I like the idea of Colgans training program with a few exceptions.
1. It could potentially teach a candidate just barely enough to pass the sim check when any pilot with half a brain cell should be able to pass anyway hence letting in an unquallified applicant. smoke and mirrors
2. If there is no commitment what is stopping the prospects from getting the experience in the sim and sharpening their skills all the while getting a feel for the quirky sim characteristics and then applying to the regional of their choice with their newly aquired free skills.
And the Q400(sim) is great, I think people would have a good time flying it around. As for the 1000 hour mins, just like anything else it sounds great and I would love to see it happen but supply and demand will win. If Colgan can not fill the seats with 1000 hour guys they will try 800 hour guys and so on until we hit 500 or less. I of course would love to see applicants attracted with an industry leading payscale but no one asked my oppinion yet. It is not entirely true though regarding the hard 1000 hour mins because my sim partner had a little over half that and did better in training then I did, although most of his 500 hours are in a beechjet and KC-135 so I am sure that was a worthy exception.
As for being delayed with the plane, it doesnt really look like it, number one is painted and ready to go and I believe 2 and 3 are also all assembled. As for what Colgan needs to do once they get it to make it a revenue flying machine, I have no idea, that is not my department. I think that within +- 3 weeks most of the planes will be on time.
