Originally Posted by
DanielW
Anyone know where the 1,500 hours number comes from?
I know the Air Colgan crash spurred the recent reform/rules, but both pilots experience was not a factor, from straight hours anyway (
Pilot had 3,200 & Co-pilot had 2,200 hours).
1500 hours is the minimum amount of time a pilot needs to have to earn a ATP (airline transport pilot) certificate. All captains are required to have this rating. Copilot did not need a ATP to pilot until this new regulation. Now copilots are required to have the same hour requirement as captains to fly for a 121 airline. Problem is, its very hard to fill the gap in hours from earning your commercial certificate at 250 hours to 1500 hours. Flight instructing is the most common way to build time. In the past decade it wasn't uncommon to get hired with 500+ hours at an airline. We are the only country in the world that requires this high amount of time to fly for an airline. Congress will need to amend this law or the mainline carriers will need to pick up a lot of this flying to fill in the gap at the regional level.
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_polic.../2120-AJ67.pdf