That's the problem, though. ATP standards aren't really that high. The check ride itself is just an instrument check ride to slightly higher standards. Since the Colgan FO passed her initial 121 training, she would have had no problem meeting ATP standards.

As for the PIC requirement, today's general aviation flight instructor, because of the stagnation in the industry, will likely have at least 1,500 hours by the time the regionals start hiring again en mass. Almost all of it will be PIC. And most, if not all, of that will probably have been spent flying around the traffic pattern or the practice area in a Cessna or a Piper on sunny days. Provided the pilot has a modicum of skill flying an ILS and a GPS approach on a calm day under the hood, he or she will qualify and obtain an ATP.

I'd rather have someone in the right seat with 750 hours of quality, hard-IMC, four-seasons, high-density airport experience and a Commerical certificate than a 1,500-hour C-172 wonder with an ATP.

But I do agree with you. We need to raise the price of entry without making it totally prohibitive financially. In my opinion, though, requiring an ATP is not the solution. What's also not helping is that the jobs where you can cut your teeth, like flying checks (which I did for 2 years and learned a hell of a lot) are all going away.