Whitepark, you’re very welcome to the information.
Peb, I believe that 247 Jet at Southend do a similar deal, last Summer I saw a 247 Jet recruitment advert in Flight saying that they needed an ab-initio pilot with a basic CPL/ MEIR. I sent in my CV and a few weeks later got a reply email from them, the text of the email is shown below:
We are considering offering you the position of Citation Jet co-pilot but need to know if you are prepared to work 12 months or less in our Flight Operations Department.
We ask all our designate co-pilots to perform this role as it helps them on the line performing as a corporate jet pilot. Of course you will be paid as a designate co-pilot £20,000 per year.
If this is acceptable to you please email me back saying it is acceptable and we will invite you to meet and discuss your employment.
Please note that the email from 247 was full of spelling mistakes which I have corrected for this post, I think that my 9 year old son could have done better. This did start some alarm bells ringing in my head.
However I was curious so I replied stating that I would be willing to work in ops and asking them to nominate a date and time for me to visit so that I could get more details. Unfortunately that was where the contact finished, 247 never replied to my email, I phoned them a few times and asked to speak to the person named at the bottom of the email, each time I phoned I was told that the person was out and would return my call when they returned. That was July last year so I guess that they have been out of the office for a long time as I have still not heard from them.
Good luck to you Whitepark and Peb in your search for employment and I hope that you both find something soon (as long as you don’t find something before I do)!!!!!!!!!