Stilton:
Point is, it's irrelevant and provides no advantage in the real world. The Pilots of AF447 had JAA licences, where did that get them ?
The 2 pilots on commands have been hired at 200 hours, cadet scheme or the like.
After their CPL they had nothing else but Airbus experience (so no manual, no stall experience, even in the sim).
The FAA is 100% right.
Coming right at 200 hours in an airliner will make you miss all the basic training you'd get as an instructor, then charter/GA... pilot.
The Calgan 3407 crash was a wake up call for the FAA.
I hope the AF 447 could wake up the JAA.