Expert Opinion
AINsight: The 1,500-hour Rule is Ridiculous
Getting new pilots to the 1,500-hour threshold so they can fly for airlines is not the best way to develop future flight crew.
Mesa is buying a fleet of Pipistrel Alpha's to help pilot candidates accrue time. (Photo: Pipistrel)
Mesa is buying a fleet of Pipistrel Alpha's to help pilot candidates accrue time. (Photo: Pipistrel)

Mesa Airlines is buying a fleet of two-seat Pipistrel Alpha light sport aircraft to help career pilot candidates log hours toward the FAA’s minimum 1,500-hour requirement for airline operations. That’s great news for Textron, which bought Pipistrel in August; the Alpha is a fun airplane, relatively inexpensive to operate, and fairly modern, as light airplanes go.

But the idea that future airline pilots will gain the necessary experience by flying around in the Alpha with another pilot to keep per-pilot costs down is ridiculous.

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Matt Thurber
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