Category: People & Performance

People & Performance

The Airline Industry Has An Anger Management Crisis

Editorial Comment by Rick Adams, FRAeS

The developing crisis of airborne anger is partially a symptom of the post-pandemic society. But it’s also partially self-inflicted by the airlines.

Last week, it was revealed an FO had threatened to shoot his Captain over disagreement with a medical diversion decision.

The week before, an off-duty pilot riding the cockpit courtesy jumpseat had to be physically subdued before he could yank the fire suppression handles, killing the engines and probably all 83 souls aboard.

There’s plenty of violence in the back of the aircraft too.

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Ab Initio / ATO

APC: Matching Quality Candidates with Quality ATOs

Amidst the current chaos of the global airline scene, are young people still interested in becoming airline pilots? The Airline Pilot Club has grown from 800 to 19,000 members in the past two years as they raise the training standards for pre-selection and ATO quality. Rick Adams, FRAeS, outlines their concept.  

In the regulatory world, all flight schools fall into one of two categories – they are either an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) via the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), or some other aviation authority; or they are not approved. There is no distinction made, by the regulators, between the various ATOs on the authorized lists.

Frankly, many regulatory agencies are stretched thin and lack the resources and expertise to delve beyond a basic pass/fail determination.

In the real world, there is a great deal of difference between ATOs – from the very good to the marginally adequate.

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