The original thread was about airlines that allow pilots to pay to fly, perhaps an attempt to " name and shame", however,now it's drifted into the normal "safety compromised" by these guys paying to sit in the RHS or LHS (AKA Command programs).
Perhaps we should consider some facts:
1) Not all PTF are low hours, many are very high hours and have age related problems with getting mainstream jobs, these guys are usually financially sound and can afford without any pressure to try and lift their career.
2) As a trainer I can tell you many ex military guys take much longer to adapt and their ability to "step in" is often much much lower than the average guy straight from flying school with no hours..part culture of not wanting to criticise the Captain, part inability to forget old embedded procedures. Often highly technically competent and knowledgeable but lacking in basic procedures. Over 50% of our " events" arise from these guys and their instinct to revert to "basic modes" rather than use the automatics, VNAV etc etc.
3) Recent risk studies show clearly, pilots with less than 300 hrs fall into the same operational risk category as those with over 10,000hrs, one group no idea, the other group too complacent.
4) In our company, of the last 4 intakes, each of approx 50 pilots, 95% of the guys with less than 200 hrs completed the line training with no problems within the allotted 40 sectors, 50% of the guys with over 1000 hrs took an additional 10 sectors and 30% of the guys with more than 4000 hrs took an additional 20 sectors.
5) Our internal safety risk reporting system shows 80% of all events occur with high hours FOs close to command upgrade (overconfident) and less than 3% occur with new FOs within 2 years of joining.
Real airline experience always prevails over GA flying, all tho stick and rudder nonsense teaches nothing about high altitude manoeuvring or high energy management. There is a world of difference between " decision making" in a C172 that can land on a cabbage patch and a medium airliner.
PTF is a regrettable development extension from the SSTR, but to a degree forums like this promoted it by preaching a SSTR " without hours on type is useless" . The SSTR is here to stay and PTF is gradually dying a natural death due to line training capacity. A quick look at the jobs forums shows many many instructor positions advertised with airlines associated with this system, so who's the real villain?
