Originally Posted by
dr dre
Realistically it’d be far more than two years to command. There was an article about a JQ Pacific FO upgrading after about 5 years in the company and for Australian bases it’d be more.
But thats not too far off the minima in other parts of the world. I believe Ryanair are upgrading F/O’s after 3000hrs/3.5 years in company. This of course is cadets who were selected and trained for the role and were put on formal command preparation course for a few years prior to the upgrade. They’re flying more than 400 aircraft around a continent that is probably more challenging than this one and aren’t losing aircraft.
In the US some of their regional carriers using CRJ/E-Jets are currently upgrading FO’s after 1000 airline hours (after 1500hrs of mostly instructing) and just over a year in the airline. I’d argue that this isn’t as safe as a mentored Cadetship but they still aren’t losing aircraft.
With good selection and focused training, plus development of skills as an FO there’s no reason why a command upgrade can’t be done within 4-5 years, as other airlines have proved.
Your missing the point.
What is is happening here is we have C172 200 hours, 5 years back seat watching on the 787, then as little as 18 months A320 FO before the command course.
There isn’t a lot of stick time in there. Forget the long haul 787 back seat time. That’s 18-24 months of domestic slogging.
And its happening. Early 787 SOs are now on the Airbus right now. Some are claiming they are getting upgraded Christmas of next year.
Don’t be surprised to see no more than a few thousand hours of TOTAL time BETWEEN both up front in years to come. Commonly seen in Air Asia and Vietjet and Bamboo Airways.