Originally Posted by
Floy
A pilot who has logged 1500 hours of light SE and ME and completed the standard ATP and comes to train to fly a jet is starting something totally new to them. Some do well and many struggle. The 1500 hours they needed to get the ATP in most cases did nothing to qualify them for the training and job they are about to undertake. If those same pilots were to fly in a 135 crew environment from 250 hours as they are allowed to do with just a commercial, they would arrive to 121 training with the experience doing the very thing that they will be trained on. IMHO that actually enhances safety. A just trained 1500 hour ATP let loose on the world of 121 with nothing more than GA time will see a lot of firsts with those 121 passengers on board.
If the ATP rule were to be changed and its a big IF, I'd say it matters more the type of hours. I wouldn't be worried about reducing the requirements for a restricted ATP to even 750 hours if those hours were achieved in a way that gives the pilot real world experience. 500 hours of jet SIC beats 1500 hours of GA flying any day IMO. I think that would enhance, not degrade safety. Again just one guy's opinion who's been working to train these pilots for a long time.
The airline transport pilot certification requirements do not stipulate that hours flown must "qualify" an individual for a job, or for any future training which the individual must undertake. This is not a requirement of an pilot certificate.
One who obtains a commercial pilot certificate and then seeks to be an aerial applicator has not been prepared to crop dust; one has obtained commercial certification: one has achieved the minimum pilot certification with a privilege to fly for compensation or hire. One could go any direction from there, whether it's crop dusting, towing banners, flying charter, or any number of other things. Hours flown to get to the minimum requirement to apply for and obtain commercial certification are not in any way required to be oriented to a given job. They are FAA-mandated requirements for pilot certification.
The ATP pilot certificate has FAA-mandated requirements that must be met in order to obtain that level of certification. There are multiple methods of satisfying the experience requirements. A total time of 1,500 hours is only one of those paths. The ATP may be obtained with less. The ATP pilot may be working for an airline, or doing any number of other things: the FAA does not make assumptions as to the. path the holder of the ATP will take, but merely sets the requirements for obtaining the ATP certification. This includes total experience, specifics regarding night, cross country, instruction received, etc...just like any other pilot certificate. The FAA also sets the same performance standards for the ATP as for a type rating.
The FAA, as mandated by congress, has established that all 121 airline pilos, whether PIC or SIC, will hold an ATP certificate.
Imagine. an airline pilot holding an airline pilot certificate. Go figure.