Upgrade to B737CPT or switch to FO widebody
 

Hi guys. Recently I am dealing with a dilemma. I have Been accepted for a FO possition on a widebody in a different company (would have to move out of the country to the middle east). Ive been flying as a FO for almost 7 years literally giving Up hope for an upgrade so started looking for a different company. So there are rumours there could be a chance for an upgrade on the 737 this winter. My question is. Is it better to take the command on the 737 with my current employer or take a FO possition on a widebody. I have Also annopportunity to go for the sim session for RyanAir as they told me next year I could apply for command (Also 737).

First of all, ask yourself if you could really live in a place without trees. If you can, how long do you have to wait for your command upgrade at the ME operator? EK have their upgrade requirements public on their careers site. As for your current company, keep in mind that those are only rumours, while at Ryanair an upgrade is almost certain.

And most importantly, you don't get a chance to fly a widebody every day.

Yes it's the right decision - either way.

At some point in your life priorities will change, marriage/kids/school etc. You will wonder if you made the right call.

Later still, and with hindsight, it will be too late to change. Without the crystal ball, it’s very difficult to advise on what’s best for you.

Good luck!

If both are guaranteed, always go for the command. You never know when the opportunity will arise again.

Assuming your age is 33, as shown in your profile, and that you already have some siginificant time in type, it is bettee to go for the upgrade straight away. Even if the upgrade at Middle East was possible it would take some years to come, leaving you closer to being 40 than to 30 years old. Should anything happen that would prevent you from passing your command assesment (I don't know, perhaps a grade 3 in a recurrent in a certain airline in the gulf) would make you look like the typical old, high experienced, but unsuited for command FO that nobody wants to employ.

Go for the upgrade, either in your current outfit or at FR, your career will thank you when you push 40.

Disagree.

I know many TP (20t+) commanders who thought that. Now unemployed without a sniff of a job. I have a friend who has less than 2.5k total hours. 737/787/777 rated. He’s had job offers coming out of his ears from private jet to Boeing 737/767/747/787. Yes COVID was unique but having heavy time allowed him to apply to cargo operators.

A command is a command.

I would agree with you if he were flying a Turboprop.

But the 737 is a Jet.

I admit I don’t know any 737/a320 commanders out of work but FO 737 people from Norwegian etc the guys I know didn’t have as many job offers. Only 737 jobs.

I was always of the same mentality that command is command but the last 2 years I would say it’s a lot harder to decide.

Heavy time is Heavy time.

737 PIC time over heavy SIC time ANYTIME!
But your command seems to be only a rumour so far, so…

I’d suggest going for command as well. Going for WB F/O position will reduce your options and could get you stuck for years.

This is true. It doesn’t matter what you do. It depends on your own personal ambitions. If you want to be a widebody captain one day then there is only 1 way - you take the WB FO position. If you want to be a narrowbody captain for the rest of your life then take the command.

Been there done that.

Was in the same situation as you. Only for me the command course was scheduled and had a WB FO position offer in hand.

As someone mentioned, command is command.

Airlines in the ME will be forever hiring DECs and DEFOs.

And please don't chase metal; chase lifestyle. It's what you want as a routine. NB and WB are contrasting lifestyles. So is command vis a vis right seat.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Take the command, collect 1000h as PIC and then go to the WB if you want it. At least you have the backup to come back to Europe if you want directly as a captain on 737 instead of coming back looking for the command and waiting at least a year for the upgrade again on 737...

Personally i would say go for the command. However, with the prospects only being rumors i would be cautious. The rumor mill is always extremely unreliable and therefore not a good career advisor.

The second question is of course if you want do stay on a NB type or try the WB/longhaul lifestyle with all the associated insecurities that entails.


​​​As jadrolinija suggested, it might not be a bad idea to get a command ASAP, get the first 1000/1500 hours under your belt ans then check for other options.

TL;DR: try Ryanair.

737 size command is worth it, it's a career teleport.

Imagine you could replicate and do both - 7 years from now the command 737 you will be getting a DEC on the ME3 WB cutting the line in front of the WB F/O you.

Not to mention 7 years from now the 737 command you will be looking at m-o/m-o offers in Asia worth 20k USD net (today's value) feeling sorry for the jet lag dogs. Check some threads from before COVID home many full civil home days each month did EK T7 captains have. (pickup kids at 16:30, evening and dinner + local night + family breakfast and drive kids to school by 08:00).

Command... always command when it comes to 320 or 737.

Upgrade is the hard part. Once you are a Captain, you are. There is so many places that would take an outside captain over an internal upgrade.

Similar question to that often posed here twenty odd years ago to TP FO's...

737 FO or TP Captain?

If I recall most were saying take the 737 back then.