Not really. It's akin to the model that many international operators have already used for many years, with ab initial programs. In this case, they're using people who are already certificated, who pass their screening and enter the program and operate their way for 18 months. UAL gets a candidate who's just undergone 20 months of observation, testing, and screening, their way. That's a step up, so far as the airline is concerned, over an ab initial student, and one who arrives with much of the background and qualification and hours already out of the way.

Some of these programs formerly existed as pay-to-play. In this case, the market is good enough that there's no thought to charging applicants; simply putting them to work, and moving them in.

I suspect we'll see a lot more programs along these lines in the near future.

I also strongly suspect that we'll see an economic crash in the not too distant future, with large scale layoffs and furloughs and a lot of wide eyes wondering what happened.

That's part of the problem walking into a job with few qualifications and no experience; one isn't qualified to go anywhere else when the bottom falls out.

And it will.

It's the jealousy

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Germanwings FO Lubitz was “handpicked after days of psychological training” and sent to AZ for training doing a very similar program to what you describe so he could go back and be a 300 hr A320 FO. So that’s not saying much.

I’m not happy to see this. You get a decent airplane manager who has very little “stick and rudder” time, experience or judgement. Everything goes fine until one day when the crap hits the fan, and the lack of the above shows in spades. Now imagine both pilots with that experience.

It’s why I feel more comfortable with American pilots up front...pretty good chance 1 of them has a solid stick and rudder background.

I haven't been on these forums for very long, so have been reluctant to say that kind of thing. And to be honest, the airlines have done a very good job training pilots to follow their systemised procedures and things have been very, very safe. But I can't help but think with more and more people getting pushed through the funnel faster and faster, with less and less real world stick and rudder experience, at some point it is going to bite the industry in the arse.

And somewhat related, I'd bet if you put many of the younger/newer pilots in a taildragger with a 6-pack, they wouldn't be able to fly coordinated or land it with minimal energy. Why? To them, that doesn't matter - it not real flying anyway. I'd be curious how many of the kids have read Langewiesche's "Stick and Rudder".

A real possibility, as we've experienced.

Anyone would be crazy to not take advantage of an opportunity like this.

But along the lines of what you said, ask anyone that was hired at (insert legacy here) prior to 9/11 with ZERO TPIC how easy it was to get hired at the places that WERE hiring post 9/11 after they were furloughed.

FedEx, UPS, Spirit, AirTran, JetBlue, Atlas, just to name a few, ALL required TPIC

Programs like this just now popping up **** me off. Screwing everyone else that busted their ass to get to the majors in low pay **** jobs just to be overtaken by a CFI in a light GA for less than 2 years. IDGAF if you signed a paper that they promised they'll train you to their standards. What BS.

How on earth do you build good judgement when these folks have never flown a JET.

Just the same as with the majority of new regional pilots, who are transitioning from 172s to ... wait for it ... jets.

The blind jealousy on this forum sometimes is kind of disappointing to see.

The difference is that regional captains are used to training their first officers into into competent 121 pilots. A legacy captain on the other hand, likely has very little experience trying to transform a GA guy into an efficient 121 operator.

blind jealousy?

I am at a Legacy carrier. I quit United to come to that Legacy carrier, how in the world am I jealous?

Whats going to be worse than these guys having such little real world flying experience (which is kinda sad in itself) is that they are going to be major A-holes when they get past the first year or two at UAL. A bunch of "my sh*t dont stink" or know it all's. Maybe I am wrong but I doubt it.

Can you imagine the sadness of only having flown at an airline for 30 years with virtually no other experience? Great for the bank account but really sad because of the lack of real world experience. Life isnt all about the money, its about the journey.