zanthrus
A pretty insulting comment re Jetstar pilots! Where have you been the last few decades? The practise of which you and Dick seem unaware, has been the norm in Europe for many years.
For example the UK Airline in which spent 31 year aviating, has been accepting cadet pilots into the RHS of two pilot jets since the late 60s early 70s. A necessity unlike Oz, as there is no large GA or Military pool of recruits to draw on.
Started way back on HS Tridents and 737 and now A320 family. High education qualifications followed by stringent selection before flying training. Leave the College with 200 hrs or so, CPL/IR on twin piston, and frozen ATPL.
Type Rating and Base Training, followed by about 50 sectors route training with a Training Capt, and after being released to Line flying rostered only with experienced Capts. for the next six months or so, with regular progress checks.
Many of the original pilots have now retired as Wide Body and Concorde Capts. With no operational problems. Good training. rather than 1500 hours as a C172 Instructor are probably more important.
The ethos continues to the present with experienced DEP recruited directly into the RHS of 744,787,777 and even A380 on two pilot ops. (Many LH routes to USA East Coast Chicago etc are flown with two pilots, including the A380.)
A 3 day selection process and sim check ride before joining.
Partially trained S/Os are not used at all in the airline, on LH routes all operational and relief pilots qualified to carry out handling sectors.
Recently a couple of experienced A380 SFO have moved RHS to LHS on first Commands, it’s the training that counts not only flying hours.