You've been reading too many pay for training brochures. There are no options. Suck it up and get a multi engine job, god forbid you should sacrifice a few years to get that 500 multi like other pilots had to do in the 80s and 90s. And if you do make it to a regional, you can be sure the instructors will make it harder on you since you've only got a few dozen on the multi time. Just because they interview and hire with less than 100 doesn't mean you can pass the training. Don't take these reductions in mins for granted.

By the way, if Great Lakes really does have pilots with 20 hours of multi time, I wouldn't let my dog fly that airline much less friends and family.

There were plent of pilots getting hired with under 1000 tt in the 90's, perhaps not the entire decade, but this arguement by current airline pilots that todays mins are absolutely ridiculous is just that, ridiculous. With it taking 5 years and up to upgrade, its far harder nowadays to get started in the business than before. If you really want to look back in time, you could get hired at a major shortly after college. The 500 hour wonder pilot is nothing new. Also I think mins are simply just an arbitrary means of choosing pilots, that may have some meaning but isn't everything. I was in class at TSA who's known for having tough training, I watched a 300 tt 25 multi pilot with no CFI background breeze through training like it was nothing, and in the same class an older man with over 3000 tt and over 1000 multi washed. It's probably an exception to the rule, but it does prove hours aren't everything. The only reason anyone is mad about it is because their timing was bad and they didn't get the same opportunity. But I say, if the company is willing to take a chance and pay for their SIC, who are we to ***** about it. If they can pass their sim check and their ground, they have every right to be in the right seat.

SkyWest only needs 1000/100 along with 100 instrument. Lots of people get hired with these mins.

I thought the mins now days were just to get in to the interview, then you sould yourself from there on

Maybe that is just my perspective

Your argument is so absurd it's not even funny, typical pay for training response. A 172 pilot with 5 hours, in essence, can do the same thing as a 172 pilot with 1000 hours. Takeoff and land, very simple. Of course you and I know there is much more than that. If there was a serious emergency do you think the 172 pilot with 5 hours would be better chance of coming out alive than the 1000 hour pilot? I don't care if you nailed the training and made best friends with the instructor. If the $hit hits the fan, you will not be ready. And that is why you have to EARN the right. 300 hours compared to 3000, you must be kidding. As far as your comment above about easy entry to the majors, you're thinking of the 70s when you could get a job with 1000 hours crop dusting. Those days are LONG gone, it has always been tougher since then.

Hmmm. The military thinks differently. Most airlines overseas think differently. Many regionals (with very good safety records) here in the US think differently.

Not saying that it's right or wrong (I certainly have my opinions, and might even be a bit biased since I was hired into the CRJ at my first airline job with about 700/75).

Either way, I think you're taking out your frustrations on the wrong group. Don't yell at the CFI with 400/50 that's trying to get on with the airline. If he/she can do so, then good for them- it's quite an accomplishment as far as I'm concerned.

But if you have an issue with the fact they were hired, blame the pilots that hired them without whatever qualifications you see necessary. Better yet, volunteer your time and go conduct some interviews yourself. You'll learn very quickly that time in a logbook is just that.

There are 200 hr pilots that I would let fly around in my company's Citation. There are 7000 hr pilots I wouldn't even let drive my car, let alone get near an airplane I had anything to do with... judgement, depth of experience, training, real-world qualifications, and maturity play a bigger role in my book.

For example, a guy that has 300TT and 50 ME, but 7 years as a professional flight engineer or a military navigator probably has enough experience from being there and seeing it, to make wise decisions. If he/she can pass the interview, has the knowledge, and can make it through training, why shouldn't they be hired?

I'm not frustrated at all, I could care less, I just want to point out to kids with SJS that think that they're entitled to a job with 400/50. FlyerJosh, I'm sure that some pilots at interview boards would strongly disagree with you. Especially if they are military, seeing that you associate 500 hour CFIs with military pilots. And I'm not really sure what you mean by most airlines overseas, if you think an airline in India that employs 300 hour nationals from their training academy is most airlines then you might look into it a little harder.

Big Sky, Sky Way hire, Scenic Airways, hire with low ME time. If you are worried about ME time, Get your MEI. It will give you some ME PIC time, You will know ME stuff Inside and out for Airline Interviews, a resume builder, and you can get free time teaching others.

I don't think it's absurd at all, and just so you know, I'm not a pft, I'm a CFI/CFII who spent 2 years instructing and half of that time teaching full time, I had well over a hundred multi before I got hired, and have already had 2 regional jobs since then. I come here without a ton of experience but I've seen 2 classes full of all kinds of people who got experience in all different places. And an airline wants to hire people who won't wash out of their training, and I can tell you from experience that hours did not correlate to success in these classes. And I think YOUR arguement about a 5 hour pilot is absurd because no one is suggesting putting a presolo pilot in a jet. However I do believe that getting ME time can be very expensive, and getting an MEI can be nearly as expensive. Also MEI jobs don't grow on trees. So I'm a true true believer that a guy with say 1000-1500 tt and 25 multi should be able to get a job. Personally if I were on an interviewing board, I'd like to see someone come in, nail the sim, do well on a written and tech, and show me some personality so I know I could sit next to him for a 4 day. I'm just saying that hours are not a very good indicator of success. If they can do all of that, and they have 500tt and 50 multi, all the power to em.

personally, i believe that the high multi time will benefit turboprop carriers more than the RJ crowd. Also, having your MEI is probalby worth more than simply building tons of multi time, as the MEI is constantly being ready for an engine failure, or at minimium training on them, while the other guy simple gets the joy of going 25 kts faster than the single engines sitting on the field.

not sure how things work in the turboprops w/ v1 cuts, but i do know in the jet that there's no: power up, clean up, identify, verify, feather mentality thing going on...its like, hmmmm....rudder....fly airplane...do checklist.