What are we/they looking for?
- Hours or SKILL?
- - or perhaps the indication that one has potential to develop skill?
Isn't it that USUALLY hours/experience = skill? Yes, there are some gifted flyers but there's more to working as a pilot than just having the skills to fly a plane and maintaining accuracy of needles.
Meaning the ability to remain calm and working under pressure. Ability to work as an effective team player and lead a team. Ability to think way ahead and multi-task. Ability to get along with people from different cultures and backgrounds... try being stuck in a cockpit for more than two hours with a person who can't hold a basic convo or someone who can't handle criticism. Some people are born with these skills, others develop these skills by gaining experience but some obviously don't care or get the chance.
From my experience, you pick guys that have good skills with some experience and know how to get along with each other and the management. Smooth sailing from there. But obviously HR see it differently.