Nordic ForumIt smells a bit of snow and ice and big hairy vikings chasing lusty maidens around after lots of mjød and loud partying. Forum languages are Svenska, Dansk, Norsk & English.
i've got rated in the NG recently. Looked at AB as an opportunity to go for, but, seriously, paying 21k for a 300h line training isn't motivating myself that much!
The question is: at the moment, which airline should i apply to?
Flight experience is not a plus. Only 250h TT, after finishing Atpl course.
Well, by you posting here I guess you still perhaps got some interest in AB? And though you´re hesitant in further P2F they sort of got you by the b*llsack. With 250hrs and a rating you probably don´t have all that many other options these days..? Who convinced you to buy a rating? Claim you Euros back, sue them!
If anything, when willing to paying to fly, go for a P2F scheme where you get "hired" upfront. I.e FRaud or someone down that dark alleyway.. At least those guys are upfront and honest leeches.
Off course, these "airlines" are not an option once you´re already rated, as they cannot earn their well earned profit on your rating. Maybe it would be cheaper to do a full new CPL/IR program, under an alias to get a fresh non-rated CPL. Then apply to FR as inexperienced cadet?
Just to clarify, FRaud ,as you refer to them, do not do P2F (yet ), they do SSTR, following which , if you meet the standard (and only if) you will be employed as a contractor. Not saying it is the "ideal" scenario, but you do not (yet, I say again) pay for (or have deducted any contribution for) line flying.
That is a valid remark, and point taken. There is a fine line here..
However on the other hand, if you do NOT pay them (a premium) for your SSTR you do not get to fly or work for them. As in ldsouto´s case. He probably have zero chance of obtaining the golden chance of paying for an interview, as he has already bought his rating somewhere else.
So with FR you have to pay to fly either which way you look at it. Albeit it not P2F line training.
Oh well, we´re all aware of this anyways.
Back on topic, I guess a further exodus within Air Baltic will pick up when hiring resumes at the greener pastures. For those looking in: hang tight and good luck.
There is a price difference in 737 rating between airBaltic and Ryanair, but when you factor in the 70€ an hour deducted from your salary by airB for the first 300hrs line flying flown + the fact it will probably only be a Summer contract till end Oct, Ryanair doesn't sound so bad. Agreed, for anyone with the rating, FR is not an option, as they cannot make money from you. Having said that I am not sure if airB will offer a F/O position (even the 300hr that you "pay" for) to someone who is not completing the rating there, as at the moment the 300hrs option is the carrot they can dangle to get someone to "buy" the rating with them. I think if you are already rated, you will not be hired by them in the current situation. Motto, don't pay for a TR without a job offer, or at least the possibility to top it up with some line flying (even if I find the whole concept of this quite reprehensible, it must be said that the TR alone is REALLY a waste of money)
You don't have to fly a jet for your first job. Try some aerial work or air taxi, or para dropping (meat bombing). The subject has had much discussion elsewhere on the forum so I won't go on.
If you check:
Fleet Types 2 Boeing B757-200 Airliners,
10 Boeing B737-500 Airliners,
6 Boeing B737-300s Airliners,
8 Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 Turboprops,
10 Fokker FK50 Friendship Turboprops. A/C Orders 4 Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 Turboprop Options - Fk50s being replaced with Q400s. Pilot Bases Riga, Latvia
Vilnius, Lithuania Notes Award Winning Airline. Regional Low Cost Airline Flights from the Baltics to other destinations in Eastern and Western Europe. Last Update 2011/05/26: 2011 Positions Filled. Accepting Apps.
you'll see that positions have been filled for 2011 and A320 order has been removed. Previously was A320 order to replace 737.
Last Update 2011/05/26: 2011 Positions Filled. Accepting Apps.
Interesting. Cute blondie from HR emailed me a while ago, 2 days after Stage I in RIX to tell me she couldn't wait for me being available after May 15 to attend Stage II. 10 days past the deadline it's all over for 2011.
What's are the up to? Not holding my breath for sure but would be nice to know whether to forget and move on or not.
Like I told a while ago, they do not care too much for the pilots. Not news to me. It's ben always like that with BT. So make your choice yourself. Good luck.
Email sent 3 days ago for an application...answer the same day, and assessment booked the same day too...but with this information...
"However we would like to inform you that at this moment there are no vacant pilot positions in the company, therefore we are establishing Stand By Pool of good and well qualified candidates. In case this is something you could be interested in, we would appreciate to have your full assessment results for a time there is new vacancies."
I "believe" there is an idea to use the TRTO facility to train/qualify candidates to have a portfolio of crew to offer to other airlines , if, obviously, the candidate wishes to have his/her services hawked around the world. TRTO is a revenue, and anyone accepting to accomplish/pay for a rating without a contract in the hand , does so at their own discretion. On this basis, although they may derive some benefit from it, what airB propose, can hardly be viewed in a negative light, if they don't need you, don't promise you anything, but still, you want to do the rating. . well, your decision, and anything they do to help you become employed is a +, and not a - , in my opinion. As regards the post from F50 Driver, I will respond more fully shortly, still time for a couple of beers in Riga however, in brief, whilst his opinion is, I am sure , valid for his experiences & feelings, it is not the only viewpoint suffice to say, mine are a whole lot more positive.
Now, hold on there just a second capt´n! Are you saying they´re trying to pump out more ratings from their own TRTO by prospecting people a place in their pool? And that this is a good thing? I fail to see how this could be considered a particularly honest way of doing "business". Rather, just another PFT marketing scam.
Well, they´re not the first nor the last
PS: Pretty sure Oxford and PARC have their contacts around the world as well.
of course there are some positive sides. There were many nice respected colleague's. (and many other good ones left as well) Instead of mentioning more unpleasant experiences, I rather give some advise to new pilots and current employees. There was a attempt to make a stronger Union which failed. The cabin crew are blessed with a STRONG Union. And there were several cases were they really needed it. The gap between management and pilots (and CC) is enormous.
I think it's worth mentioning again that you really need to look out for yourself (and cpt PS is doing a pretty good job). And everyone is actually doing it but the lack of unity makes it easy for the management to do whatever they want.
My advise: Try to make a stronger Union. I know we all make compromises now and then but if everyone just keeps their heads down for what is coming it will not get better. I respect those who tried but eventually everyone gave up. So did I when I noticed there was no one left. That was my mistake. The newcomers are in a weak positions but people who are already in the company for some years can still make a difference. (take another beer and think about it)
), they do SSTR, following which , if you meet the standard (and only if) you will be employed as a contractor.
chance for hiring in the near future, which confirms the above posts.
suffice to say, mine are a whole lot more positive.
