In a recent “beta test” conducted by the Boeing Training organization, Alteon, in Australia, ab initio pilots were trained using MPL and the average student completing the course completed with between 380 and 450 hours of training – note training – of which only about 50 – 60 hours were in an airplane. When placed in the cockpits of airliners, a good share of Captains had rather high praise for the education, knowledge, attitude, and willingness to learn demonstrated by these recent graduates … but the interesting part is that the competence of these graduates was universally noted as being quite acceptable. I would still have a lot of questions about the differences between the posited number (240 – 250 hours) and the reality (380 – 450 hours) as well as the training continuity and what, if any, other licenses were issued. But the fact remains that the first such “beta test” seems to show promising results.
This would be, in my mind, fine if the pilots were going to work for the Lufthansa’s and KLMs of the world.
But what about throwing them into a shoestring operation whose senior Captains have, at best, 3 sets of seasons under their belts (and often less)? And after two years will these pilots be Captain material?
The quality of the operation, its leadership and its cadre of Captains has to be considered first before looking at what makes a suitable FO. The Colgans of the world are not Lufthansa, something that I suspect the bean squeezing MBAs in headquarters might be proud of.