Originally Posted by
Das Auto
There's a difference between 2300 hrs and 1 hour repeated 2300 times. She had very little IMC experience. Even admitted to it on the CVR. A strong F.O. can keep an eye on a weak captain and an experienced captain can babysit a new F.O. Put 2 week pilots together, add fatigue to the mix and you have an accident waiting to happen.
I flew with the captain of that flight on several occasions. He was relatively new to the Q400.
So what is the point of the 1500 HR rule if it is 1hr repeated 1500 times?
The problem is training and the airlines desire/need to keep their pilot ranks full, not the pilot. If a pilot is weak they should be let go. If the pilot needs additional training it should be provided. Airlines, in order to save money, continually try to push pilots through that don't belong. With very little oversight by the FAA. The type rating rule doesn't make anybody safer. I get the same oral as a Captain and do everything the captain does on a check ride except taxi the aircraft. That failure to taxi is the only thing that prevented me from having a type rating when I was at the regionals. The only reason I was not taught how to taxi was because it required additional instruction time and sim time to get me signed off and that translates into $$.
It doesn't matter how many hours a person has or if they have an ATP or a type rating, some people just don't belong in airplanes. Unfortunately unions and short staffing and money, keep the weak among us.