Historically, we have had more captains than F/O's due to management duties, training etc. But as we do more long haul, which requires 2 F/O's to one captain on some flights as well as F/O's taking up some training duties i would expect that the balance will alter to being more F/O's than Captains. So i suspect 3200 is an optimistic number. I would work on at least 3600 pilots before a guy joining now would have a command. So work it out for yourself.
1800 pilots at say 400 a year (which i think is optimistic as well) it's going to be 4.5 years.
Having said that. Depending on whether they choose the 350 or 787, Boeing deliveries may well stop when the current order of 200 and 300ULR's is complete. I think that is in about 2 or 3 years. So if you are in the right seat of a Boeing if and when that happens you will be sitting around twiddling your thumbs waiting for the next big order before you will get your command.
Be very clear about the fact that seniority means nothing when it comes to command at EK. In fact seniority doesn't seem to have any real significance at all except for staff travel.
V
Last edited by Vorsicht; 2nd Jun 2007 at 16:13.