VC10L1011: Unlike the majority of people who will come on here and offer an opinion on a company they don't work for, as a recently hired Pilot I can offer you some facts, and not what I have heard down the pub. I do this as a warning and not looking for sympathy.
The first Major problem you’re going to encounter is the time between starting your type rating course and doing your base check, which is the point you start to get paid. This used to be 4-6 weeks. There are a frightening amount STILL waiting, UNPAID , 7+ MONTHS since they started the TR. This is not an isolated incident, it’s a regular occurrence.
So the first question is asking yourself can you live for the thicker end of a year with no money?
The Pay is the second Major problem. The Deal was changed at the end of the summer. You will now get zero sector pay during the first 6 months of your contract. It used to be that you would get sector pay after line check. No, you get a basic rate of STG 8900 per annum while training. This works out at about STG 7.50 an hour when flying 100 hrs a month, or about STG 270 a week. For Six months! After the first six months, you will still only be on half sector pay for the following six months. Don't forget sector pay is the larger part of the salary here. You might think like I did: "Fine I'll be at home it will be a tight few months, but I'll get through it," It will be worth it in the end.. ", you keep telling yourself. But hang on a minute, you will almost certainly be sent abroad for line training for 6 months, and then probably moved again after the 6 months. So you have to pay for 6 month worth of B&Bs. On STG 8900 a year.
It’s very hard to admit when you have made a mistake, no one wants to admit how foolish they have been, but I will. I was a fool to take this "job".
You will need 40K Euro at least to start. Type rating, 5-600 Euro for the uniform, airside pass, background checks, flights, hotels, B&Bs, salary for 7 months, and the sheer heartache of it all.
I was blinded by the whole thing, I thought I had done well to pass the interview; I was desperate for a job after waiting so long with no replies from any other companies.
The price of admission was too high however. I now have an unbelievable level of debt and I make less then the No.3 Cabin Crew for a year. Think very carefully before you take this thing on.
Would I do it again? No way.