At our flight department we have three levels of pilot; Co-pilot, Captain and Senior Captain (you automatically become a Senior Captain after being a Captain for 8 years).
In the past, the scheduler would randomly assign the trip pic (when two Captains were flying together) so that by years end everyone ended up with roughly a 50/50 split as pic and sic, except for Co-pilots who are always sic.
A recent change was made, at the request of some Senior Captains, that when a Captain and a Senior Captain fly together, the Senior Captain is always pic. When Senior Captains fly together or Captains fly together the pic role is randomly assigned (except that the Chief Pilot is always pic).
Based on the numbers all but two pilots will be Senior Captains within 4 years. Then 4 to 8 years after that everyone will be a Senior Captain. The problem I have with the policy change is that we will end up with several Captains who will never be the pic of a trip for 4 to 8 years. I wonder how this policy helps advance/develop the careers of the younger pilots, or any pilots we hire in the future? Sure they will eventually be paid as a Captain, they will just never get any of the responsibility that comes with the title.
To me it seems to be an ego-driven policy change. We certainly have Captains who possess more skill, ability and better judgement than some Senior Captains, so it is not a safety issue of making the best/safest pilot the pic.
I am wondering how your departments handle trip assignments? What is your policy? If you have a similar policy what is it based on? Safety? Seniority? Ego?
In the past, the scheduler would randomly assign the trip pic (when two Captains were flying together) so that by years end everyone ended up with roughly a 50/50 split as pic and sic, except for Co-pilots who are always sic.
A recent change was made, at the request of some Senior Captains, that when a Captain and a Senior Captain fly together, the Senior Captain is always pic. When Senior Captains fly together or Captains fly together the pic role is randomly assigned (except that the Chief Pilot is always pic).
Based on the numbers all but two pilots will be Senior Captains within 4 years. Then 4 to 8 years after that everyone will be a Senior Captain. The problem I have with the policy change is that we will end up with several Captains who will never be the pic of a trip for 4 to 8 years. I wonder how this policy helps advance/develop the careers of the younger pilots, or any pilots we hire in the future? Sure they will eventually be paid as a Captain, they will just never get any of the responsibility that comes with the title.
To me it seems to be an ego-driven policy change. We certainly have Captains who possess more skill, ability and better judgement than some Senior Captains, so it is not a safety issue of making the best/safest pilot the pic.
I am wondering how your departments handle trip assignments? What is your policy? If you have a similar policy what is it based on? Safety? Seniority? Ego?
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