PJ2,
Thankyou for your considered and non "sensationalist" response.
I now understand the meaning of the term "time in" in N America, thnx.
Practical, relevent "on the job" experience is the best training there is, with a Captain who imparts his knowledge to the new co pilot, and is capable of making up for the new pilots shortcomings until he is up to speed. The MPL system provides practical, direct training that is relevent to the current state of the art. Its an efficient effective starting point for an airline pilot. The rest will come with time, and whatever training system is in use, it was ever thus.... My point was that hundreds of hours instructing, flying NDB holds etc or floating around the skies of Florida hours building all in light aircraft is now quite unnecessary, as the experience and skills gained and taken forward are disproportionate to the time, expense, hard work and sheer aggro involved. Of course there will be people who will advocate that it is essential "experience" for a good airline pilot! They are entitled to their opinions. The ability to handle an abnormal or emergency situation in a jet comes from operating a jet, not a PA28 or whatever.
I mentioned the vested interests of flying schools purely because it is plain to see that in the shape of the MPL their livelihoods are threatened, so human nature being what it is, they will do their best to dump on the whole idea. I have my FAA and CAA licenses so now have no axe to grind, bar the fact that having been through the "system" (US flight schools/FAA were far superior btw) I can say that with the UK professional schools I got my license in spite of them, NOT because of them. I have no sympathy towards them should a good part of their income stream be cut off by MPL.
Lastly, i am envious of you if you flew the L1011. I was a maintenance engineer in my previous life and the Tristar was terrific.
P.S.....a small analogy for the MPL....my father was a professional flight engineer, and he would say the american second officer/system panel operators were the MPL's of their day....just pushing buttons and flicking switches in accordance with the procedures and QRH!!! No "real" understanding of the machine, but as that system demonstated over the years, it still worked.....There are many ways to skin a cat as the saying goes. MPL pilots in todays aircraft are no different.
All the best,
PJ.