Good News For Independence Air!

[46Driver]

Currently activated at a headquarters unit overseas and we have had a number of officials come in from DoD as well as DoS (and a few others) from DC. They have all heard of Independence Air and are excitingly looking forward to low airfares out of Dulles. It was good to hear them talk so positively of us. Told them that we have a high percentage of military pilots and are looking forward to flying them soon.

The second part of the good news is that DoD has outlawed business class travel - you have to get 3 star approval for that which is a royal pain. Therefore, many are looking for convenience and frequency. Maybe Indy Air is in the right place at the right time!

 

[magsau]

"Told them that we have a high percentage of military pilots and are looking forward to flying them soon."

Just curious. Does this make an airline safer? Also, since you claim a high percentage would you care to share the actual numbers? Seems a high percentage would be one of over 50%. Based on the backgrounds of the ACA pilots that have met this would seem a bit high.

Thanks

 

[46Driver]

Whether or not this makes the airline safer, I am not going to hazard a guess. However, people associated with the military feel comfortable with military pilots.

Don't have the actual number, but ACA specifically recruited a large number of fixed wing and helicopter instructor pilots from the military training commands. ASA and Comair are similiar. Hope this helps. Just out of curiousity, what did you consider the background of an ACA pilot to be?

 

[magsau]

From the people I have had riding on the airplane it has been 100% non-military and we tend to see alot of ACA pilots. That is the reason I was surprised when you said you had a large number of mil. pilots.

Maybe the MIL pilots don't commute? 😉

 

[46Driver]

I would guess that a lot of the military pilots live in the South and commute more on Delta or ACA itself than UAL. Or many could be like me and currently activated overseas at the moment..... Actually at my previous squadron, we had 2 ACA pilots, 2 UAL pilots, 2 American pilots, 2 NetJets, 1 corporate, 1 Northwest Airlink, 1 EMS (all of this out of a reserve helo squadron).

 

[jetdryvr]

Hmm,

Military pilots safer than civilian? Take a look at airline safety records and look hom many of the pilots where military compared to civilian. Also compare main line safety records to regionals by flight hour so everthing is equal. It will make you think twice about getting on a plane with military pilots up front.

 

[46Driver]

Hmm,

Military pilots safer than civilian? Take a look at airline safety records and look hom many of the pilots where military compared to civilian. Also compare main line safety records to regionals by flight hour so everthing is equal. It will make you think twice about getting on a plane with military pilots up front.

I didn't say they (we) were safer. I did say that military people feel more comfortable with military pilots. Yes, its illogical but then again so is the perception that turboprops are more dangerous than jets.

 

[jetdryvr]

True.