If you are enquiring as to what Sully and Skiles did before USair, I'll let you in on something.

Much like Bill Brasky, Sully and Skiles were both born with ATP certificates and Airbus type ratings. And of course, like Brasky, they built the homes that they were born in. They got into the majors because they both learned to fly 747's at age 6. I believe Skiles actually was the checkairman on the Wright flyer that signed off on the brothers solos. In fact, I think Skiles is actually the father of Martha King, and Sully is Johns father.

All not-seriousness aside, does anybody seriously not realize how much things have changed since then. Being an airline pilot used to be a good job. Pilots actually made money and were respected. When a pilot is skilled enough to fly a transport cateogry aircraft, that is when he should be allowed to go to the regionals. This is a different figure for all pilots!!! Flying pipeline patrol VFR or CFI'ing and doing 16,000 touch and goes with student pilots in a tampico for an extra 1,000 hours to get your regional airline 2,000 hour mins is hardly productive. How does that make you a better pilot?