BdD
Thanks for a very good explanation... Reading it, I was going to ask which airline it was, but it became very apparent!
In "Big", the 3rd stripe is effectively tied to time on the company. An ATPL is required, but after 4 years, you should have one... Therefore the supporters of the "quick" 3rd stripe were only after the "status", which seems trivial to me... and I couldn't work out where you were coming from.
These elements sound barking:
<<Also, in my company, Senior F/Os are able to board the a/c without a Captain present. I have, on several occasions, been unable to board the a/c when the Captain's not been there because of this restriction, which has subsequently delayed the flight>>
<<I have been with the company for nearly 7 years now, and still wear 2 stripes>>
<<iii) Successful completion of a command assessment course>>
The general theme of the thread is that SFO is achieved when you would be eligible for << a command assessment course>>...
<<Additionally, and more importantly, 2-stripe F/Os are not allowed to land the a/c in full crosswind limits - they are restricted to 2/3rds of the full limits. This has caused several problems in the past when a Captain, who has just converted onto type, is then faced with landing in full crosswind limits at somewhere unpleasant (e.g. BHD) while the F/O, who has been on type for years, has to sit there and watch. Surely, you'd want the more experienced guy to be landing in such circumstances?? I know I would.>>
An interesting one... In "Big" you only stop being 2/3 limited once on the Command Course. Whilst I take your point about the "more experienced pilot" with a "new Captain", it makes it a difficult issue where a Captain is responsible for the aircraft??
Good luck with your endeavours!
NoD