This has turned into an interesting thread. Actaully I haven't found any terrible postings here. It seems that often SOME with low time don't understand how the people with 10K/15K/20K got there. Often it is a jealousy thing. Unforunate.
The comment about that somebody from the outside as a direct entry Captain is somehow "incompetent" is totally b.s.! The biggest problem that I have encountered thus far is not flying the airplane, but remembering which procedure to do next.
Different airlines do things entirely different and no way is wrong! Different airplanes have installed different "toys" on their jets often because the management of any airlnes thinks they need something. Let me illustrate.
At United and China when the airplane is NOT on the autopilot, you have to ask the PNF to do the MCP things. At United, even when on the autopilot, the PF does his own MCP twisting with the exception of the Altitude. That is ALWAYS moved by the PNF and a point to the altitude is required. I think most US carriers do the same thing. I have ridden jumpseats at almost all US carriers.
At China (and I understand EVA) the PF does this own MCP changes AND can (is expected to) make the altitude changes on the MCP. There is no pointing.
So here are two different philosophies. One carrier wonders why you aren't making the change and at the other, you'll either get fired or fail a check for touching the MCP altitude knob.
At UAL, there was no autostart on the 400. The 777 had autostart. At United, F/Os started the engines with "manual" start and started the clock. The engine start was 4/1/2/3.
At China, there is a 400/744 autostart and Captains move the fuel control switch and start the engines. The start order is 4/3/2/1 and you CAN start more than one engine at once. In fact, if you don't the crew wonders why not!
So here are two examples of how different companies do things different. Learning the new "order of business" takes a few months,but it is hard unsafe as some writers suggest.
The last issue is about flight hours. Hours are an indirect way of judging experience. And I have 22,000 hours and actually did not fly much during my career. I could have easily flown another 10,000,but did not much at United compared to other carriers' norms. I also have to say that I am not close to death. At least I don't think I am!!!!
So inferring that anyone with 20,000 hours+ is "about done" with his life is really stretching it!
I was surprised by the John Glenn hours information assuming it is correct. But there is not a whole lot of difference between 10,000 and 20,000 hours,but there are different stages in a pilot's life where there ARE big changes and big improvement marks.