Peteroja:
You clearly have some insight into FAA/US flying but have missed the point regards what is happening in Europe who have far more experience than USA when it comes to hiring low houred pilots straight into RHS of an A320 after under 250h.
Suggest you read PPRUNE threads about the approved cadet schemes, Flexi Crew working conditions and Pay to Fly passengers (to get line hours on type) all of which have happened on UK airlines over the past 3 years.
Removing politics and heresay about the accidents mentioned will clarify the real causes:
Colgan: Stall/Spin accident - FTLs/Fatigue whilst contributory were not outside FAA legal rest minimums. The Q400 was not unflyable due to icing. It was pilot induced error and poor training with little experience - the Captain had failed previous flight tests and had low hours (around 600 total) on joining the airline The FO had 6 h of Instrument flying (all in nice conditions), no ice experience (all her previous flying was in dry Western USA), she did not monitor the aircrafts attitude or speed on approach and actually worsened the stall by retracting flaps (undemanded) whilst the captain was increasing angle of attack with aft control column and adding power (both actions made stall worse).
"The airplanes we fly today is very electronic, and you manage the flight deck, 20 some years ago when I started you actually had now how to fly. (Just kidding, well almost)"
Yes and no. This is rather out of date thinking in the light of so many recent accidents. Automation 20 years ago was hailed as the best thing since sliced bread. Pilots were told it could fly much better than they could.
Airbus Test pilots actually said Line pilots needed more training to understand the systems and Airbus logic. However, Airbus sales departments sold the aircraft as easier to fly with so many protections that airlines could cut the cost of pilot type ratings. The result was less training and more reliance on automation.
It is now recognised that pilots need to be more than FMS managers. They need to be able to fly again. For the past 11 years, Loss of Control is the biggest killer in Western Jet Airliner accidents.
This is why the European model of approved flight training/low houred cadet model is being questioned. 10 years ago it was CRM and SOPs and so the MPL was promoted in line with your statement about being autopilot managers, but the accidents are showing how under experienced pilots are even with 3000h Boeing/Airbus time because many don't know how to recover from an automation induced stall.
I hope the FAA don't adopt MPL in the USA as it currently stands. 70h actual flying and less solo time than a Private Pilot's Certificate means an over reliance on Simulators that are not aerodynamically close to real aircraft and lower student confidence in their raw data flying ability.
Sure there is a place for approved/cadet type schemes as long as there is full mentoring by airlines and real hands on flying, including upset recovery technique that should be practiced annually (for experienced Line pilots as well).
Lufthansa's cadet scheme works because they front up the costs and it includes flying a Citation long before flying the heavier aircraft on the line. The schools that sell MPL are very variable in what they offer self sponsored students.
It's not about bashing cadets - its' about challenging the schools and airlines who don't teach them enough. It should not be about bashing Flying Instructors either - after all who on earth taught you to fly? Who instilled in you a sense of airmanship? Who sent you first solo?
I would prefer to send my family up with the person who has given Quality flight instruction. I seriously doubt the CFI with 1500h would have spent it just doing pattern work - but at least such a person could land an aircraft!
Good CFI's have taken responsibility by sending their students solo, operated for over a year in Class C airspace, and (in the EU at least) operated in all weathers, taught how to recover from stalls and spins, practiced engine out forced landings, flapless approaches, short and soft field landings and navigated both night and day and in IFR even if that was mostly in a C172 than the current MPL any day!