View Full Version : Direct upgrade from short haul FO to long haul CPT?
Denti
13th Oct 2016, 12:09
Out of interest, is there any airline where that is (even if only in theory) possible? Remaining on short haul aircraft as an FO, for whatever reason, until an upgrade slot on a long haul aircraft opens up.
7Q Off
13th Oct 2016, 12:29
Yes, in my airline upgrades slots are based on seniority. You can be a SH FO until a LH Cpt slot is available. It never happen but some guys waited as LH FO a slot to be LH capt.
In the old days some guys even went from SH capt to LH FO just for quality of life and waited there a couple years their LH cpt slot, then just change seat.
wiggy
13th Oct 2016, 12:34
Yes it's possible on paper where I work( done on seniority in company to actually progress to attempt the upgrade and the type change) but never heard of it actually being done, certainly not in recent years.
rogerg
13th Oct 2016, 15:59
It was done a few times in BCAL. 1-11 FO to DC10 Capt.
at Lufthansa not possible.
Short FO
long fo
Short cpt
Long cpt
Is the only allowed. But you can skip long haul FO.
Except you go for 777/md11 Cargo. There you can become.new captain.
Denti
14th Oct 2016, 07:17
So even in LH you can go from, lets say, A320 FO to MD11 captain?
Anyway, thanks for all the answers. It is not that i am of the opinion that it is especially good to do that step, just for the sake of an argument where quite often the answer is that no airline allows that.
lederhosen
14th Oct 2016, 11:35
It would obviously be a more difficult upgrade as you would be operating at least half the time to airports and through airspaces with which you are less familiar. I seem to remember Virgin had an issue with Airbus co-pilots upgrading to 747 skipper, which may have been caused by other issues. But I think the point is that anything that increases training risk on first upgrade is best avoided. Lots of people got their first command on a mixed fleet type e.g. 757/767. But most airlines seem to want you to do at least a year short haul before going further afield.
seaduck
19th Oct 2016, 00:30
No, not possible at Lufthansa.
Upgrading at Lufthansa Cargo requires 1000h long haul flying.
The only thing that has happened and can happen:
short haul FO
short haul Capt
long haul Capt
Within Condor which no longer belongs to Lufthansa,
an A320 FO can upgrade on B757/767.
BUT you will fly B757 for one year short haul and the get the B767.