Requiring an ATP to be an AIRLINE pilot is a small step in the right direction.

More important in my opinion is that training standards and checkrides at ALL levels, PPL, CPL, Instrument, ME..etc, be ramped up to make it difficult to acquire these certifications. The fact of the matter is given enough time and MONEY... anybody can get enough training to pass these checkrides. BUT, do you want the guy who took 38 hours to solo in a 172 flying with you..... or the guy who took 50 extra hours of instrument flying to GET it RIGHT before his checkride? Professional training facilities like CAE and FSI etc ... do a fair job of evaluating the customer.. but remember .... MONEY is involved and they dont want to **** off clients. I know I am sorta rambling but I think it needs to be HARDER to get ratings and certifications..etc.

A personal experience I had last year was when I went to CAE for a 5 day training program before going back to my company for a checkride in the aircraft that would be both a type ride. My flying partner from my company ( this guy was suppose to have like 8,000 hours ) was just TERRIBLE. I mean his basic airmanship just sucked. Did the training people ever say anything to HIM or to our BOSS about his terrible performance all three days in the sim? NOPE. We got our certificates from the training center and went home. I took my checkride as scheduled the following week. The other guy went up for a practice/signoff ride with our in house check airman and after about 20 minutes they were back on the ground. CKA pulls me into a room and starts asking me questions... which I answered truthfully, eventually he was signed off but busted the check ride with the DPE and was let go. My point is it shoulda never got that far... somewhere back in this guys history somebody gave him a pass and he stumbled thru all those years. In this case even the training center was at fault because they said NOTHING to the company about this guys **** poor performance. NOTE: this guy HAD and ATP and was typed in the KA-350 and supposedly had 8000 hours.

AT risk training. As long as the system allows they student/customer to pluck down more and more money until he is ready the weak ones will continue to get through.

I am sure my idea is not popular.... dont mean to offend anyone.