Excrab, you will see from my post that I did not specifically lambast you for your post regarding numbers other than a frustrated picture. I can't critisise you for spreading rumours on here, after all its a rumour network.
However.....
....your comment on resignations in winter isn't such a shocker, had you given it a little thought. The charters recruit in Aug/Sep time for the next years program and with 3 months notice that means those guys recruited would be leaving in the winter.
It's not a surprise that pilots will leave before unfreezing their ATPL's; you give a young pilot good training on a challenging aircraft like the Q400 and then for obvious reasons the likes of Monarch/BA/Theifair/Easyjet etc. find those same pilots very attractive and want to recruit them. An airline like ours that gives good training and experience to low hour pilots, will always lose a lot of those same low hour pilots to higher paid, larger aircraft operators but those same operators wouldn't look twice at them had they not had their time at Flybe under their belts!!! . As was said to me in my interview 'Flybe has always been a feeder airline' - whether we remain one is yet to be seen.
I agree the basing policy needs a good look at but for instance, 3 guys off my course ended up at the exact base they wanted within 12 months of starting at Flybe, hardly a major sacrifice to make for a pilot wannabee in his first commercial job. Having swallowed up BAcon and doubled the workforce we now have more bases and therefore more chances to move! Your comment regarding basing was again exagerated and inaccurate or at the very least well outdated!
Out of interest, where would you suggest wannabbees with low hours apply for their first jobs? Give us the benefit of your experience and tell me what other airline will pay for your type rating and only bond you for 3 years and leave you in a position to apply to the like of BA?.
Last edited by MVE; 11th October 2007 at 06:21.