flight attendees. They could notice when a pilot gets depressed before something bad happens.

diminoten 10y ago

While I understand the power of anecdotes, and I'm sure you could continue to push our availability heuristic into overdrive, the fact is that air travel in the US is incredibly safe, even with current practices related to pilot pay and treatment.

chinathrow 10y ago
I haven't said anything that air travel is not incredibly safe - but I am sure it could be _even_ more safer with human working conditions for the whole crew.