Skywest Part 135 operationis

[N1EPR]

SkyWest has requested approval to operate the BRJ 200 with 30 seats under Part 135. This would reduce the hours needed to be a copilot on these operations from1500 hours to where?? 250? 500? 750?

Has anyone else tried to remove seats to get down to 135 standards??

[340drvr]

Yes, SIC for Part 135 requires instrument rated commercial certificate (multi-engine as well, in this case), so presumably as little as 250 hours. That could be a 500 hr minimum under certain cases.
I recall when the "new" ATP-1500 hour rules started, Great Lakes reduced seating on their BE1900s so they could operate Part 135, using low-time co-pilots, I don't remember the exact rules that allowed this.