Return of Service / Bond / Command opportunities
James-
If you are planning a career in civil aviation based upon gaining a place on the BA FPP programme, serving 7 years in order to pay back the loan and then leaving in order to seek a faster track to command, I would advise you to look elsewhere now and leave a coveted place available to someone more committed.
BA are not seeking 7 year co-pilots, they are recruiting their future captains and senior flight operations management, and this valuable opportunity should be viewed with that knowledge. In my experience of over 35 years very, very few pilots ever resigned from BA for the reason you suggest.
Regarding time to command, BA themselves would love to know the answer to that question. A previous Flight Operations Director took 17 years and I was a co-pilot for 15 years; the shortest time I know of was 5 years from ab-initio cadet to the left hand seat of a 737 - but that was back in the 1990s.
With the current flexible extension to compulsory retirement age above 55, no one - not even the pilot - can predict when they might like to 'call it a day'. In these circumstances planning future command courses, in order to satisfy crewing requirements, really does need the proverbial crystal ball.
This course is one for those with a totally professional commitment to a long term career with a world leading legacy carrier - if that is not what you want, please allow someone else the chance of a lifetime. Many successful candidates have waited over 10 years for this very opportunity.
If I have misinterpreted your intentions, I apologise and wish you good luck in the selection process.
Last edited by FullTanks; 16th Jan 2013 at 22:11.