Originally Posted by SkyHigh
No bolt I didn't make captain in the airlines however I have too much command time in part 135 piston and turbine twins. Your point??
My point is: lowtime/green/undertrained newbies don't make acceptable co-pilots. They may turn into acceptable co-pilots, but they don't start out that way. If you had been the Captain in a crew environment, you would have known that.
My idea isn't new. Overseas airlines like Cathay and JAL have cadet programs that are similar in nature. Even UAL in the 80's set up an entry level flight academy in anticipation of a pilot shortage that never materialized. While at Horizon Air I met a new hire who had the bare FAA 141 minimums of 190 hours in actual airplanes and he did just fine. I think it is more than possible.
Is possible for a minimally qualified (in terms of hours) to become an FO, but it takes many more days than you would wish to believe. The European carriers that do the true ab-initio programs take a cadet and put him through four years of intense college studies along with his minimal flight training. A recent graduate from an American pilot mill is highly unlikely to have received the same level of training. There is no real comparison, with the possible exception of the top flight aero universities.
A part of the reason that captains get paid more is that they might have to do a little OJT at times. The FO is there to, in part, build experience under the guidance of a more experienced crew member. Sometimes it is the FO who informs the captain of recent changes to operating procedures since they just got out of training.
SkyHigh
You need to get your story straight. Have you forgotten that you hold airline pilots with very little regard? (If you've forgotten your own words, see my signature. Those are your words) Now, you want to explain away your argument about low time FO's with the Captains competence. The Captain is also an airline pilot, and according to you, he has no ability. He's just a trained monkey so to speak.
SkyHigh, if you really want to help wannabees/newbies gain a better understanding of the industry, you might ought to give more respect to the profession. As it is, your message about the state of the job, which I sometimes tend to agree with, gets lost in your incessant streams of pilot bashing. No one is going to listen to someone who's message seems to come from jealousy and spite.
Have a great day,
SkyBolt