Originally Posted by
Ski Patrol
Duke your typical posts are usually informed and well thought out. Either you are being sarcastic or you have fallen off your rocker on this one.
A 1500 hour rule is one of the best things that could happen to this profession.
I appreciate your compliment and I do think there may be some advantages to the 1500 hour rule, but I'm being genuine and not sarcastic when I say I don't like it.
I can't say that I got into this industry w/ 1500 hours or more. I had less than that total and know a number of others in the same boat. I have done a fair amount of IOE on the Dash 8, to this day the best FO I have ever flown with, in and out of the Rockies in all sorts of crap weather, was a kid who started out w/ 500 hours on the Dash. He was 22 years old and his pure flying skills, attention to detail, and great personality still blow me away. He was unique in his abilities, but I can't say that he was the only sub-1500 hour pilot that I have flown with...I have flown with quite a few, generally I was pretty impressed with their flying and CRM abilities.
I believe the Colgan crew, from left to right seats, had about 4000 and 2600 hours or so respectively, so the current legislation requiring 1500 hours and an ATP would not have prevented, in my opinion, the Colgan incident.
I could be off my rocker though. This wouldn't be the first time.