Do you feel safe as a passenger when the captain has minimal hours on type?

[CanadaAir]

Several companies with direct entry captains or minimum hour upgrades to captain.
King air to jet captain
An ATPL and less than 100 hours on type could be the captain on a commute or deadhead.

[fish4life]

Too many depends for me to answer that poll.
What is the total time? Is it relevant?
Any time in the same category? Eg a 737 direct entry Captain but they already have 2000 hours cpt on a embraer vs dash 8 captain going on a 737

[digits_]

How would you know the experience level of the captain?

It's so hypothetical that there's no way to answer this question in a useful manner.

You might think you'd feel unsafe with a 500 hour captain, but since you won't know, you won't feel unsafe on your flight for that reason.

[PropDog]

In my opinion it varies on the individual pilot. Between two captains with low time on type and similar previous experience work ethic and aptitude make a difference.

[mmm...bacon]

I *hate* being a passenger - all those whirrs and clunks and thunks from underneath the floorboards, sudden banks and pitches, and the surprise bang when you finally land....give me my front seat with a window every day of the week!

To OP's point, though, I'd feel unsafe if there was a sudden spike of 'minimal hours on type' captains thundering them in - but that's not the case.

[indieadventurer]

My preference for time on type is inversely proportional to their hours of similar type experience.

[co-joe]

No I don't feel safe as a passenger on Jazz or Encore if that's what you're asking.

[MaxAuto]

It depends on the operation too. Flying a jet domestically is different than flying that same jet internationally into mountain environments.

At my current airline we had lots of upgrade failures in the past of regional only experience pilot upgrading too soon on the 737. A CRJ and EMB is not the same beast as 737-800 operating in a charter mostly international long range environment. It's not just flying, it's also knowing what to do and how to manage when you're away from home in some far away place while managing a plane and crew that is signed off to you.

Even corporate to airline can be hard for some. It's two different worlds.

But if you come from one similar backgrounds to another it's a lot more manageable.

[ogopogo]

Rephrase the question to include total time.

I have several friends who were AC Captains on several types (always increasingly bigger of course) and so on their first day on the line they naturally had fewer hours on type than their FO.

I think what you're trying to get at is brand new shiny Captains paired with brand new shiny FOs.

[Bede]

No I don't feel safe as a passenger on Jazz or Encore if that's what you're asking.

Aren't you a Flair pilot?

[J Roc]

No I don't feel safe as a passenger on Jazz or Encore if that's what you're asking.

Aren't you a Flair pilot?

He is; what's your point?

[co-joe]

No I don't feel safe as a passenger on Jazz or Encore if that's what you're asking.

Aren't you a Flair pilot?

Aren't you a WestJet pilot?

[pelmet]

Having done direct entry captain more than once, there is no way that one is nearly as proficient at first as they are after a thousand hours. A complicated failure situation in poor weather is less likely to be handled well, especially if fuel is tight.

[CaptDukeNukem]

How would you know the experience level of the captain?

It's so hypothetical that there's no way to answer this question in a useful manner.

You might think you'd feel unsafe with a 500 hour captain, but since you won't know, you won't feel unsafe on your flight for that reason.

Exactly. This question posted is so benign. The cumulative flight hours of the crew aren’t posted on the tv screens at the gate.

[CaptDukeNukem]

Having done direct entry captain more than once, there is no way that one is nearly as proficient at first as they are after a thousand hours. A complicated failure situation in poor weather is less likely to be handled well, especially if fuel is tight.

Disagree. Complacency sets in by 1000hrs. I’ve seen it. Simple things like limitations and memory items get forgotten in no time when nothing ever happens.

[JHR]

When I am sitting in the back and the Captain starts his announcement, I get real nervous when he says he has less than 1000 hours on type. When he gets to the part where he claims to having once been a flight instructor the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. By the time he says that he was involved in a crash and never received a pay raise because of it I am ready to get off that plane!

[nohojob]

When I am sitting in the back and the Captain starts his announcement, I get real nervous when he says he has less than 1000 hours on type. When he gets to the part where he claims to having once been a flight instructor the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. By the time he says that he was involved in a crash and never received a pay raise because of it I am ready to get off that plane!

[digits_]

When I am sitting in the back and the Captain starts his announcement, I get real nervous when he says he has less than 1000 hours on type. When he gets to the part where he claims to having once been a flight instructor the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. By the time he says that he was involved in a crash and never received a pay raise because of it I am ready to get off that plane!

But what do you do if he mentions he got hired by PasCo at some point? Certainly a pilot that ever managed to get into such an exclusive club should have achieved god like flying skills?

[JHR]

I can't comment on that until Pasco posts their new pay scale.

[Old fella]

How would you know the experience level of the captain?

It's so hypothetical that there's no way to answer this question in a useful manner.

You might think you'd feel unsafe with a 500 hour captain, but since you won't know, you won't feel unsafe on your flight for that reason.

Exactly. This question posted is so benign. The cumulative flight hours of the crew aren’t posted on the tv screens at the gate.

Exactly. My only connection to airlines is a fare paying passenger or customer, whatever way you want to look at it. I have no idea of the competency level of up front crew, I make the assumption the pilots have met the specific standards for the airline that employs them. If there were doubts about skill set to do the job under all operational conditions, said airline wouldn’t have them there. I know situations south of the border aka Couglin Q400 few yrs ago was telling, however Encore/Jazz/Porter etc haven’t put anything into the ground costing lives. Perhaps question is answered. General Canadian fare paying public probably thinks along same lines in that we assume competencies are met.

[‘Bob’]

Wonder how many hours this pilot had?

I don't really care. I'm just happy I"m not flying. Nap time.

But if you're going to mess up, do us all a favour and make it quick.

[NotDirty!]

Wonder how many hours this pilot had?

I don't really care. I'm just happy I"m not flying. Nap time.

But if you're going to mess up, do us all a favour and make it quick.

That guy was part of the trial program to hire direct entry captains into the 777. He had 500 TT in a C172, this was his first landing in a jet.

[flyingcanuck]

If you want accurate polls, ask proper questions.

Of course we all PREFER someone has more time on type but that wasnt the point of the question..

[‘Bob’]

If you want accurate polls, ask proper questions.

Of course we all PREFER someone has more time on type but that wasnt the point of the question..

The point was safety, which is in the title.

[flyingcanuck]

If you want accurate polls, ask proper questions.

Of course we all PREFER someone has more time on type but that wasnt the point of the question..

The point was safety, which is in the title.

it wasnt in the poll properly though