NTSB Says Midair Pilot Overshot Pattern Turns

The thing that concerns me the most now, especially around pilot hiring, has nothing to do with race or gender, but the lowering of standards and requirements due to the severe pilot shortage. Airlines and commuters are
requiring less experience, less education and, by default I think, less dedication to the career. When I got hired by Braniff in 1975, everyone had
at least 2000 hours, a flight engineer rating, a first class medical, 4 years of college and all our ratings. Jobs were really tough to come by and when you finally did land one you were so grateful, so excited that you were supercharged to do it right, to perform excellently, to protect that coveted opportunity.
We were all in love with aviation. We weren't just doing it because, "Like, wow, flying looks like fun and I can make money." I worry that this new generation of pilots will be the first generation who, because it all comes so easily to them, will not uphold the standards of profession.

Knowledge, training and experience are the factors that should always be in the forefront of filling ANY POSITION, be it for a career or a position in education!

looks like the parallels close together... surprised that the traffic is separated with 2 controllers on 2 frequencies.. seems to be a disaster just waiting to happen..old tower controller...

If every pilot and ATC has to pass the same courses and exams, then race or income has no bearing on the job. But anyone can pass a course and still not be good at their jobs. An individual with a 70% pass rate for an ATC position is probably not as good as someone with a 100% pass rate. But the government will let both folks handle air traffic. I know which individual I'd want in the tower.

Two issues here.
A stupid rich, typical Cirrus pilot, who felt he had a cloak of safety.
A distracted controller.
While I was training at Centennial there was a controller named Narzell. He never got good at his job. He was generally allowed to control only 17R/35L the shorter training runway. He never worked nights or alone. Post solo but prior to getting my ticket I was in the pattern with at least 6 others. He mixed up who was who and called my right turn right after take off cutting me in front of two others in the pattern. I took over his job and got things back in shape.

Number one, this accident happened because an incompetent pilot (and instructor) were totally lost and in over their head. Number two, whether or not ATC warned the Key Lime pilot, he routinely flew out of APA as I do. Anyone who flies out of APA and is not aware of parallel operations, is not paying attention. There are three very busy flight schools operating here and there are always parallel operations. It’s usually noted in ATIS along with a full minute of CYA legal boilerplate.

Of course, there is always an opening for the downtrodden racist and mysoginist white man to air his grievances on this site. Having started my flight training in the 70s, I got to see white male pilots routinely crash perfectly good airplanes. Tenerife, UA at PDX (twice), UA at SLC (twice), EAL at MIA, JFK CLT etc. Most were stupid mistakes made by white men. Nobody ever blamed their gender or color for an accident. Since losing a court case in the early 80s, UA has been hiring more women and minorities than any other US airline. Their safety record has improved greatly in this period.

14 CFR 91.3
(a) The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft. (b) In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.

What a heap of shit these comments are, blame the rich idiot pilot and praise the professional one. Enough said

In the late 90s the FAA, along with the union, decided to begin applying a more "liberal" approach to their hiring and certification procedures. Sadly, I think the chickens have come home to roost.

Looks like another ATC problem too many mistakes are cropping up with ours. Could be a quality of employee problem trying to staff them. Cannot think back with our ATC having this many problems in such a short amount of time.