To all on this board please respond if you like, but consider the following:
The entity that is behind the reduction in flight hours and a pilots readiness for part 121 training is headquartered at the University of North Dakota. It's a great school but they are getting a lot of funding from Airlines4America and the Regional Airline Association.
Kent Lovelace, a professor at that school who also holds the title, Professor and Director of Aviation Industry Relations, is the educator that published several studies on the pilot shortage and these have found their way on to Capitol Hill in discussions about the "pilot shortage."
The University Aviation Association is moving towards supporting the reduction in hours from 1500 to some other lower number and attempting to support that contention by reviewing the background of successful new part 121 trained pilots.
I believe they will be attempting to reduce hours even more for graduates of Aviation Universities. Read it all here.
Regional airlines want to cut co-pilot flight rules. The idea mustn't get off the ground - Chicago Tribune
So by all means respond if you feel like it but understand your response will may very well likely to be used to defend lowering the 1500 hour requirement.