@RVRRVR.....I am, as always, amazed to read from candidates who haven't even passed the entrance test yet questioning about the time to command. I must be from a different generation.......
True! It must be the current "buy-a-type-rating-with-any-low-cost-airline-and-get-a-command-in-just-3-years" generation.
I can understand that time to command is important to every pilot, but let's be honest, it should
never be a principal reason for joining a company. The pricipal reasons should be; doing something you like, in a pleasant environment, that allows you to lead the lifestyle that best suits you.
Currently it can can indeed take a long time to command for new joiners, however as all old-timers can confirm, things can improve or deteriorate very quickly in the aviation industry.
Hypothetically speaking, if CLX goes bankrupt tomorrow then time to command goes to infinity, if there's a double dip recession time to command could increase to 40 years, yet if a major competitor goes bankrupt or CLX expands into a new market then time to command might be cut to +/- 5 years. Just pick a number and you can create a "time to command" scenario for it.
All in all, this whole "time to command" is just a snapshot in time, it's the way things are right
now, so don't waste too much time on it as nobody can see 5-10-20 years into the future.
Instead, focus on more
fundamental things like whether long haul freight flying is something you want to do, or do you want any job that gives you 4 stripes as soon as possible.
