Originally Posted by CBreezy

The ATP rule was implemented to get pilots more exposure to aviation before stepping into the cockpit of a 121 airline. The Captain of the Colgan accident was a 200 hour wonder, then slung gear at the pay to play airline Gulfstream. He had several training failures and lacked basic airmanship skills. He had more than 1500 hours when he killed all those people in Buffalo but had he accomplished a standard stall recovery when he got the stall warning and pusher, this wouldn't even be a discussion. If he had instructed to 1500 hours or flew boxes in IFR solo or any number of low time jobs, he would have been better equipped to handle the thing you're supposed to perfect as a commercial pilot. Since regional airlines couldn't be trusted to weed out bad pilots, the government mandated the pilots they hired have more experience.



The only problem I have with this argument is now that the 1500 hr rule has been in play for a few years now, has the quality of first officers gone up? If it has or has not gone up, what sort of empirical evidence are you referencing.

I don't necessarily disagree with you that 250 hr wonders are the way to go. I would say it's absolutely true having higher time FOs is ALWAYS great, but idk if I buy the whole idea that some kid with 1500hrs of flight instructing time makes all that big of a difference, and will be the deciding factor in preventing g the next crash. Remember both captain Renslow and FO Shaw had well over 1500 hrs (3,400 and 2,300 hrs respectively).



Before colgan many airlines weren't hiring people at 250 hrs, And aviation was arguably still very safe.



Also. You contradict your self. You make fun of Captain Renslow for "swinging gear". But isn't that the best sort of experience that you speak of with the 1500 hr rule? Hands on, in the seat, doing the actual job sort of experience. I would say this is much better than "steep turn left, steep turn right."