Uses Media Spotlight To Ruminate On Changing Industry
US Airways Flight 1549 Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger
appears to be growing increasingly comfortable with the public
spotlight, granting interviews to major news networks in recent
days about the
January 15 ditching of his Airbus A320 in the Hudson
River. And he's using that time before the camera to
speak about a subject close to his heart.
In an interview with CBS News, Sullenberger expressed unease
about the dwindling ranks of experienced pilots flying for major
airlines.
"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," he said during a "60 Minutes" interview
broadcast Sunday. "And on January 15, the balance was sufficient so
that I could make a very large withdrawal."
Noting over 6,000 commercial pilots lost their jobs last year --
either through furloughs, or permanent layoffs -- interviewer Katie
Couric asked Sullenberger for his opinion on what those losses
represent to the industry.
"The airline employees have been hit by an economic tsunami. Pay
cuts, loss of pensions, increased hours every day, days per week,
days per month... I know some of our pilots, who have been laid
off, have chosen not to return," Sullenberger said. "I can speak
personally, for me and my family, that my decision to remain in
this profession that I love has come at a cost to me and my
family."
The demographic for US commercial airline pilots has changed
radically over the past 17 years. In 1992, about 90 percent of
commercial pilots flying for major airlines had military
backgrounds; today, about 30 percent claim time in the military.
Due to industry-wide cutbacks in pay, benefits and pensions,
today's pilots also work more hours, and earn less money... a
combination Sullenberger believes is driving older pilots out of
airline service.
"I think that there will always be people who want to do this,"
Sullenberger, 58, said. "It just may not be the same people who are
doing it now."
"Are you concerned that that means if another situation like
this one comes up in the future, you won't have as qualified a
pilot flying the plane?" Couric asked.
"That just follows doesn't it?" Sullenberger replied.
The Air Transport Association had no comment to CBS about the
views expressed by Sullenberger, who is arguably the most
famous pilot in the world right now.