CQFO - Questions
 

Looking at TSAs CQFO program and was wondering a few things.

1. How much left seat flying on average are they getting?
2. How much will more senior FOs upgrading affect QOL?
3. Does waiting 90-days to attend class after the first day help with getting a line once finished with IOE?

I'd be based in DEN as I live here already.

Thanks!

I would like answers to these questions too

We are having a hard time filling upgrade classes right now so I would imagine CQs will be spending more time in the left seat but you never know. Also could help you get a CA slot faster because if they can't fill enough upgrades with FOs then CQs get the slots. This fluctuates a lot so things could be very different 5 or 6 months from now. You will not move up in CA seniority until all the FOs senior to you that want to upgrade have upgraded.

However TSA has been binging on military rotor guys and I will be shocked if they are here very long as they will move on to other places quickly so you could move up pretty fast. It is hard to say right now because staffing is so fluid.

Looking for updates on CQFO:
Base drops
Amount of PIC vs SIC per month

Thanks in advance!

Denver for everybody. FO, Capt upgrade, CQFO, Insta captions

Appreciated the info on the base drop. Anyone recently starting out as CQFO or insta Ca. Have first hand info on amount amount of PIC hours per month for CQFO or how the process is working for the insta CA. Sure appreciate any assistance.

Helloing. Surely there is someone out there that can give this dog a bone.

Never was a CQFO, but as a current DEN CA I would tell you that coming in as a direct entry CA, or CQFO, you will be junior on the CA list. Currently, we are short captains and they can't get enough. I would say if you were hitting the line TODAY, you would likely fly around 40-60 hours as PIC. Hard to say what it would look like after you complete training and hit the line (a few months from now). Again, my opinion the minimum range could be from 0-20 hours in a month PIC as a CQFO for a year or so if we magically became more staffed in the left seat. The advantage of a CQFO would be that you could enjoy a bit more QOL on the FO seniority list before converting to CA. Things are moving VERY fast right now, so historically this is really a moot point. What are you trying to do? Get in, get time and get out? You won't have a problem doing this in any capacity. If enjoying 18 days off per month is your goal you should look somewhere else.

Hey m20. Appreciate your insight. In and out as fast as I can is my goal. Thanks again.

We are much shorter on captions than FOs, and it is set to be even worse in November and December. (Lots of people put in notice within the past couple weeks, and there's more people that know leaving). Couple that with a few big FO classes being coming online, we're going to have a lot of FO reserves, and pretty much no captains are on reserve. If you are on reserve, I'm betting at least 80% of flying will be left seat. You might fly as an FO occasionally if needed, but there should be plenty of FO coverage in the coming months.

Also, they are literally running out of people to upgrade. Vast majority of FOs are still working towards 1000 121. If you take the first available upgrade you will probably upgrade soon after training (possibly sooner).