I bet the ATP flight schools have their own lobbyists and congressional allies who are going to work to get the zero to hero schools exempt too as the bill passes through the senate.

The ATPs, Delta Connection Academies, etc. will not go down with out a fight. These places are the worst offenders because they can crank students out in 90 days with 250 hours ensuring there can never be a pilot shortage. The universities gaining exempt status isn't the best thing but the curriculum is probably better there than at a place like Jet U and it does take 4 years to get through a program.

Someone else in another thread proposed a required 1000-1200 flight hours at a university program with an advanced jet training (sim rides, LOFTs, jet systems training, etc.) I think that would be a fair substitute for the last 300-500 hours to reach 121 ATP minimums. I think an individual with 1000-1200 hours and advanced jet training would be better prepared for the airlines than the person who does 1500 hours of touch and gos in a 172 at the local FBO. What we don't want anymore is 250 hour zero to hero pilots able to qualify for regionals anymore. We'll have to wait for any possible changes the senate makes but as it stands now the 250 hour kids are out. That is a victory we can all be happy about.

Unfortunately I think the mom and pop FBOs are going to ultimately get screwed and that this will close the profession off to all but the rich or the kids willing to go 150K in debt.


On a side note I think ALPA should encourage universities (they might do this already, I have no idea) to teach courses about labor vs. management relations or at the very least hand out information to students to teach them how to research airlines and find the better regionals. Teach them about stuff like duty rigs, work rules, etc. so that they don't fall prey to the Mesas and GoJets of the industry.