You don't have to build your hours in a 172...seems like lots of 135 ops are hiring FO at 500h or so. That's what most people did "back in the day", either sit side way or tprop for a few years...

I have met people who gain their 1500h through CFI, they don't even know what AC/DC is or what "psi" stood for.....then it doesn't matter if they have 1500h or 15000h, these are ones that should be weed out and only lord knows what they are teaching!

People who got to their ATP mins through part 135 operations will tell you their way makes you better 121 pilots then 1500 hour 172 drivers. Those who did the CFI route will tell you their way is better and makes you better aviators than those who just flew freight in straight lines and level altitudes from point A to point B daily.

Not sure which is better, but the part 121 training departments will tell you that on the whole those who come the CFI route, especially CFII, make better trainees and have a lower wash out rate than those who went other routes.

On the way to achieving my ATP, I did 135, instructed, towed banners, flew skydivers, did search and rescue, crop dusted, did aerial photography and movie location scouting, game count, gave scenic rides, towed gliders, and a few other things. I hauled gasoline, did freight and cargo and medevac. Somewhere in there I turned wrenches and pumped fuel, taught groundschools, put airplanes in parades and did mall displays.

There's no such thing as "their way." Just jobs and experience. The greater and the broader the experience (education), the better for the individual.

Get all the experience you can. It will help you grasp and understand, expand, adapt, learn, and perform. It may or may not enhance the resume, but an hour of experience and an hour of flight time are NOT the same.

I'm hoping to get on with a 135 operator in Alaska, caravan/1900 SIC first then 207 PIC. I've heard that Alaska time would be more valuable to an employer than vanilla 135 or dual given any day. Do you think there's truth to that? Thanks!

That depends on the employer. To Alaska operators, yes ts valuable. To some other operators, it makes no difference, and to some, it may be a liability.

I think people give 0 FKS about alaska time other than maybe somewhere down the line when you have turbine PIC time and are applying at a major/corporate whatever it may make a good story too somehow set you apart. These are people btw who are not Alaska or bush based Im just speaking about lower 48 state carriers, outfits etc. my 2 cents.

Not a pilot, don't pretend to know your job, okay?

When I buckle in my window seat behind the wings on the left side, where I normally like to sit, I hope for 2 things:

First, that whoever is in the pointy end enjoys the job and takes it seriously.

Next, that whatever company, whatever logo, respects both the professionals carrying me along, and the professionals tending to me in the cabin.

Experience can be a variable factor. If someone's enthusiastic about their avocation or vocation (the line gets blurry when it comes to pilots), then they learn and improve their skill sets.

If not, then it's just washing yet another f*cking car at the buggy wash.

Kudos to you folks who haven't crashed me. I realize I could get into my car and do that for myself.

But I think the bigger issue is two fold: Quality of training, and quality of experience.

If you come in on the right seat, but never are exposed to takeoff and landing, does that experience count?

If you fly long haul, and most of your experience is at cruise with Otto flying, do those hours really count?

Hours, maybe, but not realistically.

My dream PIC would be someone who has done a hundred landings and takeoffs from some place Toncontin. I'd pick a PM from someone who was right seat on the first 747 flights. Those were a mess.

But as a passenger I realize that that's not possible.

So, here's the thing. Make the best of your experience and training, and develop yourself.

Most of you do, I know. Professional pilots vie in my mind with good surgeons and nurses for "first in saving lives," because all of you deal with things which would send the average man running, screaming into the night.

In Europe, under EASA rules the have 250 hour guys in the RH seat of airliners. Their safety record has been good except for the German airline job. They do have 14 written exams for their ATP and I believe they require about 750 hours of study time and a passing grade is a 75.

Sounds comforting ...

On the other hand, I heard it takes a decade or more to make Captain at Lufthansa, KLM and Air France.

No, European airlines have a measurably worse safety record than US 121. Still very safe, but not as safe as us. Basic airmanship plays a role in that.