I meant no offense to anyone [better stated as everyone] who was trained in a civilian environment. Ditto for those who have spent their entire career as civilian pilots.

My post wasn't meant as an indictment of civilian flying. If this was the case, I would be a hypocrite. My post was an indictment of the trend of minimally experienced pilots finding more and more ways into heavier iron. Even in this sense, my hands aren't entirely clean, as I'm pretty much fresh out of the womb.

By asserting that you've done so much more than just 121 pure jet flying, you're inline with the intent of my post. I assert that the most appropriate way to progress to heavy iron in the civilian world is to put some work into general aviation with gradual increases in responsibility and sophistication of both equipment and the environment.

I'm in agreement with the guy that instructs or pulls a banner, flies night-freight in a recip. or small turboprop, and then moves to a 121 environment. This is the way I was taught things are done. I'm not saying everyone went this exact way or that it is the only way to go, but I think it is a cliche example of the common and accepted means to progress. I think a responsible pilot never lets his or her responsibility outweigh his or her ability to handle it.

If you did it any other way, kudos. I don't have a problem with you. Everyone finds there own path. What I respect is that you have a path, rather than a stumbling leap into the full motion sim right out of a commercial checkride.

This is what leaves me scratching my head, which is cocked to the side: The cat who is going to an initial checkride in the jet with fresh ink from an ab initio commercial or "MPL" training program. I'm not out to crucify these people, but the whole concept leaves me looking something like or .

I was brought up with the idea that the market wouldn't responsibly accept that level of inexperience.

If MPL is what it sounds like from the ICAO FAQ, it really does seem like pretty marginal training. I would venture to guess that these schools will see high attrition rates and students that require a serious degree of additional training. I am not saying that pilots can't be highly skilled fresh out of training...by my own recognition of military training, I acknowledge that very competent people complete undergraduate pilot training with approximately 600 hours (correct me if wrong) of flight time. But let's be real...220 hours and a CRJ transition course? Give me a break.

A senior NWA captain I know once said to me, "You can train a monkey to fly, if you have enough bananas." Might be true...but who wants to work in or feels safer flying in an environment where that's the collective attitude?

I've heard too many funny stories from older cats doing IOE with these guys to respect the notion that the profession itself is augmented by ab initio-to-airline transitions.

I'm too much of a GA advocate to ever want to throw obstacles in the way of a stranger...but I also opine that more often than not, quick-fix/shortcut commercial pilot factories yield an inferior product...at least more often than than traditional career pipelines where one must work up through other jobs just to get to the regional or mainline level. Which would you rather fly with, an MPL graduate, or a guy that was coming off of two years flying single pilot IFR in a 135 outfit? I have a buddy who's a CA at a big regional who's flown with FOs that have never been in clouds before. Give people whatever opportunities you want, but I personally think someone who's never flown in actual before barely has the cred. to take revenue passengers in a light twin...much less a regional jet.

Flame away...but do so knowing that I didn't post to attack people that worked to get where they are...I'm merely ribbing those who just paid to get there.