Originally Posted by
AirBear
I flew as a PIC in the CRJ at Mesa 2003-2005 before the 1500 hour rule. Then I left and went to NetJets which back then had a 2500 hour min. By 2007 I upgraded and could see a major difference in the quality of the F/O's I flew with. The young F/O's at Mesa with 500~ish hours had very little "air sense". They were great to do checkrides in the Sim with but had trouble judging the energy state of the jet on visual approaches. If they want to sharply reduce the hours requirement then they need to require training on par with what Navy and USAF pilots get.
Around the same time-frame I'm on a mesa jumpseat, the LCA was doing new-hire IOE. From the east to BFL or maybe FAT, so rapid descent into the valley after clearing the Sierras. We do the lav shuffle, and the CA tells me (while the trainee is out) that she has issues with descent planning. On this leg, he's not going to say anything and just let her manage it all on her own. We get PD for the descent... and arrive over the marker at FL230
