I think the earliest right time to be passing the last hurdle (IRT) and entering the job market will be about February 2003.
The rest of 2001 hiring is frozen solid.
It will take all of 2002 to soak up unemployed pilots, the glut of ex-cadets and the usual self sponsored students.
This assumes no further bad news.
If you pitch at Feb 2003 then your training would probably start a year before that for either the modular or integrated route. Perhaps 6 months earlier for distance learning ATPL theory, i.e. now.
Actual flying training should be completed in as near to a continuous block as possible. Funds allowing.
Good luck, personally I would do nothing more than start on the books for another 6 months. We are in uncharted waters and its far far preferable to be racing to enter a rapidly recovering market than be left holding a licence and ratings that need to be kept current whilst you slowly lose the flying skill that you expensively acquired but are unable to maintain in a totally stagnant market...
Cheers,
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