The change to requiring 1500 hrs to fly 121 as a result of the Colgan accident would not have prevented the Colgan accident. The Ca had more than 3300 hrs and the FO had more than 2200 hrs. Prior to that change, one could be hired at a 121 carrier with just a commercial pilot's license.

While I don't think that going all the way back to 250 hrs and a wet commercial is the solution, I think that there's a better middle ground for minimum requirements for flying 121 ops. Somewhere between 250 and 1500 hrs ... I'd have no problem supporting 1000 hr minimum for being hired at a 121 carrier.

What Sinema's amendment (and Sinema isn't the only one backing it; Sen Thune is also in favor of it and probably several others) would allow up to 150 hours of simulator time to be substituted for flight time requirements toward the ATP. I guess if one feels that those 150 hrs should be in an aircraft rather than allowing simulator time, then it does lower requirements. From my experience, there is more to be learned from simulator time than flight time. One can have various emergencies thrown at them in the simulator where it simply isn't possible to do that in an aircraft. My personal opinion, not worth anything, is that more simulator time for new pilots is a good thing.