I didn't compare anything... just asked a question.

"300 hour UPT grads" may not "know much" but the gov't sees fit to place them at the controls and futhermore in combat circumstances. My point is that the variable is quality of training.

I think this is the kind of answer that I was expecting. I know people got hired right after their commercial during the last regional hiring boom. For this, I have to say, ALTHOUGH yes, this is what I want to do (fly professionally)..., by getting hired at a regional with low times, and you think you are up to it, and you go in with the mind set that you want to focus on becoming the best (as you said), it might take away a lot of years of learning, some thorough and well-rounded experience, the opportunity to try out a variety of aircraft (from seaplanes, bi-planes, classics, skates, etc.), and most of all FUN off of your belt. Isn't this what becoming a pilot should be all about? At least for me it is, and I have to say, right now I feel that I wouldn't take the gig, if there ever came a time where regionals would hire low-timers. But, things happen, there are no guarantees in life, so I am willing to keep my options open. But, imagine you are a passenger in really bad weather, and there is a 200 hour first officer at the controls...Do I want to be that first officer? For me, it is absolutely not. To each his own.

Keep the brilliant comments coming! I love all the responders that basically call me incompetent and then proceed at the same time to tell me what my experience is and how many hours I have without even having the slightest clue as to who I am. A couple of you in your rebuttle made the very point that I was trying to argue while at the same time being too unintelligent to realize you were arguing the same point. Further, I originally stated that I learned the RJ around 350, not that I currently had 350. To the cool guy who commented that he doesn't like the "young guys" like me, I am far from young, and far from inexperienced. My opinion is probably far more valid than yours. False assumptions should be avoided at all costs.

True, but there is a lot of training after UPT before one is set loose in a fighter or flying trips as a heavy driver up to 9 more months in some aircraft, then home station qual training to boot as a new guy. It's quality and duration of training that makes the difference.

If he means UPT as in just getting your wings then absolutely. If he is meaning once you hit the fleet (or your MWS as the AF would call it) then not necessarily. We send newly completed RAG replacement pilot directly to deployed squadrons sometimes. Last I heard there was a prohibition against someone that was not Level 2 qualified (basically a combat wingman) dropping ordnance in country without a qualified flight lead with him - but none the less they are in combat with around 320-350 hours!
I think that says quite a bit about the quality of training received.

USMCFLYR

I can see why you think that an RJ F/O should do nothing more than watch the autopilot and work the radios - your analysis skills are not so much. I would like to know where you were accused of only having 350 hours. By the way, you may be far from young and think you are far from inexperienced, but ....what you say in your posts, well.....? The fact that you would not even consider the role of decision-maker in the cockpit (which is certainly where experience would come into play) and only reference working the radios and watching the autopilot tells me that you certainly have not been exposed to an ATP type ride or LOE in this type of environment - or that is what your posts convey. You can deny it all you want, but you know it's true. There is disdain towards RJ pilots in your posts in this thread that must be rooted somewhere, you may need to work those issues out.

And, if not more, the quality of our flight leads that they can maintain SA on their own aircraft, the overall situation, AND on their wingman's situation.

Wow, LivinginMem your response makes no sense and argues against positions that I never even made.

If you've flown mil, especially fighters, it makes perfect sense.

JA189-

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/fl...tml#post474369

You may not have 300 hours, but as of less than two weeks ago...

"I am a CFI with 900 TT 256 multi and 8 months instructing at another academy 10/6/2008"

What you are is a poser. Ya know, no one cares your a pilot...Especially on a message board comprised of professional pilots. Someone had you pegged perfectly. "you don't even realize how much you dont know".

900 hours and 8 months instructing. Wow...I'm impressed.

Its the though of having to fly with someone like you that really turns people off.