Not true, I know a 135 op that will let you ride shotgun for under $50/hr. Your flying, so you log the PIC. FAA approved as well.

I wasn't born yesterday you know. I REALIZE that those were the ADVERTISED minimums. Did I think I was going to REALISTICALLY get a job from this? NO! I am sure they were only building a database (a large one at that) of pilots to choose from. At that time an FE rating or the written were almost mandatory since UAL was still flying a plethora of 72's. Only reason I posted this is to give the younger generations an idea of what it was like 30+ years when I first started flying (1973). So, gimme a break!

Multicrew
 

Probably in the next ten years the multi-crew license will make it so that airlines can hire cadet pilots with zero time and train them exclusively in airline operations to attain a line ready first officer in less than 200 hours.

The FAA and insurance companies are the ones that set the actual minimums. Everyone would agree that they are low however it all seems to work out. I have never heard of an airliner that has crashed due to a low time FO but I have heard of plenty that have gone down due to complacent old captains.

No one likes to think that others can do the job so cheaply and with so little experience, but the facts indicate that all that is necessary is the current FAA mandated minimums. And, those minimums are due to get even lower.

Skyhigh

I have a very hard time believing any POI would sign off on an air carrier allowing PFT pilots to log sole-manipulator PIC time on live 135 legs without meeting the flight experience requirements of 135, in addition to successfully completing 135.293/297/299 checks.

No doubt that the right training program can train pilots to high levels of proficency in say 1 year and 200ish hours. and NO I am not talking about flight schools where the students money is the factor. The military has for many many decades taken students with very little flight time.. some as little as 10 hours.... put them thru training programs that in 12-18 months produce pilots capable of flying multi-engine transport/bomber/tanker aircraft not to mention the guys selected for fighter tracks. the caviate that the student must ALWAYS be in constant jepardy. The mantra can not be... oh..I will get it tomorrow... or the next flight... or anything like that. Military flight training has very very detailed performance standards which have to be met on each and every flight. Not up to the required proficency on that flight... HOOK!!! Do that three or four flights in a row and you find your self on the outside looking in. Low time flight programs CAN NOT succed with out such consequences. THAT in a nutshell is the ONLY difference in military training and civilian training. In a civilian training program there is ALWAYS tomorrow... you can ALWAYS go up and do it again... not so in a military training system. That said I in NO way suggest that military pilots are better than civilian pilots. But I do believe that they are ready for much more complex aircraft quicker in their flying lifetime than the normally trained civilian guy. At some point the playing field levels .... wherer that is varies probably from person to person.

Yes... I do believe some american carriers might start true ab-into training programs in this country in the future. And I personally believe they can be succesful at it with the right training standards.

I do hope you are wrong on this as I do not want to be in the left seat with one of these trainees.....

The military has done it successfully for years....what makes you think an ab-into program couldnt be done successfully as well. Lufthansa and South African two name just a couple have used programs like this for many years.

Had guys in my UPT class that graduated and after transition training.. ie. 3-4 months of sim and aircraft flights.... were flying right seat on C-130's, KC-10's, KC-135's, B-52's, C-5's, C-141's..... etc..and most of those guys TOTAL flying time was probably in the 250 hour range. If the military can do it... why shouldnt an ab-into training program with very strict standards be able to do it as well?

I agree
 

I agree and can also envision a future where the airlines adopt a military training style of high wash out candidate programs that produce focused, well trained and educated first officers with very little actual flight time.

A mission specific approach to training would eliminate a lot of what pilots currently have to learn and will never use as an airline pilot.

Skyhigh

You said it much more eloquently than I but that was exactly my point.

I think the absolute mins should be ATP, 10,000 hours TT, 2,000 ME, 1500 PIC, and 500 Inst. actual. A PHD in Aerodynamics from an accredited university, a Masters in Business at least 4 years experience in customer service. Anyone who doesn't meet these qualifications is an inferior pilot and shouldn't even be able to rent a C-172.