captwannabe
6th Aug 2006, 19:50
What is life like at the London base for CX pilots? How many hours can they expect to fly?
flatlands744
9th Aug 2006, 07:00
As a DEFO the only option at the moment is the 400 Freighter in Lon, the Classic base is normally Frankfurt. Generally you will do 2/3 rotations a month, working on average 12-15 days a month. Most trips involve, LHR-MXP=HKG with a 4-man crew and then HKG-DEL (2-man), DEL-LHR (3-man). This pattern takes about a week and with the different requirement for manning some positioning is required and works out to be about 75 duty hours. Lon based guys also do HKG-ANC which takes about 3 days and then back to Lon via DEL or position back to LHR.
There is also a 400 Paris Freighter base opening up and that will serve Bombay on the way to and from HKG.
After 3 years of Cargo you will transfer to the PAX fleet (more money) and assuming the base is available, normally is, you will move over to the other side of the airfield and do LHR-HKG and back about 3 times a month (84 duty hours). Generally this is a 4 day pattern, longer if you have simulators, medical etc.
Hope this helps.