The 1500 hour rule had more to do with appeasing the Colgan crash family members and pretentiously “outraged” politicians. I am in favor of it, however as a check airman during that era and later, I can tell you emphatically the low time graduates of professional training organizations were way more competent than the middle-aged life changers with 1500 hours of $100 hamburgers. The increase of average IOE from 25 hours to 60-80 is evidence. The regional flying environment is not safer overall with a mere minimum hours requirement.