WDJ
I understand where you are coming from and sympathise, if certain institutions place a minimum number of hours as an entry restriction in the wannabe category.
In my experience, I do not believe that there can necessarily be a distinction between a guy (or gal for that matter!) that has 157 hours and one that may have as many as 1,000 hours.
At the end of the day, ability and 'useful experience' is paramount; some are better than others, naturally and also the training environment and how one earned those extra hours will have a bigger bearing on the experience level and ability.
I know that from personal experience. I went down the 700 hour route, some considerable time ago, of which 500 hours were 'burnt off' flying on my own in a rented C152 and some considerable twin time. What did that proove? Not a lot, but it got the tick in the box from the CAA to enable me to qualify to do my commercial! I then got limited training at the IR stage, sufficient just to pass the IR etc. That was the only training I received from the PPL stage until I did my commercial. A flaw in the system perhaps because, looking back, those 500 hours flown were wasted and I learned nothing more than could have probably been given me by a further 50 hours of instruction by someone that knew better than me!
If an airline sets a limit on hours, well that's their perogative, but I don't honestly think you will find that a huge impediment. Just keep trying and sending those CV's off and your chance will come. I've been involved for a few years now in pilot recruitment, selection and most importantly, assessment. I have seen guys with the bare minimum number of hours pass assessments when guys with well over 1,000 hours have failed the same assessment.
Take confidence; you got this far, persevere!
Cb
Hmmm
Sniggs got his post in, using a few words, whilst I pondered my response, as usual.
If Sniggs is correct, then I apologise to Danny for wasting his valuable bandwidth whilst I waffled on the subject. Sniggs is probably better informed on the technical requirement to obtail a CPL.
However, the sentiments and content of my message still stand!
Cb