Further, IMO, the 1,500/1,250/1,000/750 rule isn't going to stand. The hour limits are arbitrary, brought on by inefficient government regulation of a problem that the regional airline brought upon themselves. The regionals were doing STUPID things when it came to pilot hiring, they couldn't police themselves, so they got slapped with a piece of admittedly imperfect regulation.

However, I don't think the regionals are going to find a "cheap" solution to their problem, either, if they are allowed to hire lower-time pilots. I would suspect that some sort of (expensive) "ab-initio" program or highly structured airline cockpit training programs will come about that would be paired with the training one normally receives to obtain private, instrument, and commercial pilot certificates. I'm thinking a "Lufthansa" type program. It will probably cost 10's of thousands of dollars, involve more training in complex aircraft and advanced simulators using airline "techniques and procedures," and at the end of the program will qualify a graduating pilot to sit in the right seat of a regional airline cockpit.

But it won't fix the regional's problem. Even if a program such as this is developed, and it did lead straight to a regional airline cockpit for a reduced flight hour pilot, it's still going to cost a chit load of money, someone is going to have to pay for it (who? us or them? both?), and this profession has STILL lost its luster. The regionals are either going to have to raise pay so that new pilots can afford to go through this type of program and make their loan payments, or pay for most or all of such a program themselves. Either way, effectively it is a "raise" for the regional airline pilot, paid for by the regional airline industry (and hopefully NOT by a government grant as desired by the regional airline industry).