On the recordJuly 19, 2023
As a former commercial airline pilot with more flight hours than pretty much almost anyone in Congress, so I have been told, I value safety first, safety second, and safety third. I am proud to stand with Representative Langworthy in support of his amendment. The substitution of simulator time--while you could argue that simulators are better today, yes, they are--for a reduction in actual flight time provides no substantive benefit to a prospective pilot. While some may say that pilots only build hours by spinning around in circles in the sky, I say that is patently false and portrays a pilot workforce that Congress relies on each and every day of the week in a very negative way. Pilots have a variety of options when it comes to building hours, and we should not assume every pilot will always do the bare minimum. In fact, I have seen pilots always do the extra just to make sure they got it right. Congress should not be reducing safety and statutory flight hour requirements under the assumption that somehow this will make pilots gravitate toward regional airlines for employment. It won't. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I offer great support for his amendment.
