Captain Upgrade
 

How achievable is it to upgrade to captain within 2 years?

given the fluctuation in bases that do the most flying and factoring in a 4 month window after being awarded base of choice, it seems difficult to situate yourself advantageously. Several months ago EWR was considered a base with low opportunity however now its top of the list. I think bidding for home base or base with ease of commute seems like the path of choice.

If upgrade needs to be made by 2 yrs is it fair to say 1000 hours needs to be met within 21 months? That gives 3 months for whatever the process is to transition from sic to captain. Making target monthly flying hours 45-50 hrs.

understood upgrading isn’t required but it would be very nice.

Not an issue unless you desire to be based in LGA or BOS.

is this due to staffing? Captain to SIC ratio? if it is, would any new hire even get assigned (even if he/she bids for it) to either LGA or BOS?

Yes, it is a staffing imbalance. Any base is possible, it all comes down to what's available and who moves where. Example: Let's say an FO in BOS leaves, creating a vacancy, and the only FO that puts in a bid for BOS is a new-hire still in training. It is possible the new-hire would be awarded BOS right out of the gate (assuming the company did not override it, and refuse to honor it). It's all a numbers game played with timing & seniority.

See this thread that I have been updating over the past few months. It might answer some of your questions.
Domiciles availability based on Seniority - Page 4 - Airline Pilot Central Forums (airlinepilotforums.com)

Achievable, yes. However, it seems hard to do right now. Most FOs I've talked to on reserve aren't flying much, or at least enough to get the 1000 hours in 2 years. I upgraded in 18 months, but I never sat reserve as an FO.

95% of my class has a line, so 75 hours a month. So that's a little over a year to upgrade.

One person just transferred out of LGA and obviously none of us was in BOS. IND is the best base fit flight hours out of any of my friends bases

For all those following along (and to the OP) it's all about timing tho. I'm going to guess you were in the earlier groups when hiring picked back up after the pause. If an FO was hired several months after you, say late 2023, they may be on reserve for much longer than you were.

yes it's about timing. And base. LGA (and obvs BOS) are terrible bases for new hires. IND has so much (too much?) flying - a lot in and out of and overnighting in LGA and BOS!