Originally Posted by ClarenceOver

I am writing to you as a constituent and a concerned member of the aviation industry [and deep-pocketed donor to local political candidates]. I want to express my opposition to the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) rule requiring airline first officers to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight time [250-hour wonders work just fine]. On behalf of the millions of Americans who depend on regional airlines to travel and conduct business, I urge you to stand up for our state’s future pilots and help stop this arbitrary rule that rewards quantity over quality [let's not quibble over the definition of "quality"]. Regional airlines services are critical components of our country’s aviation network [this is true]. Together, these carriers contribute $1 trillion to our economy [never mind how we computed that number, and never mind that those dollars come from our major airline sponsors], serve over 750 million passengers annually and generate 10.9 million direct U.S. jobs. The FAA’s 1,500 hour rule has put regional air service in jeopardy and exacerbates an existing pilot shortage problem [which starts with exorbitantly high training costs, followed by crushing debt and poverty-level wages] . The new 1,500 hour requirement imposes extraordinary time and financial burdens on future pilots [this is the first time that we have ever acknowledged an "extraordinary burden" on any pilot, which indicates our seriousness when we say that there is a problem], discouraging them from pursing aviation careers [we know they will take the substandard pay, but only up to a point]. Under the new rule, well-trained graduates from accredited aviation programs must now accumulate significant numbers of additional flight hours in unstructured and fair-weather environments, on their own time and at their own significant expense [even though they did this for years, cutting their teeth as CFIs. This, however, is 'different.' Because we said so]. These dramatic increases in both training and education costs have created an unnecessary [absolutely!] entry barrier that is putting the traditional pilot supply pipeline at risk. Because air service supports local and regional economies, the 1,500 hour rule jeopardizes millions – if not billions – of dollars in economic impact in the communities where the negative financial consequences will be most felt [cities that want cheap air service, even if the demand isn't there]. On behalf of the aviation industry and your constituents that depend on regional air service, please contact the FAA and ask them to grant credit-hour equivalencies [so we can continue to pay squat for new FO's going forward] for high-quality structured training programs. Pilot training that emphasizes quality over quantity will allow the FAA to retain the safest path for professional aviators without creating a pilot shortage [and we won't have to foot the bill, and that's really what this is all about].