While I sympathise with the individual to whom this thread is related, I also can't help thinking that people are missing the point of the intitial training.
what does ATP stand for again?
Airline Transport Pilot. I think alot of todays courses are much changed from those of even 10 years ago. The focus has shifted from those single pilot ops to those of multi pilots ops. No more so than the MPL offered at OAA. Now I'm not saying this is better or a good thing. I'm mreely saying that people are being trained in a different way for a different goal and not necessarily being trained to fly turboprops. I for one have gone through selection for the ATPL, along with Selection for the Airline with which I was a Cadet. Granted, these weren't the most thorough tests I ahve caried out in aviation, but it's a lot tougher than just paying the money for your hours. OAA have the integrated APP which is another step along the evolution ladder (so do many other FTO's). Surely the CAA's purpose is to enforce standards to all test and therefore give everyone in the industry the same basic level of skill on completing an examination. Be that CPL, IR or TR. I think today's courses are geared to making FO's and not single pilot operation students.
The Airline that accepted me stated quite openly, that OAA produced FO's and FTE (for example) produced good CPL students. This in itself speaks volumes. I paid the money for the licence to be an FO not to fly twin piston aircraft. Therefore I wanted to come out the other end of th sausage factory as close to an FO as possible. I don't necessarily believe that thousands of hours in turbines/turbo props would be the better way to go. Don't get me wrong, my hands on flying skills would undoubtedly be better but would my mindset be correct?
I know my comments will be taken as arrogance or lack of experience but I'm not 18 and I'm not new to the aviation industry, however I am new to the right hand seat and new to an airline.
I think we all need to understand that there is not one easy way to get to the end result. If there was, then everyone would be doing it and we'd all be pperfect and there would be no need for PPRUNE !!!
I think the issues raised by the AAIB and the company in question have been identified and the reent summers occurances with cadets has proved this. No longer is being chopped a thing that never happens. One cadet from each fleet was removed from training on or before the line check.