Ryanair Command or go for a play around the world as an F/O?
 

Just wondering what the thoughts are, I have the hours for command now and am looking to start the process soon enough, I do want to go see some of the world for a bit as currently single with no kids and nothing tying me down at all

Do I get the command and a year in the left seat then look about or do I just say sod it and apply to a few places and have a play in the world for a bit before it all gets serious? where do I come back to after is my worry more than anything, not that I am based at home at the moment mind!

If I were you, I would grab a command, put some hours under the belt and then go to see the world. If you have the chance try to enter the contract world as a Captain. I have some collegues that left to see the world on their early twenties as F/O and then returned for the same company still as F/O while the rest of us get upgraded. My point is: do not expect an upgrade anytime soon out there. Anyway that's your decision. :ok:

Much more marketable with at least 1000 of command time. Then you can play as a first officer and or captain.

No command, then you are type casted as a firist office until you have the opportunity to upgrade.

As they say... don't put off til tomorrow what you should do today.

go for the $$, the upgrade that is.:cool:

Travel - you are only 33.

To be marketable for the contract world (ie the contracts worth doing) you need at least 2000 hours in command - thats a little bit longer in FR - can you hack it?

There is a wide world out there - if you stay in FR you will have a command and most likely still not live at home for the foreseeable. Yes command is good - but in FR .. tricky one. If you travel then who knows .. you only live once etc etc .. go for it.

Deal or No Deal ... The choice is yours ... :confused:

Take the command as a previous poster pointed out and go and put 1000 hours in a logbook from the left hand seat.

You just don't know when the next upgrade will come around.

Some of the companies you may contemplate working for on your world tour may be more comfortable to operate in from the LHS :ooh:

Until you've been a Captain you are just a First Officer. Companies much prefer proven command capability and it widens your options.

I got my command late last year and would advise you to go for it. You'll get to see a different part of Europe for sure ;0) and with the extra cash you can see as much of the world as you like! After a few years command experience you can look further afield and will have more options.

Just my opinion. Whatever you decide, best of luck!

Jockey,
with respect, you sound like a new upgrade who actually had little or no choice been sent where u were sent...and at the same time you are trying to make the best of a bad situation.... not a bad attitude at all, but without knowing your personal situation, doesnt sound like you have major committments back home, family kids schooling etc.

Try having a home somewhere, and without any concern for your welfare, once you pass the command course, PB and DR give you a list of three bases (if you are lucky), and you shipped off, Personally, i don't know why they bother asking where one would like to be based....its a scam

Yup, everyone free to their opinion, but command in this company aint all its cracked up to be, jumping ship could equally be a more sensible move, if anything you will gain more control.... the RYR roster WILL change to 5 / 3 and if it takes you 3 flights to get back home to see family, well whats the point ???? Also , assuming as Captain you will be expected to sign up to this 3 man company scam, jumping ship at least you know you are not involved in tax evasion...

HighLow

Many people dont realise the **** deal the BRK contract really is,
they want to earn a bit of cash fast..
so when u retire what happens???? believe me, better opportunities out there and if my circumstance was different, I'd had jumped ship along time ago. New Upgrades are selling themselves short with these muppets!!

Zero,

I am in exactly the same position as you but I've made the decision to jump ship!

I don't know how old you are but for me I'm hoping to have another 38years in this job and I'm sure another command will come around in that time! I would prefer to bide my time and get my command with a career airline in 7-9 years time, what's the rush?
As highlow said, the contract as a cpt you will be on will be 4/3 and for only marginally more money than the FO one (along with all of the extra responsibility and hassle!)!

Fortunately I have a base captain who I can talk to and he said that there would be no way I would get back into FR if I changed my mind mind in a couple of years! Keep in mind that the only way to get back would be by getting command in your chosen company and returning as a DEC!

So the choice is stick with the s**t you know (and the future stuff you don't know about!) or risk it somewhere else with the knowledge there's pretty much no turning back once the decision is made!

All the best!

Same situation
 

I would add my opinion:

when the market seems full of opportunities lots of people feels its safe to jump ship and i did so in 2008, before the crisis hit us, i have got a job in a nice career oriented operator and based in my home place, nice stable roster, long term possibilities, quick upgrade chances.
And at that time, PB was getting people back.

Guess what? crisis came around, no upgrade, company is letting people go and i am now since 2 years on the market and it is now the 3rd airline i change as a FO, always begging for something while other collegues are captains with old contracts in FR, no BRK.

I suggest 2 options: serious career airline like BA, Virgin, LH, AF or stick to FR, command and then go to play contractor as captain.

A captain today told me "do not rush to command if all u want is to leave and go play contractor, because i am now 50 and still beg around for some money and ticket home on days off, if you can find a career arline and relax there until your turn comes"

This is my 2 cents, i have been there, and it has bit me hard!

It may be worth passing up the command for a "career" airline that you really want to work for and will stay at long term. Otherwise take the upgrade, get 1500 - 2000 hours in the left seat and then look around.

One of the employment agencies told me "Contracting is for Captains". Some airlines will never upgrade expats and you may be replaced at any time by a local f/o straight from training, experienced skippers are much harder to replace.

Financially you will be on 50 - 100% more money which is considerable when multiplied by a number of years. Also some companies don't treat the f/os too well.

Also you are much more employable as you can work in either seat.

A serious global crisis may delay your opportunity for upgrade for years if you turn this down.

I think you guys are reading this all wrong, the guy is not looking to ditch FR for another job. He is looking to ditch FR and go backpacking around the world!!!!!

Grab the command and put in 2000 hours with FR. It will greatly improve your chances of moving to another airline on the left seat.

As said before. Either try to get into a legacy and wait 10 years for command or prepare for a life on the move.

No Brainer..!!!
 

Command....Command - and then Command...

Nothing else to add to previous poster's comments supporting this option.

Except:- Read John Milton's "Paradise Lost" -
Quote - "It is better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven" Unquote...

Just a thought..!!

Chheeers and good luck with the decision

Go for "quality of life" first and "standard of living" will follow - it doesn't work the other way round.

Command at FR....are you serious?!
 

Come on... you have been in the company 3/4 years now and you are wondering whether or not to take command. Listen to all those guys in the LHS b**tching and moaning about the company....do you want to be like that in 30 yrs time because you actually found it hard to leave once you were earning 90k (thats an FO's salary at BA after 10yrs!)

I am in exactly the same boat as you and I am not going to go for the command. Life in FR is great as an FO there is no doubt but as soon as you get that extra stripe your done for. Try moving on from FR in a few years down the line...you will be at the bottom of a seniority list and no doubt have to go back to being an FO and by that point your probably going to have more responsibilities mortgage/life/family/friends and at the point it becomes harder to leave.

if you are less than 30 jump ship now and you will have a good career with an airline that values you rather than s**ts on you. There are captains who have been in the company 10yrs plus get treated the same as a DEC with a month in the company. Do you really want that? Personally I want to be appreciated for the work i do and not become a glorified/underpaid bus driver.

At the end of the day its your decision and asking ppruners to make that decision for you isn't going to help. Look how many different mixed messages this thread has created.

Sit down and take some time to think what YOU want out of YOUR career.

U737

HighLow,

As you say you do not know my personal situation so no problem that you guessed incorrectly ;0). I do have a young family and it is gut wrenching to leave them after each period of days off, but for me I made the right decision for the medium/long term. For me, a long stint in the RHS of a legacy carrier was not possible and heading off to the sandpit did not appeal (good luck to those who are going btw), it is as always, horses for courses.

Cheers!
:ok:

Correct Studi, I couldn't agree more! :ok:

zerotohero,

My two cents: don't listen too much to the people encouraging you to go for a command. These are the same people who led you into this dead end street in the first place: low-cost airlines!

Grab the chance to join a quality airline, these chances don't pop up every day, as opposed to DEC contract jobs which are plentyful.

I frequently meet up with ex-EZY colleagues who are now trapped in the LHS; addicted to the money and unable to swallow their pride and take a pay cut to go to the RHS of a quality airline. It takes a lot of discipline to keep telling yourself that you're only staying for 1000 or 2000 hours in the LHS and then leave.

Most can't do it and end up stuck in the LHS and stuck in the merry-go-round of mediocre airlines with mediocre T&C's who take in DEC's until they decide to leave again for the next "less brown" pasture.