To the two original posters, you both have very valid arguments. I tend to agree with the experience beats foundation idea. I am a Riddle grad myself, current Army pilot and soon again dual Army/Civilian pilot as a CFI in the Guard.

Career aviation to me isn't rocket science, it's the result of experience, apprenticeship, personality and some risk taking. The CAPT program certainly is a bright spot in the world of flight training.

I've now taken the flight physiology, CRM/TRM/Crew Coordination, Aerodynamics, Regs, Turbine Theory, etc classes two and three times now and will probably never stop seeing the stuff in a career in aviation. I feel blessed to have been armed with good CRM/crew coordination stuff right outta school because it's already saved my butt a few times in TRAINING. I just don't feel that 350hrs and good school house training beats 1000hrs (200 training and 800 job) in practical value. Air sense, decision making, application of emergency procedures and knowing the limitations of your aircraft are the true individual pilot skills that are worth the most. That being said, those skills simply do not develop without the appropriate hours of engine drone/whine and the occasional "oh ****".

Let me start another heated idea...haha. Flight Simulator 2004 with appropriate payware advanced aircraft is scarily capable of simulating FULLY functioning FMS, aircraft dynamics, aircraft systems, emergency variables, ATC coordination (www.vatsim.net) etc.... (www.precisionmanuals.com)

I know more about advanced avionics from FS2004 than classes at ERAU (747 CBT) and the Army have provided. Funny, but true. (No, I've never touched an actual FMS.) But, just from that I can take your dispatch sheet, fully pre-flight the FMS, fly your route and deal with variables just from spending time in the Flight Simulator 2004 world.

These opinions do not represent the view of...blah blah blah....

Just my thoughts,

Forest