Interesting that we keep hearing about 'inexperienced crews' and LOSA and yet the 767 (which is supposedly the most 'inexperienced' aircraft) faired the best out of the audit!! Not sure how that applies to Eastern's taking on cadets and so on but you get my drift.
Dutchy, I'd bet serious money that a former cadet on the 767 would be at an all round higher standard of skill (stick and rudder as well as 'management') than a similar cadet who have gone to the 744. More sectors on the aeroplane, no other S/O to 'share' it with, the fact that they do the complete sector (fuel order, the lot) as opposed to just 'fly the climb and the descent son' and then hand over at top of climb as was the case (and I understand still is with vast majority of skippers and F/Os) on the 744.
I reckon the 'experience' issue on the 744 is that to become a F/O on the thing direct from S/O means that you've done little or no flying for the last 8 years with the prospect of about one landing a week (or less) for the rest of your time on the thing. THAT makes for 'interesting' times further down the track. To become a Captain on the thing from F/O suggests that you've spent a considerable amount of time on it as a F/O only doing one landing a week.
Still, I'm not convinced yet that the proposed solution is the right one. Lots of ways to skin this particular cat and it appears that the most industrially sensitive method has been chosen!
It doesn't affect me in the short term and probably won't affect me in the long term but I watch with interest on how it plays out. The implicatoins of it are VERY 'interesting'.