While my opinion on safety first seems to be supported with this 1500TT(ATP) requirement, it does seem to be a bit irrelevant to me. Did this not stem from the Colgan crash?? where both the pilot's had more than 1500TT. While the FO may not have had her ATP, aren't the 121 checkrides performed to those standards? If these are correct, how does this prevent us from another accident? how many more laps around the pattern do these CFI's have to do, until they're "qualified" ?? I"m sure there are still some CFI's with 2000 hours who don't even need to be in a cessna, but there are many who have made it through with no problem. And what about the pilots who are under 1500TT but have been working for 121 carriers for the past 2 years? Are they no longer qualified to do what they have been doing??

Just seems to me like the accident has demanded a change. However, this seems to be completely irrelevant... how about better pay? so the FO could have afforded a hotel the night before... and somebody said it earlier... but $80k seems reasonable...

by the way, if i'm completely wrong, then somebody fill me in because i really am confused...