Actually, SMK77 showed exactly how it could be done. 5 x JNB-DXB return flights in F. You do back-to-back runs, and can easily do it in 2-3 weeks. And status is valid from whenever you earn it in the current year, for the remainder of the current year, all of next year, and then until February the year after. It doesn't matter whether you qualify in January, April or October of current year. It's always remainder of current + all of next + Jan and Feb of the following year.