Have enjoyed this thread and concur with most of it.
I passed my CPL almost 5 years ago. I was ready to take on the world and had my sights set firmly on the Kimberley. A couple of kids and a mortgage later I'm not flying but have a well-paid job in the industry and a significantly different perspective than 5 years ago.
I can honestly say that upon passing my CPL flight test in 09 (despite my excitement at the time) I would have been no where near the standard that operators like Mick pine for. I would've needed every one of the ICUS hours posted here before being able to fly safely and efficiently at the professional standard in the north that paying customers and employers alike deserve.
I pride myself on attitude and professionalism, which has got me to where I am now, albeit not flying. The simple fact is my flight training enabled me to pass my CPL flight test, nothing more nothing less. True, this won't extend to every flight school out there but I used a couple of the more reputable ones at the time and my experience was true for both of them. I learned nothing of proper engine management, no realistic commercial scenarios (other than "brief me, pretend I'm a passenger"), and I hate to say but the majority of the instructors I encountered wouldn't have cared or being able to teach me that anyway. Yes, it was incumbent on me to push for more knowledge, spend time with the engineers and make a lot better use of my solo time. But I didn't, and I still got over the line.
I know for a fact that there are students who make it their business to learn and get as much bang for their buck as they can. I take my hat off, the guys I think of are my age and skippering jets. Clearly, if I was starting my training now I would be twice as thorough as what I was then, even if the syllabus or at least the flight school never pushed it.
Occasionally when I'm at the airport I learnt at I'll notice the army of diploma students with their stripes and badges, taking selfies in front of their aircraft to no doubt post on social media. I wonder where the industry is headed, but at the same time for every 10 of these sort I bet there's at least a couple of mature heads in the hangar pestering the engineers for advice on running an engine properly, in anticipation of their first area solo.
Not sure exactly what my point has been and I've got nothing in the way of any solution, but in a perfect world I would've passed my CPL armed with the knowledge and standard ready to fly professionally. Sadly this wasn't true and I fear for an industry where 'qualified' people are potentially set loose on unsuspecting paying customers when they're no-where near ready. That is, until Mick gets hold of them
