easyJet Pilot Recruitment 2012
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REMAX11 - I am not sure you have a wholly realistic view of what is achievable at easyJet. In my view it is a great job, but it does not offer all the benefits or protections of a national carrier. Among low cost companies, however, it is substantially better than any of the others to work for. The training standards are excellent and you fly well-maintained brand-new Airbuses around the place. The Rostering is pretty good and looks likely to get better. You will fly 900 hours a year, and that is hard work in anyone's book. The 'incremental pay' consists of a 5% of basic salary, payable each year after 2 years' service, rising to 10% after 5 years and 15% after 10 years.
The African Dude was right that no seniority exists as such - however, it effectively does for command selection. There are aspects of our command selection that are far from perfect. What gets you on the Command List is a 'CPI Date' - the date you get an interview with your pilot manager. That is dependent on when they can physically see you - normally that is only a couple of weeks' wait maximum. In the meantime, however, 4 other pilots can have seen their pilot managers at one of our 17 other bases and you have just lost those place in the queue. To be eligible to get on the Command List in the first place, you need 3,000 factored hours and must have had at least 2 acceptable sim rides in succession. You then approach your pilot manager to say you are ready to start the process and are allocated 3 training days with a Training Captain called 'Command Assessment Flights'. The wait for those flights can be many months due to Training Captain availability. Assuming they go ok, you are rostered a Command Assessment Simulator and associated interview. If you are going to fail the process, this is where you are likely to come unstuck. The sim is done over 4 hours with 2 candidates and consists of raw data flying, engine failures and a LOFT scenario. At the end, each candidate gets a 45-minute oral quiz/interview on anything that takes the TRE's fancy! It is pretty exhaustive, but once you are through it and have had your CPI interview, you go onto the Command List and wait your turn for a course in order of your place on the list. Once you get a Command Course (and passit, which is by no means guaranteed) you then have to go where the command slots are - usually Gatwick. As you might imagine, it can be a long wait to return to your home base (years in some cases), so you need to be aware of the way the system works. The transfer list, although transparent, is very contentious and there may be some changes to the system in the coming days.
Why tell everyone this? The whole reason for us recruiting high-houred FOs with Airbus experience is because we can see a time when we will run out of suitable command candidates with the correct experience. As I have tried to show, the command selection process at easyJet is rigorous, and inevitably there are failures. There is no certainty you will get the base you want initially as an FO, and if you do, you may have to wait a long time to return there once you are promoted. Also, command requirements can change very quickly. At the moment we can predict a big requirement for captains, but that may change if there is a big economic downturn. Coming to any new company is clearly a risk, and coming to easyJet is no exception. There are no absolute guarantees of anything, and all those on the outside looking in need to be aware of that. I genuinely believe easyJet is a top company, but it is not perfect and is unlikely to become so. We have a very good CEO, a real desire to engage with the pilots in a way that never previously happened here and as bright a future as any airline ever can. Offsetting that, our major shareholder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu (is that how you spell it?) is currently engaged in a tacky and damaging public confrontation with our Board, the prime purpose of which is the ending of our fleet expansion. If he succeeds, we may have a fraction of the number of commands we are currently planning for.
The essence of my long post is this - be sure you know what you are applying for, and make sure you have correctly assessed the risks versus the benefits. Here endeth the lesson.
The African Dude was right that no seniority exists as such - however, it effectively does for command selection. There are aspects of our command selection that are far from perfect. What gets you on the Command List is a 'CPI Date' - the date you get an interview with your pilot manager. That is dependent on when they can physically see you - normally that is only a couple of weeks' wait maximum. In the meantime, however, 4 other pilots can have seen their pilot managers at one of our 17 other bases and you have just lost those place in the queue. To be eligible to get on the Command List in the first place, you need 3,000 factored hours and must have had at least 2 acceptable sim rides in succession. You then approach your pilot manager to say you are ready to start the process and are allocated 3 training days with a Training Captain called 'Command Assessment Flights'. The wait for those flights can be many months due to Training Captain availability. Assuming they go ok, you are rostered a Command Assessment Simulator and associated interview. If you are going to fail the process, this is where you are likely to come unstuck. The sim is done over 4 hours with 2 candidates and consists of raw data flying, engine failures and a LOFT scenario. At the end, each candidate gets a 45-minute oral quiz/interview on anything that takes the TRE's fancy! It is pretty exhaustive, but once you are through it and have had your CPI interview, you go onto the Command List and wait your turn for a course in order of your place on the list. Once you get a Command Course (and passit, which is by no means guaranteed) you then have to go where the command slots are - usually Gatwick. As you might imagine, it can be a long wait to return to your home base (years in some cases), so you need to be aware of the way the system works. The transfer list, although transparent, is very contentious and there may be some changes to the system in the coming days.
Why tell everyone this? The whole reason for us recruiting high-houred FOs with Airbus experience is because we can see a time when we will run out of suitable command candidates with the correct experience. As I have tried to show, the command selection process at easyJet is rigorous, and inevitably there are failures. There is no certainty you will get the base you want initially as an FO, and if you do, you may have to wait a long time to return there once you are promoted. Also, command requirements can change very quickly. At the moment we can predict a big requirement for captains, but that may change if there is a big economic downturn. Coming to any new company is clearly a risk, and coming to easyJet is no exception. There are no absolute guarantees of anything, and all those on the outside looking in need to be aware of that. I genuinely believe easyJet is a top company, but it is not perfect and is unlikely to become so. We have a very good CEO, a real desire to engage with the pilots in a way that never previously happened here and as bright a future as any airline ever can. Offsetting that, our major shareholder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu (is that how you spell it?) is currently engaged in a tacky and damaging public confrontation with our Board, the prime purpose of which is the ending of our fleet expansion. If he succeeds, we may have a fraction of the number of commands we are currently planning for.
The essence of my long post is this - be sure you know what you are applying for, and make sure you have correctly assessed the risks versus the benefits. Here endeth the lesson.
Last edited by Alexander de Meerkat; 16th Sep 2011 at 17:25. Reason: Typos!
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My mate sent me this quote from the easyJet pilots' internal newspaper that came out today -
"With over 5 days remaining for A320 type rated pilots to apply on line I can advise that the response to this on line advert has been high. Almost 200 hundred pilots have already registered their interest so it is clear that there will be far more applicants than positions available. We have already started reviewing some of the applicants details and do not expect to have any difficulty in filling the number of places required. All successful pilots at application stage will be subject to the new easyJet 2 day assessment process.
Thomas Cook - Further to last week's announcement that Thomas Cook are removing 6 aircraft from their Fleet we are also in discussions with Thomas Cook management to see if we can offer any opportunities at easyJet for those pilots who will be displaced as a result of the A330s and A320s being removed from their fleet."
Interesting.
"With over 5 days remaining for A320 type rated pilots to apply on line I can advise that the response to this on line advert has been high. Almost 200 hundred pilots have already registered their interest so it is clear that there will be far more applicants than positions available. We have already started reviewing some of the applicants details and do not expect to have any difficulty in filling the number of places required. All successful pilots at application stage will be subject to the new easyJet 2 day assessment process.
Thomas Cook - Further to last week's announcement that Thomas Cook are removing 6 aircraft from their Fleet we are also in discussions with Thomas Cook management to see if we can offer any opportunities at easyJet for those pilots who will be displaced as a result of the A330s and A320s being removed from their fleet."
Interesting.
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I strongly disagree - I had high hopes and expectations of being an airline pilot and joining easyjet the job has surpassed them all. The job isn't for everyone and not everyone is for the job. What bad experience did you have and with which loco? When did you have it?
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I work for a small AOC and have wanted to apply and join EZY for quite a few years. CTC / Oxford seems the only way in with their cadets and its a real shame those with a bit of experience like myself cannot get a crack at it and apply directly to them to get that break.
People I know have been waiting for years who are instructors, parachute dropping etc etc.
Its seems all about business relationships and a few of those larger cadet training organisations, protecting their products / business interest.
People I know have been waiting for years who are instructors, parachute dropping etc etc.
Its seems all about business relationships and a few of those larger cadet training organisations, protecting their products / business interest.
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Turbine100 - I have every sympathy for your position and hope that one day soon there will be a sea-change at easyJet regarding recruitment. I personally feel embarrassed at our CTC/Oxford cartel which effectively prevents non-rated pilots, who were not trained by these schools, working for us. I came across an Oxford-trained pilot the other day who had a €195,000 debt after the type-rating - I don't know how they sleep in their bed at night! I have said that easyJet is a good company, and I stand by that view, but the whole 'flexicrew' issue is a disaster that BALPA should have been all over years ago. Whatever else comes out of 'Project Merlin', any proposals that permit the continued employment of contract Training Captains, and leave flexicrew pilots without permanent contracts, would invalidate the whole process for me. Time will tell.
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€195,000!? How did they even spend that? They can sleep because it's probably not even their money to spend.
Pin Head - unfortunately not in the immediate future. Dependant on applications I guess for SFO positions over the next year or so.
Pin Head - unfortunately not in the immediate future. Dependant on applications I guess for SFO positions over the next year or so.
I certainly don't see DEC at easyJet happening in the next couple of years at least.
As for those joining and expecting a quick command, it depends on your definition of quick! Certainly don't expect one within the next couple of years as there are presently over 250 SFO's who have at least started the command process which will most likely cover the LHS upgrades for 2012/2013. Some of those may decide to leave for BA etc but I doubt that would be more than 10%.
So, if 2 years for you is a quick upgrade (which I think it is) then come on over to the Orange side, if not then I think you will be disappointed.
Anyway, Good Luck to all those that do apply, I for one really like it here.
As for those joining and expecting a quick command, it depends on your definition of quick! Certainly don't expect one within the next couple of years as there are presently over 250 SFO's who have at least started the command process which will most likely cover the LHS upgrades for 2012/2013. Some of those may decide to leave for BA etc but I doubt that would be more than 10%.
So, if 2 years for you is a quick upgrade (which I think it is) then come on over to the Orange side, if not then I think you will be disappointed.
Anyway, Good Luck to all those that do apply, I for one really like it here.
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195,000 euros is indeed for the EPST guys/gals (essentially dutch), who send their cadets through Oxford+Type Rating. Close to what it would cost a normal Oxford student to get into easyJet under the OLD exchange rate.
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Hi,
Eddie, just curious where you got the number of 250 waiting for command?
There are just over 70 on the waiting list as of 13th August and are there even 250 SFOs left in the company? At my medium size Uk base there are only 4 or 5 some of whom do not have the hours or do not wish to go for command.
Eddie, just curious where you got the number of 250 waiting for command?
There are just over 70 on the waiting list as of 13th August and are there even 250 SFOs left in the company? At my medium size Uk base there are only 4 or 5 some of whom do not have the hours or do not wish to go for command.
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Has anyone actually registered any interest? Did you get any confirmation they had received your email?
Any info regarding the assessment centre would be good as well! Thanks guys.
Any info regarding the assessment centre would be good as well! Thanks guys.
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If they only got 200 expressions of interest they will probably get even fewer actual applications, a significant number of which may not get through selection. Doesn't seem very many to me.