Sultan,

The position of First Officer is one of an apprentice. It is unnecessary for them to be ready for command on day one. As you mentioned it could be many years before a new hire could even get a chance at the left seat. The intent is for them to use that time to build experience, knowledge and skill.

There is no evidence that prior experience is necessary for command. The rest of the world largely uses a cadet system of training to fill their ranks. They come to the airline with no experience at all and are trained from day one.

I can see a similar system in the United States wherein companies are permitted to hire cadet zero time pilots and then focus their training solely on transport category part 121. There is no need for airline pilots to learn VFR rules or procedures. The entire program could be streamlined and focused so that by the time a cadet reaches the line they have a deeper understanding of the job and have no bad habits or expectations that are aquired through traditional routes.

My guess is that a focused program could produce a highly trained first officer within 180 hours of total flight experience and most of that time could be in a simulator.

As evidence to support my position I offer the events of last month when Captain Sullenberger landed in the Hudson. It was the first officers leg. He was 49 years old and highly experienced. Soon after hitting the birds Sullenburger took command of the controls from the FO and continued to make the radio calls as well. The FO was left to sit there holding a check list. He probably could have done the same job as Sully but when the chips are down it is the captains plane. A low time FO can read a checklist just as good as a salty one. The job of problem solving belongs to the captain.

It would be nice to have two Sullenbergers in every flight deck however we can get by with much less.

Skyhigh