Originally Posted by
Pilatus801
I've researched the Colgan crash plenty and find the 1,500 rule that followed to be a kneejerk/political result. The punishment didn't fit the crime.
You've researched poorly, and there is no punishment involved.
The "1,500 hour rule" that you cite is not new; It's been an intrinsic value for the Airline Transport Pilot certificate for many decades.
Imagine: airline pilots being required to be qualified to hold an airline transport pilot certificate, a standard for more than half a century. Neither knee-jerk, nor new, and hardly political.
Originally Posted by
galaxy flyer
What “rich kids” are buying 1500 hours? The military is open to anyone who qualifies and, after spending months in the desert getting shot at, is hardly “golden” deal. If they’re reserved a spot up front, not saying they are, they worked for it.
To say nothing of the fact that in general, military pilots accrue flight time at a rate much lower than comparable civilian positions. A military career is not a fast-track, given that most pilots emerge from miitary service with very low hours for the number of years they've invested.
Certain posters opine that the journey to 1,500 hours is arduous and an excessive burden that causes careers to stagnate, yet the vast majority of those here, indeed most of those responding, have all been there, have all put in those same hours and did what was required to become qualified and employable. None of us need be particularly sympathetic at those who whine that the lowest minimum standard is too much, too hard, too difficult. Not in the least.