You can be fully qualified to fly an A320 (or whatever aircraft the school is dealing with) within 12 months - and basically walk straight into an airline that is recruiting for that certain type.
Just an opinion, but I think it may be a while before heads of recruiting are convinced - in the UK at least.
And even then you will probably be the third choice after integrated and modular.
is no longer necessary or Relevant to build 1500 hours in a cessna flying by yourself
Probably not - but I think that 100 hours or so of making command decisions about weather, diverting etc are very relevant. Presumably you eventually want to be a Captain and unless there is a major shift in CRM/operating procedures within the airlines then a Captains job will suddenly include your entire training because initially you will probably be treated as an extension of his arms (ie he will just be flying the aircraft through you). At the moment my sector is my sector from planning, briefing, fuel decisions etc etc they only time the Skipper would interfere is if he thinks that I am doing something dangerous
From myself on another thread - can't be bothered to re-type
The 'need' to have light aircraft experience before going on to the jets has been debated many times but among other arguments I can see two very good reasons:
1) You learn how an aeroplane works. You can see the ailerons working, feel the buffet and then drop out of the sky as you stall (in a controlled manner having done all the appropriate checks). You can see the effects of wind on a cross wind landing as you fly is smoothly all the way on to the runway. The feedback through the controls of a big machine is usually artificial and you can be somewhat detached from it - to land many still do it by numbers (ie 30ft slam the throttles closed and flare the nose up 2.2 degrees. +/- 10 feet depending on weight). They do know why though and have a chance of conpensationg if conditions suddenly change (huge gust of cross wind). If you have never flown anything light where even small gusts make you think you have nowhere to refer to in that split second (as you freeze up totally wondering what is happening, the sim didn't do that!)
2) In a big machine you are second in command. If your hypertensive skipper drops dead of a heart attack in the Heathrow TMA and you have 0 hours on real aeroplanes, and 0 hours in command of anything all the sim time in the world can't replicate how alone you will feel the very first time you have to take charge in a stressful situation. Back in the Cessna you will have got lost/hit unexpected weather possibly faced a technical failure and had to 'take charge' make decisions and save the day. A lot of people underestimate how much difference these small 'emergencies' (for the want of a better word) boost both your confidence and ability to aviate under stress. When/if you plough it into the ground in the sim you know you will find yourself back at 3000 ft trying it again 2 mins later. You can't replicate the stress of a 'real' emergency in the sim.
It is a much cheaper route - but the airlines aren't putting up the cash - so they won't really care about that. And twelve whole take-offs and landings! If you didn't alternate sectors in the airline that can be done in 1 and a half days work. Given that is the time for potential mishaps in even relatively benign conditions - would you let a surgeon perform 'routine' open heart surgery on you (doing the same thing a consultant does after 10 years or so experience) one and a half days after coming out of med school whilst simply being watched by someone else?
I'm sure there are many posts on this subject with many arguements for and against - I just know that I wouldn't want to be the first one applying for a job with a licence the airlines have no experience with (or any specific interest in - what happens when you want to move to the left hand seat. Do they then have to pay for your full training, do they give you a sabbatical while you do it or do they employ someone that they can just give a command course to and let them loose with minimal disruption to their crewing figures?)
It may be the way ahead in the future, but I wouldn't go down that path yet myself.