http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
Well, for once it's not about them being drunk.

I guess it deserve some kind of medal. ]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
seriously...]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
it was Obviously Microsoft Flight Simulator!]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
now i just feel dumb]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
Fire fighters are horribly under paid.
School teachers are horribly underpaid.

A commercial pilot with over 20 years on the job makes up to about $150k. Horribly underpaid? I disagree.

------------------------------------------------
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Commercial_Pilot/Salary]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
I see what I did there. At least they didn't crash te plane]]>Oct 27th 2009 3:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
yes I agree that many occupations are underpaid. But that payscale site is just a poll of 83 pilots. A pilot with 1-4 years exp. can ear between 26 and 66 thousand while a pilot with more than 20 years exp. can earn between 60 and 151 thousand.

I wish there was a better information out there but i guess the airline industry doesn't want knowledge of how much or little they pay out in the open.

read this one for another opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/nyregion/17pilot.html]]>Oct 27th 2009 6:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 8:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
I was just trying to say that maybe if it was a higher paying job more people would be entering the field and then airlines could choose to have the best pilots your money can buy.

who knows maybe these two wouldn't have jobs if that were they way it was or would be guaranteed that they'll never fly again, but more than likely they'll be fired and end up working for a discount or smaller company.]]>Oct 27th 2009 8:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
High end:
Avg. for a Boeing 777 pilot: 78hrs a month and over 11 years of work is greater than $22,000 a month. Do the math and thats well over $250,000 a year.
Avg for a Airbus A320 (JetBlue) pilot: 80hrs per month and over 11 years of work (actually once you get over 5 years the pay does not increase) is $8,000 a month. Huge difference, but both get paid well.

Source: U.S. Airlines Salary Survey and Career Earnings Comparison]]>Oct 27th 2009 8:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
*nostalgia begins*]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
:3]]>Oct 27th 2009 8:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 9:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
These pilots are the exact opposite of Captain Sully Sullenberger...]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
Corporate america always defends executive's high salaries by saying it's necessary to retain the best, but airlines pay their pilots poorly and cut their pensions.

No wonder pilots like Sully are a dying breed...]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
Ridiculous.]]>Oct 27th 2009 2:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
Wow. I bet you must be a pilot! And from what I gathered from your repetitive comments, a horribly underpaid one at that. Maybe you should trade your $150k/yr + bonuses doing a job that operates itself 98% of the time for something better.

P.S: Are you by any chance flying a plane right now while you're reading this?]]>Oct 27th 2009 2:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
lol funny guy ;) or...

...sorry to upset you, I just want my pilots highly trained and well paid when I'm a passenger.]]>Oct 27th 2009 6:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/@dantaylor08

I'm guessing it was less than 26 minutes. It's not like you can burn a u-turn at the next alley when you realize you overshot your target. They probably contacted ATC, and were directed to a point downrange from the airport where they could commence their turnaround.

]]>Oct 27th 2009 10:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
I think a reason not to do it is that it would take you away from your family more than most other jobs. Otherwise, there isn't much downside.]]>Oct 27th 2009 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
They should have checked in with Minneapolis approach control at least 30 minutes before they passed over the airport at cruising altitude. They would also have started their descent to merge with teh traffic control pattern about 10-15 minutes before landing.

So it is much worse then it sounds.

Good thing that their is air traffic control to prevent mid-air collisions, since the crew wasn't paying attention. Of course, ATC wouldn't have contacted them to prevent a mid-air collision, because the pilots never bothered to retune their radios to a Minneapolis frequency once they checked out of Denver's air space. Time for a new career for someone. Even the union won't let this one fly by.]]>Oct 27th 2009 11:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
I agree on the pay aspect of your comment, but in terms of "you get to travel all over the country/world", this isn't all that it's cracked up to be. It's definitely cool at first, but frequent travel gets old quickly. You aren't going on vacation with family or friends. The hours, time zone changes, hotels, hotel/restaurant food, living out of a suitcase, etc. wears on you. Spending the evening in a hotel room is not the same as spending the evening at home. Not to mention the strain from being away from your wife/children/friends.

As someone who spent a lot of time flying around the country/world for business, I was really happy to settle back down into the office. I was well compensated, but the job was definitely draining. Add to that the immense responsibility that pilots have, and the pay has to be extremely good if the airline industry wants to retain pilots in the long term.

Not that these 2 jokers deserve their jobs - they are paid well because there are high expectations placed on them. They obviously failed to meet those expectations.
]]>Oct 27th 2009 11:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
WHY do you think that pilots are underpaid?? I say that fire fighters are underpaid because their jobs are RIDICULOUSLY hard and it takes a very special breed of human being to do that job (or even to have the desire to do that job.)

Being a pilot isn't particularly that difficult.

It takes training, yes; but so does being an accountant.
They're responsible for transporting passengers and responsible for their safety in transit; but so are cab drivers.

I think a lot of people who are making $25k doing laborious jobs are a little tired of hearing about all the other people out there who are "underpaid" while they make six times as much.

(And, no, I'm not one of those people. My job is pretty easy if you have the right training, and I'm paid well enough for it.) I guess I'm just saying that "under paid" is a VERY relative term in most circumstances.]]>Oct 27th 2009 5:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/

and then i punch him in the head and say, "this isnt a game little girl, this is real life"]]>Oct 27th 2009 1:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 9:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 1:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
my point still stands though.]]>Oct 27th 2009 2:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 6:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/Oct 27th 2009 2:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/pilots-too-busy-with-laptops-to-remember-flight-path-go-150-mil/
(horrible joke....sorry, but I'm an aviation enthusiast)]]>Oct 27th 2009 2:07AM