Originally Posted by
BoilerUP
If Congress really was intent on improving safety, they'd require all airline pilots to have an ATP and be fully type rated in the airplane they operate...and they'd give airlines 12 months to make sure all their pilots meet this standard.
Joint ATP/type rides are given all the time and if you can pass a 121 FO PC check then you won't have any problem with an upgrade ride...they aren't exactly difficult.
But they're not. All they're concerned with is giving the constituents lips service that they're "doing something" while quietly taking the lobbying money from the RAA and ATA, promising the lobbyists they won't screw the airlines.
I expect to see a lot of talk and very little action on this issue. They'll require "scientific studies" and committee reports. If the minimums are actually raised, I would expect it to effect all new hires going forward. It would be time consuming and expensive to make it retroactive.