Diversity Hire Pilots Trained on Pilotwings 64
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes promised to use more modern video games like GTA 5.
In another move towards diversity, Letisha Airhard, a young female African American pilot, was recently hired as part of a new JetBlue affirmative action program. However, it was soon revealed that her training was less than up-to-date, as she was forced to hone her skills on retro aviation games like the 1996 Nintendo 64 debut title Pilotwings 64 and 1987 Sega hit After Burner.
In an exclusive interview with The Farce Feed, Letisha revealed that she was a product of a diversity program that aimed to increase the representation of minorities in the aviation industry. However, the training she received was far from what she had expected. Instead of being trained by experienced pilots and using state-of-the-art flight simulators, she found herself learning on vintage 8-bit games in an attempt to save money for the airline.
Despite the challenges, Airhard remains optimistic and hopes that her story will shed light on the potential pitfalls of affirmative action programs in high-risk industries like aviation and medicine. "It's great that companies want to diversify their workforce, but they need to make sure that everyone is properly trained and qualified, regardless of race or gender," she said. "People's lives are in our hands and that's a huge responsibility."
Airhard's experience also highlights the potential for stigmatization of minority hires, as she explained, "I want to be recognized for my skills and abilities, not just as a token diversity hire. It's important that we focus on hiring the best person for the job and base it on qualifications and merit, which will mitigate those concerns and ensure excellence and success."
As for her future plans, Airhard is currently working on updating her aviation skills by playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and hopes to one day become a top-notch pilot, without the need for any special treatment. What are your thoughts on affirmative action programs in the aviation industry? A welcomed change or bad idea? Do you insist your pilot be the most qualified person for the job? What's your favorite flying game and why is it Starfox? Let us know in the comments below!
It's disturbing to me that, although I assumed it was satire, I could still see it being a legitimate article LOL
Good work!
This was comedy?