Mr Q
In both answer to and in amplification of Yeager's comments, we have perhaps one of the worst training systems in aviation. Some would say that it's the training staff's fault but apart from the usual minority of dinosaurs and God Complex sufferers, I find most of the trainers helpful and proactive.
The problem lies in the lack of real recurrent training, especially for DEFOs. One is hired on the ability to get on and self study in order to pass through the various hoops. As a result, our command course is at least 10 weeks long because it's the first time that one has had intensive training and the company has had a chance to really assess your abilities. Even then, some say it's more of a "supervised experience" course where little training is given and the candidate is deemed suitable if he or she hasn't made a major mistake in the past 20 sectors. However, that's a little negative and my friends who have recently moved into the left seat are surprisingly positive about their experiences.
Our training consists of 2 simulators each year which are essentially canned exercises that you study in your own time. Couple that with being relief qualified (deputy captain) on a base outside HK and you will be regularly butting up against the requirement to average a sector per month. This truly isn't flying.
The Box