johnny 5

I've just started the road out of the RAF and into the airlines. Does anyone have any recommendations/experiences of which airlines are the best to look at? I would like to stay in the south but other than that im open minded to anything. Netjets is a company that has caught my eye but the money looks great at BA!!


J5

kemblejet01

BMI's alright.

Whichever side of the fence you land on, you're going to have to do about 8 years in the right hand seat unless you are very lucky. This will be a lot longer at BA and they seem to have lost their way a bit as the world's "favourite" airline.

Pros: somewhat more stable lifestyle, no secondary duties, better dosh as captain.

Cons: everything else!

For me it was a sensible move as I have a wife and kid now, but I miss the mob - especially the thunderflash in the cabbage in happy hour.

Good luck

Lafyar Cokov

The big problem is that the thunderflash in the cabbage is now banned due to H & S at W, as generally is anything else that might be classed as fun.

theloser1

I am with an orange mob. Have been so for 8 years since I left the forces.

I was rotary in the forces and my time to command in civi street was 3 years. This might have changed.

The orange lifestyle is good if you work in one of the regional bases where the airport embuggerance is minimised. The biggest stress factor is the airport you work at so I am enjoying a relaxed provincial lifestyle.

Good luck and dont discount any offer you receive.

120class

I chose BA mainly because of the choice of SH and LH as I'm not sure which I would want to do for 20 odd years. Good route structure, roster stability and being LHR-based are other big plus points. On the other hand my mates at Virgin seem equally happy, it all depends on the individual.

Taxi2parking

Been with NetJets for 4 years now and would recommend it.

It's lots of flying some hard work but really varied and interesting. I like the 6 on 5 off and the fact I can live we're I want pretty much. I think it really suits the ex-military guys it's fun flying and because their experience and expertise is recognised and used.

Depending on your experience upgrades can happen very fast, less than 6 months is not uncommon. If you have any training experience they will then be banging on your door to offer you a line training job shortly afterwards.

It's expanding like no ones business, with aircraft on order which means that LHSs and seats on larger cabin aircraft are all going to be available in the near future.

I've watched it grow and change over the last few years and it all seems going in the right direction.

And you can't fly one of these with BA....

WannaBeCiv

Hi

I started a thread a few months ago http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=282569

You might find it useful, please add anyhthing else that others might find useful.

Good luck!

PAPI-74

Is the positioning taken out of your off days?
If based at LTN or STN, is their parking available in the staff car parks or via the Business Centres (Inflite at STN for example)?

blimey

It doesn't matter where you go, somebody's grass will always be greener!

Pontius Navigator

Is it a one-way street and no turning back?

I know someone, left to join BA, finished up with CyprusAir and then cadged a kit move back to UK when he rejoined the RAF.

Tim Mills

Dammit, I was thirty years too early! Mike Jenvey and taxi2parking make me want to start all over again, with NetJet, specially with the Falcon in Taxi's link. I joined Falcon Jet at Heathrow in '77, when we had one, then two Falcon 20s, six pilots and a couple of freelancers, all captains, all ex service, and were living in hope of getting a 50 'next year' for the 12 happy years I was with them! 6 days on, 5 off, 'looxury' as they say, we were supposed to get a couple of days off a week, and it worked sometimes. We later got a 125 as well, and started taking the odd co pilot. Great fun, great times, and if you enjoy the poling more than anything else, exec. jets is the way to go for my money, even if there is not quite as much of it! Good luck.