Will command time on Military transport ac reduce your time to command with Virgin? Is there a general policy on this in the Civ world? I have an option coming up and need to make a decision!
No command time on any aircraft for any operator will reduce your time to command in Virgin, or any other reputable and established airline. You have no right to a command ahead of those who joined before you, all of whose qualifications are by definition acceptable to the airline for command at the appropriate time. In other words, and as I have 15 years command, and 10 years training, experience from my military years (mostly on C130s), and am still a First Officer after 6 years at Virgin, you can bloody well wait your turn!
You might want to ask Scroggs about Standby Duties, because if your commuting then you might have to think about where you will do them, and you might have to pay for B+B etc.
Standby in Virgin is now done a month at a time. It is possible, through negotiation with crewing, to arrange at least some of the month's programme in advance, so minimising the need to hang around in B&Bs or hotels. However, it is possible (though unlikely) that you could spend your standby month on the ground, so you must have accommodation available. We do not do airport standby in Virgin.