Originally Posted by Bucknut
I worked in an abinitio program where we trained 250 hour pilots to get a Dc-9 type rating. These pilots came out with a good understanding of how to fly in airline environment by teaching them dispatch rules, decision making and how to interpret and follow the rules in an FOM. It does not take 1500 hundred hours to be proficient in operating an aircraft in the airline environment.
True, it does not take 1500 hours to turn the autopilot on at 1000 feet, be a system manager from there until 200' on an ILS approach, then disconnect the autopilot and land.
Have more flight time *does*, however, bring with it experience that molds aeronautical decisionmaking. How to deal with abnormal situations beyond what is experienced during Maneuvers or LOS training, how to anticipate a slam-dunk visual approach, how to anticipate & mitigate an unreported windshear on short final, how to pick your way through a line of weather.
I'm 100% for Captains mentoring (note I didn't say instruct) FOs who are new and/or have less experience...but count me as somebody that does NOT want to see the Euro aviation model imported to the USA.