dolittle, hornet - at least someone can throw a bit of perspective at this endlessly debated topic. Having seen the thread earlier today I had resolved to post something similar and returned only to see my thunder had well and truly been stolen.
Not that I'm a cadet fan, I just can't stand an argument based in emotion or arbitrary figures/standards. Show me a pilot that bends his plane for lack of knowledge or flying ability and I'll happily take a number to say he shouldn't have had the job - cadet or otherwise. There's enough posts in this site from (purportedly) experienced airline captains saying they've flown with high standard cadet FO/SOs to throw any other arguments on the quality/safety front out the door.
I harken back to a post from our good friend Keg some time ago reminding us that there are heaps of military pilots getting around who've never flown a piston and only have a few hundred hours but somehow manage (soon) to be able to handle A330, B737, C17, C130 etc into uncontrolled poorly prepared strips - perhaps with an AD threat.
All that without reaching the magic 2013th hour when you get issued your command ability and situational awareness, yet relatively few RAAF bashing posts get around the site.
Good luck to the cadets waiting for a job - I trust the hard work you'll have to put in to be a competent and safe turbine RPT pilot will be well rewarded. All the same to any GA pilots waiting for that magic phone call.
Can we now put a final end to the subject of whether or not these guys should be allowed the privilege of an airline job so these threads can stick to responses that might actually give the thread starter the information they were seeking???