You raise some good points. See below.
Not true. Short answer is 1200 hours and SIC or autopilot in lieu of SIC. I have and currently fly 135 with pax and the FAA does not require an ATP; however, see below.
Prefer may work for some. But some 135 operations require ATPs to comply with state laws.
I left the 121 world to go back to flying air ambulances under 135. I work for a CAMTS (
CAMTS | Anderson, SC 29625) certified company. CAMTS mandates higher mins than the FAA (including ATP for what normally would be a Commercial job), and some states require operators to be CAMTS to service their state. (How that works, a state superseding the federal government, is beyond my paygrade, but it happens)
Other certification groups also require ATPs.
The question is, what will these certification groups and the states do when ATPs become too expensive for an individual to pay for them.
Hopefully, my employer and similar companies will realize paying me a few thousand dollars more is cheaper than giving a new hire an ATP.