Originally Posted by
sflpilot
Ok now here is the problem: Military pilots and CFI's are low time, but when they screw up it will only hurt one or two people both of which know what they are doing can be dangerous. At an airline, when the low-timer screws up fifty or more people will be dead or injured. These people are buying a ticket with the expectation that they will be transported by someone who is going to keep them alive when things get bad. The passengers know nothing about flying and that is what they assume and have every right to expect.
Low-timers do not belong in a jet or t-prop flying people around. When the going gets tough most of them will need to change their pants. There is no substitute for real world experience, not a sim, not the books, but real flying experience. Not to mention that I predict the IFR environment in a jet will have these low-timers hanging on by the vertical stabilizer.
How many US domestic 121 accidents have been
directly attributable to a low-time (sub-ATP minimums) pilot at the controls? What about incidents? More to the point, how many pilots were hired into turboprops or RJs in the mid/late 90s between 300-600 hours, upgraded when they got ATP minimums, and are now either senior CAs at the regional level or at the majors?
Many of those people by and large had no jet experience, yet they went into RJs when they were first introduced to the market. How did they do? I'd say considering the two RJ accidents in the US recently (PNCL screwing off during a ferry and Comair in KLEX) I'd say 99.9% of those pilots have been nothing short of 100% safe and professional in their job.
You are right, nothing replaces experience...but you don't have to hand-fly checks in a Baron or a 1900 in the northeast for a year to be safe flying a modern regional aircraft.