“When a SSTR pilot, with minimal experience and who may or may not be paying for his/her line training is faced with an incapacitated captain, lets hope the inevitable doesn’t happen” I’m afraid this might be one of the most stupid points I have ever seen made.
Why on EARTH would someone who’s self-funded a TR be any less able to cope under the pressures of an incapacitated captain than someone who’s been given/ bonded a TR? Does the fact that someone who is willing to SSTR somehow make them severely dyslexic? The amount of effort, dedication and determination required to SS a TR is exactly what makes up the kind of person I want sitting at the front 100 tons of metal. A decrepit old captain about to suffer incapacitation isn’t. Just to get on an SSTR you have to go thru the same selection as you would with most airlines, even harder if you go thru the likes of CTC etc. I know loads of pilots who got in with airlines that paid/bonded their TRs because of who they knew, the only selection being an interview. I also know of loads of pilots who got on SSTRs but first had to do rigorous aptitude tests, math tests, aircraft tech tests, group exercises and then finally a sim check before starting the rating and handing over £24k.
If anyone could simply “buy” a TR then I could see your point.