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http://allnurses.com/forums/f34/docs-take-aprns-186064.html
"At a meeting in London yesterday, the Airways Staffing Authority, representing all the major air line companies, announced the introduction of "Flight Attendant Practitioners", "Specialist Air Hostesses" and "Pilot Air Hostess".
A spokesman said:
"There is a critical shortage of qualified pilots. It takes many years to train a pilot to fly a modern jumbo jet and the expense of this training is enormous. We have a body of young men and women, all keen to help out and fill the gaps. These young people have been serving food and drinks to the passengers for many years, and are valuable members of the Air Crew Team. Given their years of experience it is only economic sense to make more use of them on the flight deck. They have been watching the pilots fly the planes for years, and will have no difficulty in taking over from them in certain controlled circumstances."
Tracey Smith, an air hostess for nine years said, "I am very excited about this move and look forward to working with my pilot colleagues."
She explained to journalists that she had been on a weekend residential course to learn how to switch the automatic pilot on and said, "...apart from that it's easy; if you push the stick forward the plane goes down and if you pull it back the plane goes up."
The flight attendants unions welcomed the change, commenting, "Flight attendants are much more popular than pilots, and have always had more time to spend with the passengers. Most passengers love them."
The government emphasised that the new Flight Attendant Practitioners would only be in command in certain specified circumstances. Planes flown by them would only have economy class passengers; first and business class passengers, senior politician and members of the Royal Family would travel in planes flown by pilots.
The Prime Minister was upbeat.
"Over 90% of planes flown by Air Hostess practitioners land and take off successfully, often from and to the right place, and we have every confidence that over the next few years these figure will be as high as 95%. And the savings to the airlines will be enormous." "
"At a meeting in London yesterday, the Airways Staffing Authority, representing all the major air line companies, announced the introduction of "Flight Attendant Practitioners", "Specialist Air Hostesses" and "Pilot Air Hostess".
A spokesman said:
"There is a critical shortage of qualified pilots. It takes many years to train a pilot to fly a modern jumbo jet and the expense of this training is enormous. We have a body of young men and women, all keen to help out and fill the gaps. These young people have been serving food and drinks to the passengers for many years, and are valuable members of the Air Crew Team. Given their years of experience it is only economic sense to make more use of them on the flight deck. They have been watching the pilots fly the planes for years, and will have no difficulty in taking over from them in certain controlled circumstances."
Tracey Smith, an air hostess for nine years said, "I am very excited about this move and look forward to working with my pilot colleagues."
She explained to journalists that she had been on a weekend residential course to learn how to switch the automatic pilot on and said, "...apart from that it's easy; if you push the stick forward the plane goes down and if you pull it back the plane goes up."
The flight attendants unions welcomed the change, commenting, "Flight attendants are much more popular than pilots, and have always had more time to spend with the passengers. Most passengers love them."
The government emphasised that the new Flight Attendant Practitioners would only be in command in certain specified circumstances. Planes flown by them would only have economy class passengers; first and business class passengers, senior politician and members of the Royal Family would travel in planes flown by pilots.
The Prime Minister was upbeat.
"Over 90% of planes flown by Air Hostess practitioners land and take off successfully, often from and to the right place, and we have every confidence that over the next few years these figure will be as high as 95%. And the savings to the airlines will be enormous." "
