In a perfect world, airline passengers would be able to climb aboard an airplane and sit behind two pilots who have thousands of hours and many years of flying experience in all types of circumstances and conditions. The pilots would be old enough to be graying at the temples, but still young enough to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It's just not possible in the real world.

One of the main differences between other professions and the pilot profession is that failure can be fatal on a grand scale. Failure is the high cost of low experience. Public safety is why professional pilots are scrutinized and regulated.

A system that has been deemed a fair and accepted practice for decades could be one of the root causes of the Colgan Flight 3407 crash. What is the system? The seniority system. Yup, the very glue that establishes almost every aspect of an airline pilot's life could very well have led to the tragedy. How?

The FAA establishes minimum standards for licenses and ratings. It also establishes minimum standards for each airline to qualify pilots for its appropriate crew member positions. Crew members demonstrate their ability to meet performance standards by taking a checkride. In that regard, all pilots passing the checkride are created equal. No criteria of quality in airmanship are established. No merit system exists. No credits are added for experience. No bonus points are considered for smooth landings. A pilot's only way to advance is through that individual's date of hire: his or her seniority.

In that regard, Renslow transitioned to his position on the Q400 by exercising his seniority rights and passing the appropriate checkride. His prior experience was not a factor. Shaw did the same. Once these pilots were hired, their destiny was determined by the seat movement within the airline. Do you think an airline can attract experienced pilots at the $16,000 a year Shaw was reportedly paid? The only pilots interested in such a food-stamp salary are the ones who consider the job a form of internship for an eventual chance to be employed by a major airline.

A hundred years ago, when I was a grizzled 24-year-old Twin Otter captain, my salary was just under $15,000 a year. We were required to slide our name tags into the appropriate captain/first officer slot behind the cockpit bulkhead in the passenger cabin. My father chuckled one day and chided, "Why don't you put your salary in the slot instead? See how many people get on your airplane then."

At the moment, no checkride exists that demonstrates a safe level of experience. There is no substitute for the real thing. Experience can't be taught in a classroom or a simulator. Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy to know there can be a high cost for low experience.