Originally Posted by
Tyler Brisbon
Historically, for many, 20 years or so to upgrade was typical. Took me 17 years to get to the left seat of the MD88.
Given the current state of the world I'd be surprised to see the kind of movement of the last few years.
When I got hired, it was 5 years to the left seat.
I never saw 17 year upgrades. The old gouge was always 12 years to CA and 20 to widebody CA. If you waited until 17 years it likely was to get the base and seniority level you desired. There were some slow periods such as when the 96 contract pulled 350 CA positions from pilots about to upgrade and sent them to junior pilots and what happened after 911.