anyone here remember what a chandelle, turn about a point, or lazy 8 is?
I would really like to see a requirement that anyone checking out as a captain on an airliner demonstrate these in the real plane in real life.
I would wager that a 200 hour pilot who came up the hard way or the military way in the USA is probably on his way to being a good pilot. there is a remarkable heritage in general aviation or military flying in the USA.
I do recall reading that the first man on the moon first learned to fly in a piper cub and paid for it himself by working in a kind of menial job.
so edmundronald, yes I think a 200 hour pilot might be pretty good.
BUT
the guy who is a chosen one, who gets a free ride on some cadet program might not be as motivated to really ''sink his teeth'' into our profession.
There are few nations with the real flying bug...Canada might be another one with their ''bush'' pilots and anyone might care to watch the film,
"captain of the clouds" with james cagney for the flavor...I imagine Australia too.
in the USA it used to be that age 16 meant a car...age 16 meant a car to me and then I could drive it to the airport...and I worked my butt off at minimum wage to pay for lessons, and to pay for gas for the car.