Gold7x7 - the post seems to make some sweeping assumptions in dismissing GA experience our of hand to justify the end goal of the training organisations. I can see the point though, there is a yawning gulf in technical requirements, mindset and procedure between light GA flying and jet airline operations. Perhaps it is better for the airlines to just simply clone the pilots they need....
they often make radical operational decisions on the fly to cater for changing circumstances – without published ‘guidelines’
Like on when your #2 engine throws a turbine disk through your wing severing controls? Or when having to land on the Hudson river? I don't think its fair to simply dismiss experience, however gained, as irrelevant because it was gained outside the control of an airline training organisation. Maybe it does create a more relaxed mindset - but is that offset by the grinding in of flying fundamentals over so many years? I don't know I am not there yet in flying. All I can say is that in my line of work, experience counts because it means seeing what you are not trained for, having to think beyond the documentation you are given.
Isn’t it better to recruit and train potential airline pilots before the industry does irreparable damage to their otherwise innocent and uncorrupted psyche?
Devil's advocate here - this also applies to their experience of industrial relations, not to mention the fact bringing in an untrained person means they have a lower starting base salary. This effectively reduces overall salary capacity in the long term. From my experience in the corporate world (outside aviation) I suspect this has as much to do with it as the training aspects. I know it happened to me in IT, starting on a low base was good enough for me, but I was paid 40-50% lower than the other guys in the team, despite doing the same work as well as excelling in my reviews. They had me from the get go, so small bumps were all I knew.
Maybe in the long term this is a good thing. Perhaps not having this golden end zone of airline flying might reduce the churn in GA and make the industry more healthy as people stay flying instead of trying to climb the ladder. Or maybe it will just starve the GA sector of work completely as the pool of prospective pilots dries up.