Used to be that you had to do one year in the delta and have 1000hrs before you could go on the van for insurance requirements.
In saying that, I was 9 months before I went on due to pilots leaving for other positions.
That's where the delta experience comes from. Even before you were let loose on your own in a C206, you were right seat for a bit, and then left seat under supervision.
As for the direct entry captain for the van, I suspect that it was more of an exception to the rule rather than a new norm.
Only reason it would have happened was that there was no suitable captains ready for upgrade at this point in time and needed the spot filled ASAP.