Is this an option?
I got an email from one of the group and it basically translates to this:
This may be a way forward:
In association with all the various Pilot Representative Bodies (ECA, BALPA, IAPA, Vereinigung Cockpit, etc) we petition the European Airline Association and similar organizations to adopt a code of practice in line with the current practice in nearly all airlines, seniority and aptitude.
That is a tried and tested method, based upon the following parameters:
Date of professional licence issue.
Experience to date. Flight Time and actual qualifications, Not just possession of a type rating (remembering they have to line train you anyway)
Also to keep the airlines happy they have their own hiring order like such:
Company Sponsored Cadet
Experienced Professional Licence Holders
Inexperienced Professional Licence Holders
Pilots wishing to join this system will have a seniority number based upon licence date. The EC Human rights and EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES commission can fund it, (they fund just about anything else).
Administered by the European Cockpit Association and open to pilots NOT currently employed. Open European wide for all JAR licence holders, one caveat may be language, where an airline may select a candidate that speaks the local language in preference to one that does not.
[This may be a point of contention as generally English has been adopted by the majority of operators as a common cockpit language, yet a grasp of the local language may be a prerequisite]
It works like this:
Airlines do this;
When a job vacancy exists they will contact the ECA, who will provide basic details of say the first 100 people on the list of those that meet the parameters as chosen by the airline.
The airline vets the candidates fine tuning the selection, this may include restrictions on age (just as may airlines currently do eg HF if over 29yo must have >500 hr (or similar)) and invites those interested to attend an interview. (Many may not want to move to XYZ to fly and ABC, so the net will be cast wide)
Preference will be given to AIRLINE FUNDED CADETS, that is those pilots that have attended a sponsorship scheme, like in the old days.
Next will be self funded applicants with a hierarchy based upon, Licence Date of Issue, Fight time experience and lastly type rating.
Next will be self funded applicants with a basic licence and no experience type rating or not.
Pilots do this;
Upon being un-employed the pilot applies to the ECA and completes and application (online) where they will be given a seniority number first based on licence issue date, secondly on total time, thirdly on experience.
The candidate will not receive the number this is only for the ECA to use to track those job seekers.
When your numbers up your numbers up.
Pros & Cons.
AIRLINE FUNDED CADETS. Not many of them about these days, LH makes a killing on those who past muster, ditto those who use the Intercockpit scheme. So all those guys who pay for the training will eventually be hired by the Legacy carriers and in this case I do see reason.
The legacy airline (LH,BA, AF, KL whom ever) has vetted these guys already, and trained them in the manner they want for direct entry, be it SO/FO.
The benefit of this is that it removes this bunch from the pool of unemployed.
Flight crews are chosen on experience, having said this think of this scenario, how many 45+ jet jockeys and going to apply for job on a rockhopper, and move the family and all the rest of it…. Very few me thinks
Pilots in NML will have more progression based upon the experience issue, this will free up other positions and there will be movement.
OTHER ISSUES
Will this lead to more jobs?
Yes, there will be more movement, more movement means more requirements for training, more requirement means more trainers, and that means demand for those who like the TRE/TRI game.
What will it do to the industry?
Don’t shoot at this, It will push the industry more to what the rest of the world is, although GA is small in the EU it does mean that pilots will cut their teeth on a bug smasher, move to a turbine and then the airlines. NOT the current EU practice of Zero-to-hero by subsidising the airline.
What about those who are actively employed but also want to move to bigger stuff?
There will also be room for these guys, you think the likes of BA who are searching for DE bus drivers are going to take a wannabe before experienced & typed guy.
Remember this, We are dealing with the lower end here, primarily those unemployed or un-rated with out experience. If you do have experience but no type, then the same hiring requirement will apply to you.
Maybe the code of practice can include a hiring formula that will take the experienced guys and then the inexperienced will progress to the jobs vacated??
AIRLINE ISSUES
They are go to hate this. But just like the way that they would like you to do 25hr consecutive duty days, 1500 hrs per annum stick time and not pay you a cent for the privilege of flying for them.
Things will change, if a program like this is adopted by the ECA and has the backing of the EC & equal opportunities commission then there is the chance that it could happen.
Only pressure by the pilot body will bring this kind of change.
POINTS OF INTEREST.
This will happen only if the following things happen.
Existing pilot bodies stop feathering their short term nests for the long term gain of the industry. If they put the petty bickering that exists in all representative bodies aside and remember where they came from or in some cases take a moment to think that not everyone was as privileged as they were to have their training funded by someone else, be that private or public purse.
Public Knowledge.
Joe Citizen does not give a rats, as to who is flying their plane. They generally look up the front and if they see someone their age or older their happy. Little do they know the guy in the front with grey hair, has prostate/wife/house/previous wife/kid/financial/paternity and sleeping problems and the guy next to him has more spots than a leopard and before strapping into this shinny new megajet 880, only other thing he ad flown was a fibreglass or aluminium contraption probably older than the operator that weighs less than a family car.
If it was generally known that the sky’s were populated by low hour, minimal EXPERIENCE, guys paying for the privilege and not earning a salary, pre-occupied with how on earth they are going to pay off this loan……
Do you think patronage would be as high as it is?
Thank heavens Mr Boeing & Mr Bus install all those gizmos.
Would this knowledge change the attitude of the public? Probably not! These people will still complain if they get a €1 fare and no service.
Your comments.