galaxy flyer

Stop being defensive. Yes, it’s a barrier and that’s very appropriate as we shouldn’t want to allow any but the most determined to take up the profession.

GF

kevbo

It should be called the "1500hrs if you're poor" rule. Rich kids and military golden boys are reserved a spot up front while less valued people suffer as they must!

galaxy flyer

kevbo,

What “rich kids” are buying 1500 hours? The military is open to anyone who qualifies and, after spending months in the desert getting shot at, is hardly “golden” deal. If they’re reserved a spot up front, not saying they are, they worked for it.

GF

sargeanb

Some of the people I fly with tell me crazy stories...like splitting the costs and flying airplanes coast to coast to get to 1500. I personally saw one candidate dismissed from class for pencil whipping his times. I just don't understand it. 1500 hours is 2 years of instruction, maybe less, at anyplace with a decent amount of students. Why is that so difficult?

And yeah, not much sympathy from us "lost decade" types. Let me tell you how fun it was finding an instructor job immediately post 9/11. I came into the regionals with 2100 TT and 800 multi, and that was mid-range in my class. So no...1500 is not stagnation. 10,000, which I'm reaching and can't seem to get a call from anyone, is.

SonicFlyer

Wrong, it isn't good for the profession. It distorts the economics of flying and makes it more expensive, and harder to make a living.

SonicFlyer

You're probably the kind of person who thinks there needs to be a $15/hr minimum wage law too, right?

SonicFlyer

Wrong.

The 1500 hour rule is one reason the wage has increased, but far from the only or even the largest reason.

And yes you can grade pilots based on skill, not just total time. As mentioned above some pilots can have 1500hrs in a 152 but yet that qualifies them to fly a jet?

JohnBurke

You've researched poorly, and there is no punishment involved.

The "1,500 hour rule" that you cite is not new; It's been an intrinsic value for the Airline Transport Pilot certificate for many decades.

Imagine: airline pilots being required to be qualified to hold an airline transport pilot certificate, a standard for more than half a century. Neither knee-jerk, nor new, and hardly political.

To say nothing of the fact that in general, military pilots accrue flight time at a rate much lower than comparable civilian positions. A military career is not a fast-track, given that most pilots emerge from miitary service with very low hours for the number of years they've invested.

Certain posters opine that the journey to 1,500 hours is arduous and an excessive burden that causes careers to stagnate, yet the vast majority of those here, indeed most of those responding, have all been there, have all put in those same hours and did what was required to become qualified and employable. None of us need be particularly sympathetic at those who whine that the lowest minimum standard is too much, too hard, too difficult. Not in the least.

tomgoodman

Here’s aviation without the economic distortions....

Rotors2Planks

As far as government involvement and economics, the FAA gave Regionals plenty of latitude for a long time... then they abused it by squeezing everything possible out of pilots and started getting passengers killed. We wouldn't be here if they had implemented ethical practices as far as pilot pay and QoL on their own. The government will always step in when enough innocent people start getting killed. Even if 1500 hours is arbitrary as far as ADM/experience, it raises the pay significantly, which I think can be argued that it makes safer pilots. You aren't going to make as good of decisions making 20k a year, stressed out about making ends meet, living on a couch, always tired, etc. vs 50-60k a year with better rest rules and knowing you can go somewhere else if they jerk you around too much.