Another almost near disaster

[HiloJulie]

A Southwest 737Max 8 came within 400 feet of crashing into the ocean on a flight from Honolulu to Kauai back in April. 

Apparently this was caused by a junior pilot and the seasoned Captain was able to regain control. 

However, for several seconds it was total horror for those aboard who suddenly were put into a loss of altitude that was as close to a “nose dive” as can be to be followed by a climb back up once the Captain regained control that was as near to a “vertical climb” as can be. 

Further, this was never officially reported to the FAA and was only disclosed after inquiries from Bloomberg, in which the FAA officially opened an investigation. 

What happens when all the seasoned Captains are gone?

https://bigislandnow.com/2024/06/15/sout...off-kauai/

[Wao nahele wahine]

From the ThrustFlight website:

Most studies cite three main factors that have contributed to the pilot shortage:

Mandatory pilot retirement
Flight school graduation rates
Forecasted growth of the aviation sector

____________________
From the Las Vegas Sun:

Though many airlines historically wanted pilots to have four-year degrees, that’s no longer a priority, said Ron Kelly, CEO of the Las Vegas Flight Academy, who emphasized that a pilot doesn’t need a college degree to do the job.

All they need, he said, is a knowledge of math, physics and more that aspiring pilots could learn from, essentially, a trade school.

“There’s a lot of kids out there who have no idea that being a pilot’s even a possibility for them,” Kelly said.

To educate inner-city children on the benefits of a career as a pilot — like working just 15 days a month and averaging an income of more than $200,000 per year — Kelly founded the Minority Pilot Advancement Foundation, which goes to schools and urban areas and teaches students about the aviation industry.

The value proposition of a degree isn’t there anymore, he said. Many kids will spend a quarter of a million dollars to go to college, and then get a job starting at less than $100,000. Even as a newcomer, pilots will make over $100,000 a year, plus earn a massive signing bonus, he said.

Though they may have had to spend as much to become an airline pilot, they immediately make the return on their money and have no college debt, Kelly said.

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2024/may/05...ths-to-op/[/align]


There are estimates that the U.S. will have pilot shortages of nearly 30,000 by 2030.

I am glad everyone on that flight is okay.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

In the past many pilots were hired by the commercial airlines from the Air Force when they retired.  I don’t know what might have changed that, but it does seem to have had an affect.

Source: conversations with retired Air Force pilots

[HiloJulie]

Being a very frequent flyer myself, the aviation industry has always intrigued me.  

But I think the best story teller of where the airline industry was, has and is headed for is Captain Sully Sullenberger. 

By the time of his famous landing, his salary had already been cut 40%, his pension had been replaced with something worth pennies on the dollar and yet it was his PASSION for his craft that framed that day. 

Airline consolidation, mergers, bankruptcy, cost cutting have taken an honorable and respectable occupation into it being just a day job. 

Interesting speech Sully gave back in 2017. Good to watch the whole thing, but the first 5-6 minutes where he describes the investigators listening to the cockpit voice recording just 6 days afterwards will send chills up and down your spine. 

We’re running out of Sully Sullenberger’s!

[TomK]

Would this be the same as a "near miss"? I've often wondered what this means. "Another almost near disaster" might describe any time I drive, knowing how some drive on the island.

[HiloJulie]

I wrestled with what to title this thread and came up with the "almost near disaster" wording using what the news article called it and adding in "near."

It seems stories like this mostly get titled "Miracle" of something, such as "The Miracle on the Hudson" for the Sully flight.

But to be honest I truly hate that term "miracle."

If there really were "miracles" why would any disaster - real or near - even happen?

Like if this Southwest flight did indeed hit the ocean and killed - say 95% of everyone onboard, would it be fair to say the 5% who survived are really miracles?

[TomK]

Don't get me started on survivors or the media calling it a miracle they survived a disaster that took other lives.

[randomq]

Ah miracles... Once you accept religion you have to throw all logic out the window. Any seeming contradictions are just "his plan" which we mortals are too dumb to understand.

As for "near miss": https://youtu.be/zDKdvTecYAM

[Durian Fiend]

What happens when all the seasoned Captains are gone?

Most of the previously unseasoned have by then become seasoned, right?

Sully Sullenberger-now that's a great name.

I was under the impression that pilots are well compensated these days, especially with enjoying a big pay bump in the past year.

[HiloJulie]

You are correct DF. Remember however that Sully’s flight was 15 years ago. 

About 3 weeks after Sully landed in the Hudson there was Continental 3407. Commuter jet flying from Newark to Buffalo that suddenly crashed into a house killing all 49 onboard plus the occupant of the house. 

It was later determined that the primary cause of the accident was pilot fatigue. The Captain had also failed 3 prior “checks” but nonetheless was still allowed to fly.

Sully and let’s not forget his partner, Jeff Skiles, along with the families of the victims of Continental 3407 lobbied congress and were primarily responsible for a law enacted in 2010 dealing with pilots safety and training. 

Back at the time of US Air 1549 landing in the Hudson, Jeff Skiles actually had more flight hours that Sully, however it was his first official flight of the Airbus A320. He was actually a Captain in rank, but had been demoted to First Officer due to cutbacks and layoffs. 

Sully once said in an interview:

”One way of looking at this might be that for 42 years, I've been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education and training. And on January 15, the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal”