but I suspect cadetships these days are done more to a min standard than aiming to exceed that standard.
Oh I agree. If you're going to do a proper Cadetship to a high level, it isn't just a basic 150hr CPL course. Having a look at some of the European cadet programs include that additional training like courses that last 30 months, high use of full motion simulators throughout training, doing IR in a 10 seat twin turbine, more in depth theory exams and doing actual base training in a real jet. That's what any proper program should be comprised of.
That's a very different thing though to suggesting I was as capable as the ex regional F/O or Captain.
No, sorry if I misled you, I don't believe a 200hr cadet is at the same level as an experienced regional turboprop pilot when going into a jet. I was comparing a 1500hr pilot who'd flown single pilot ops only vs a well trained cadet entering at the regional turboprop level. I'm basing my theory on an ATSB study I saw a little while back on experienced pilots vs cadets, and a quote from a manager at Rex published in a magazine article who stated that they see higher performance from the cadets over more experienced recruits after about a year or two of line flying. And some comments I've received from experienced captains who did plenty of flying in GA prior to airlines.
Now as to whether a cadet is similar in standard to a high houred pilot at the jet level? I'm not completely sure, I'll point to the European cadet programs that successfully put ab initio cadets into the right hand seat of jets, albeit after having completed much more training than the standard 150hr CPL. They are obviously on the correct path. Are the standards seen here in Australia as well? I don't have any info on that one way or the other.