Originally Posted by
flapshalfspeed
I thought I was ready to upgrade when I had about 3-6 months on the line as an FO on my first jet like all these zero-to-hero folks on this thread. Then, after a 4AM showtime, I was shooting an ILS to mins in a -200, in a 27 knot crosswind in blowing snow, broke out, and kicked the crab out too early, right as we got hit with a decent gust/gain of airspeed. We floated upwards 10-20 feet and started moving laterally ever closer to the side of the runway. I made a "uhhhhhh" noise.
Smiling/laughing, my Captain said "my controls" and smoothly regained the centerline and put it down.
THAT is when you're ready to be a Captain--when you're not only "one with the airplane" but when you're also able to take the airplane from some FNG who has screwed it up royally, make a gut call to either fix it or go around, and avoid ending up in a ditch on the evening news--all in a matter of a few seconds (or less).
You're not at that level with only 500-1,000 hours of 121 SIC at Mesa. You probably are if you have previous 121, military, or 135 time--but if you just have 1,500 hours flight instructing in light GA planes--in easy weather--and 1,000 hours sitting shotgun on a 700/900--you have NO business in the left seat at all--you're a liability to me and my job (and yourself) and I don't want you there.
I remember when I was a CR2 Captain. I flew with many 250 hour pilots straight out of the pilot factories in Florida. These guys/gals could fly the $hit out of an ILS approach into some of the busiest airports. Give them a visual, at night in to an un-controlled field like BQK and it was amazing how they couldn't get it done. Most of these folks got the hang of it after a few times, not a problem.
When I was hired at ASA in '00, as I alluded to earlier, we were hiring E120 street Captains, CRJ Captain was 16 months or less. 9/11 happened so that changed a lot. Most of those upgrading to CRJ Captain were doing so out of the right seat of a turbo-prop. The old E120 or ATR Captains were happy where they were. So our new CRJ skippers had about 1,000-1,500 hours bounc'in around the southeast at 15,000-20,000 feet, and now they're flying up and down the east coast, in to the midwest, and up to Canada in a swept back/super-critical winged CRJ. They did just fine.
It's simple...training won't fix stupid, and stupid should never get through training.