It is all about "who" you know in this business. I do not doubt that ABX has these low time pilots flying the heavy equipment- A few may be just a tad surprised if only they knew how much total time some pilots had when they were hired into the so called "heavy equipment"- This holds true all across the board. I have met many young guns who were hired at very very low time and they sure ceased the opportunity and took full advantage of it. I guess now they are sitting pretty flying the line.. Much more difficult to do with regards to 135 flying since the insurance companies pretty much dictate what can and cannot be done but not so difficult at the 121 level. Mesa Airlines is a perfect example of this practice, 300 hours total time and you are a fully competent and qualified CRJ first officer. I tip my hat to the MAPD program since there is no doubt in anyone's mind that the first officer has proven himself inside and out by the time he is line qualified. Mesa as well as many others continue to show the industry that total time does not mean the world. Q U A L I T Y & E X P E R I E N C E are much more important present day.
minimums are just that, nothing more and nothing less. I can only hope the low timers from respectable flight schools like Mesa will continue to prove that TT really means nothing and a 300 hour pilot can do extremely well in the right seat of a CRJ or turboprop.
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