Originally Posted by
CAPTAIN WOOBLAH
A qualified pilot in my humble opinion is one with at least 1500 hours on jets in excess of 50,000kg. Therefore a pilot directly out of flying school is a long way from being qualified!
Just as well it's your own humble opinion as I know many ATR72 and Fokker 50 captains with more 10,000 hours who would frown at the suggestion that they're not 'qualified pilots".
But I agree with you that a pilot fresh from flying school who has just received their CPL/IRs with nothing more than the 250 hours they flew on piston engine aircraft can't be considered as qualified air transport category pilots. Infact, some airlines would not even consider you as qualified until you have passed your line check on a passenger transport category aircraft.
Originally Posted by
CAPTAIN WOOBLAH
Secondly, with all these unemployed second officers running around looking for a job. I am willing to bet we will see them working for free and paying to fly. It is precisely at this moment when there is a large surplus of bright eyed young freshies out of school chasing their dreams, that the employers take full advantage of their situation and squeeze them with the worst possible terms and conditions. I have seen this happen all over the world with saddening repetition.
I wonder what will happen here??
Wooblah.
This is already happening Capt Wooblah. About 90% of Malaysian pilots flying in Indonesia for Sriwijaya Air, Lion Air and Wings Air and others paid for the privilege to do so.
I heard they paid something like USD $30,000 for a 737 type rating, line training and a job.
