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350DRIVER
I worked there. The program works and you should look at it this way. As Mar noted, European airlines have 300-hour FOs. Maybe a difference between them and Mesa are that these pilots are hand-picked and are already airline employees whom the company trains at its expense. In any event, MAPD students are imbued from the beginning in Mesa procedures. Even though they know Mesa, they still have to go through Mesa ground school and sim, and must take a 121 ride (when I was there, they took at 135 ride and received a 135 letter as undergrads as part of their turbine lab).
I could not agree more. Once the "program" has been completed by the student he then must prove himself at the interview, during idoc/systems, sim, oral, check ride, etc, .. They do not differentiate between whether or not you are here because you came through the MAPD program or if you were hired off of the street. My hat is off to Mr. Rich Castle who seems like he has been instrumental and deeply involved in making this as successful as it has been from day 1. I have had some friends who went through this program and they said they would not have done it any other way... If I could have done it differently I sure would have since I could have skipped the whole 135 gig and would have been just as profiecent. It does depend on the program and this one is extremely standardized and you are put to the test every day. If you do not meet a deadline then you are washed out and sent home with no questions asked.
Many are against Mesa but as Bobby said you can't beg and then choose.

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