Normally I agree with most things you say J3 but he does have a point. Whilst manipulating an Airbus on Autopilot is not exactly rocket science it will take a fair few years to actually understand what mode you are in and what works best for the current situation. Guy's I know who have flown the bus for sometime still say it surprises them.
Perhaps, and several very experienced crew have met their end not realising what mode the autopilot was in... however...
I challenge J*
VB Aircrew to show how their job is harder than the RFDS... That's what I was referring to. Sliding down ILS's/RNAV's is a cinch compared to dropping into 1000m of dirt, dimly lit by portable power, off a blackhole approach at 3am, by yourself.
Where as a GA pilot you can have a vague idea about what regs are applicable and look them up if required, as an Airline Pilot you need to know it period.
That doesn't work for me at the moment, I would get my ar5e royally kicked, yet I'm still a GA 'failure' (Not your words GG, paraphrased from around PPRuNe).
I think it comes down to idealogies. Perhaps cadetships will be the way of the future, with a wax figure of a GA pilot in the museums 50 years from now. However, I do not think an airline charging for the cadetship is the right direction.
j3