Originally Posted by
LivingInMEM
To the original poster, my criticism is leveled to the people making the hiring decisions. If the norm becomes getting hired at 200 hrs, and you think that you are as good or better than the avg 200 hr pilot, and that is what you want to do - go for it. You boycotting the practice will not change the practice - get hired and focus on becoming the best future Capt you can be.
I think this is the kind of answer that I was expecting. I know people got hired right after their commercial during the last regional hiring boom. For this, I have to say, ALTHOUGH yes, this is what I want to do (fly professionally)..., by getting hired at a regional with low times, and you think you are up to it, and you go in with the mind set that you want to focus on becoming the best (as you said), it might take away a lot of years of learning, some thorough and well-rounded experience, the opportunity to try out a variety of aircraft (from seaplanes, bi-planes, classics, skates, etc.), and most of all FUN off of your belt. Isn't this what becoming a pilot should be all about? At least for me it is, and I have to say, right now I feel that I wouldn't take the gig, if there ever came a time where regionals would hire low-timers. But, things happen, there are no guarantees in life, so I am willing to keep my options open. But, imagine you are a passenger in really bad weather, and there is a 200 hour first officer at the controls...Do I want to be that first officer? For me, it is absolutely not. To each his own.