Originally Posted by
stabapch
So what do you think... Did this really fix the problems of the regional industry?
It wasn't supposed to fix most of the problems. Most of the "problems" are simply people allowing themselves to be taken advantage of.
Originally Posted by
stabapch
Are the skies really that much safer now?
As measured in fatalities per X number of RPM's in the US, yes. Is all or most of that due to the 1500 rule? Hard to know.
Originally Posted by
stabapch
Do regionals still continue to get away with poor pilot treatment, regardless of union representation?
The 1500 rule helped with that too. After 1500 hours in GA/CFI, people are slightly less willing to put up with crap than they would have been at 300 hours, when the shiny jet out-shined all other considerations.
But there's a difference between treating your employees like crap and safety. The two can be related, but fundamentally nobody, FAA, NTSB, or Congress cares if your job sucks. You can always quit, and there will almost always be someone willing to fill your shoes (and for less money).