Originally Posted by saab2000

Ultimately it is a question of supply and demand. The fact that regional airlines are having to go as low as a few hundred hours of total time means that the pool is, if not drying up, surely getting pretty shallow.

I was hired at my current regional airline with about 1500 hours. That was the median in my new-hire class. I don't know what it is now, but the chatter on the line is that they are hiring a fair number with 500 or few hours.

I now have in the mid-3000s of total time and no ATP. I do have the JAA "Frozen ATPL" that KoruPilot speaks of. I agree that it is largely useless in the cockpit of a transport category aircraft. That said, it was not easy to get and the requirement acts as a kind of filter. And the knowledge is useful to be sure, but no substitute for experience and good judgement. That said, it sure made the FAA written look like a joke.

I also have the FAA written ATP test done. I will not voluntarily expose myself to another FAA checkride and jeapordy testing event in a piston twin ever again I hope, therefore I will wait until my upgrade comes.

I don't know the solution to the problem here either, except for greater pilot unity and a major effort by various unions to educate their pilots and the public. I am not a militant union member, but they can help to counteract negative forces from within the company. Many pilots fear for their jobs and careers when they are young and allow abuse to become systematic because they don't want to compromise their chance at the heavy metal later in their careers.

If ALPA were to focus on fixing what is wrong with the regionals with regards to their unique issues it would really help I think. Obviously, pay is one of the major issues and the fact that there are contracts out there which allow for professional pilots to earn below the poverty level is shameful. ALPA can help by simply publicising this fact.