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. . . . 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. . . .
HOGWASH-
I started flying a supersonic aircraft at 120 total hours. When I had 750 hrs total time I was an Instructor Pilot in Vietnam - muti engine crew aircraft getting our ass shot off. At 1500 hrs total time I was in command of a C-141 flying airevac patients and medical crews from the Phillipines to the US often landing in Alaskan winter weather. AT 2000 hrs I was flying photo reconniassance in a pressure suit above 70,000 ft where the difference between stall and Mach tuck is 12 kts - a high pucker factor. All of this before I turned thirty years old.
It's the quality of training and the depth of the experience not total hours that determine a competent pilot.