Desk Pilot. What I would have said pretty much. The company I knew has gone. It was a decent ish lifestyle when I was there and certainly the Embraer whilst poor pay for a jet, wasn't that bad when the local lifestyle was as it was. The monthly hours on the Embryo ex Belfast were about 40 in low months to 75, max 82 in the high and an annual of average of 550-600. Then the barman called in the bar tab and the party ended. Now it's a different period so my info is out of date. I hear from friends it is hard work with 900 and the minimum 9 days off.
Ethos back then made it one of the most friendly places I've worked. Like a big family. I think former flybees still consider themselves a wider family. I loved it. I wasn't someone that chose to leave, more circumstances of the time prevailed me into the situation. Although from what I hear the workload is now, I feel that I wouldn't have stayed to be in that same old lifestyle for very long. My memories are primarily from the Embraer which I loved. Fantastic training environment on the Embraer and supporting operation. I wasn't mad on the dash side of things and wouldn't feel mega keen to rush back to that, but that's me.
Duty days were not that long to be honest back then. No jet lag, 1 hour long mini flights to easy enough airports, 7-8 hours duty maybe. Not the mammoth deep night duties you get in Charter or LH. People moaned about disruption when they were changed from an early to a late, but during that pre redundancy period they had nothing to compare it with. I only realised what proper disruption or a long duty was was until I went LH cargoeing, then disruption becomes measured in days, sometimes weeks late coming home.
I would add to Rex that I think the current upswing is responsible for the industry postponing it's predjucide on turboprop time and only temporary. I don't think the upswing will last much longer personally. Bare in mind the terrible lack of UK opportunities in 2012-13 for those facing the push.
As said, it's changed now, so the company I remember most likely doesn't exist in the form/lifestyle I knew it, but hopefully some of the good stuff remains.
Last edited by Wireless; 27th Mar 2016 at 04:42.