[justme]

While I definitely agree that it is dangerous to have tired pilots, I don't think they should be paid exorbitant salaries to ensure they don't go out and get other jobs. I know that there is a large percentage of firefighters in NYC that have second and sometimes third jobs, yet they are supposed to be the ones saving us in emergencies, should we triple their salaries as well? What about the stories you hear of ER doctors working 24 or more hours straight? Is that dangerous? Police often have second jobs, yet their alertness could be the difference between life and death for them. I myself am a licensed pilot in helicopters (as a hobby), and as a safety precaution before any flight, you are supposed to ask yourself if you fit the "IMSAFE" qualifications. It stands for Illness, Medication, Sleep, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotion. If you are sick, drugged, tired, drunk, fatigued, or emotionally not stable, no pilot, private or commercial should be flying. I think it is pretty easy for you to agree with me there. I think where we will disagree, however, is in the details of your statement. As far as pilots "paying," in some cases literally, to build time in the right seat, this is usually done in airplanes that only require one pilot to operate. An example would be several courier companies that operate small airplanes (Cesna or KingAir) that only require one pilot legally, but in order for a new pilot to build hours, the right seat is utilized. I don't find this unsafe at all. As far as commuting to get to work, the VAST majority of pilots I have known and talked to have made the CHOICE to commute. I am not necessarily disagreeing that it could be unsafe to commute for half the day before you even "start" your day, but that it is generally a choice that is made for personal reasons and not one forced by the airlines. I think the regulations currently in place do a pretty good job of keeping the flying public safe, but agree that they could use a once-over to tweak them for the current era of operations.

**Sidenote** I am pretty sure that it is illegal to "sell" the right seat of an airplane that requires 2 pilots to operate, I am doing some fact checking and will post when I figure it out.