re: The Pilot's Education Question

Gerry Joering (Gerry_Joering_at_CompuServe.COM)
Thu, 24 Sep 1998 17:08:40 -0400

I have an MBA and fail to see how an MBA would be a requirement to move to
the left seat of an airliner. If you are talking about operations
management positions such as Chief Pilot or Director of Operations then,
yes , it is appropriate. From my limited experience as a line pilot I
think you need to screen for the ability to learn and the ability to
communicate. A university degree is an indication of these skills. I know
many excellent pilots that do not have college degrees but somehow they are
open to learning and have acquired good communication skills. The
screening process should be able to identify these people as well as
college grads.

A pet peeve of mine is the lack of continuing education or corporate
support for continuing education in the pilot ranks. The corporate
position seems to be that pilots automatically are qualified to supervise
pilots because they are themselves pilots. If you are not going to have
continuing education, then some of your new hires should have the
background to move into management positions.

Some people can not afford college and flying lessons. To automatically
eliminate them from consideration is patently unjust. Other people don't
go to univeristy because they frankly could not succeed in a four year
program. A person without the ability to learn will not make a good
employee down the road. Again it is a function of the screening process.

Gerry