[richardmmm]

well looks like we got to the bottom of that one with a bit of common sense. high fuel prices = cheap mechanics / other price cutting, so i'll have to buy that private jet that i always wanted..............and there i was thinking that alien lizardmen were fliching parts from planes mid flight to repair their fleet of flying saucers

[shakespear1]

Makes you wonder where else wonderful cost cuts may be waiting to show up as casualties.

That reminds me of those Hummers sent to Iraq without extra bomb blast protection. Something tells me that may have been in the category of cost cuts.

[ubercrap]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AirlinePilot', 'I')ts not alot when you consider what some folks make who have much less liability in thier hands on a day to day basis. I didnt say it wasn't a good sum, just basically that it is why we get paid a certain amount. Airline pilots get paid for what they know, not necessarily for what they do. This is one instance where you definitely earn every penny you are paid!

With this latest round of cuts and bankruptcies you are going to drive out the level of skill you want in these positions. Its just economics. The folks who can do this job, and not everyone can, will likely go do other things that are more lucrative. You then have to lower your standards for qualifying and your safety levels will suffer. I predict over the next ten years the accident levels increase as you lose the motivated and experienced pilots who help to make air travel so safe. You wont be able to maintain that standard as pay and working conditions go into the toilet like they are doing now.