So, Pace; standards/qualifications slip because it is inconvenient to maintain them? Or are we now on the era of, "well it hasn't caused any problems, yet, so it must be OK." Is that true? If so, what about knocking another 1 years experience off the threshold? Let's increase the MPA training to include numerous LOFT exercises of common known problem scenarios; then, after a couple of OPC's & LPC's of average + you are ready to leap across and allow the non-stop expansion of LoCo airlines. Captains can be manufactured in an enhanced training system? The level of automation is increasing very fast; the improvement of ATC & airfield infrastructure is rapid. There will be airlines whose network is only between large radar ILS/RNAV served airfields. Punch the numbers in an i-pad, load the FMC, point the shiny tube down the runway, reach a number and haul back, gear up CMD ON, and sit back until autoland at the other end. It really could be microsoft-sim comes to reality. Money will talk.
Glad my days are over and I'll be grounded as a pax before this happens. Never say never in this game.