Is this summary correct?

1) they do have A015
2) apparently they never had a PDP
3) Fargo FSDO told them to get the FO’s out of the pilot seat, and…
4) all FO flight time from Day 1 is = 0.0 hours UNLESS
5) …the pilot took a checkride. That way nobody falsified flight time on an FAA document.



Thoughts…

1) Day-yum!
2) I’m assuming a 297/299 counted otherwise there’d be IFR 135 PICs without the required time.
3) Turn in A015. Problem solved.
4) How in the heck could any of the Part 119 people NOT know this wasn’t legit? Nichols 2009 LOI. This is why the PDP option was developed. Granted the idea is great but the final product is not, it’s what they had to work with. Management chose to ignore the rules.
5) Day-yum.

JohnBurke’s post is spot on, but that lesson should be taught during indoc. When operators take on a 600 hr pilot, they essentially have a blank canvas. “Well, what this opspec means is…” “It must be right or the FAA wouldn’t let us do it.” If it was changing FSDOs that triggered this, then that just reinforces the notion the FAA’s system is still broken, like rolling rest with a wink ‘n a nod.