Lots of interesting thoughts on the scheme which is to be expected...
Originally Posted by onespeed
Mu understanding is that airlines have a SFO for long haul flights to provide rest periods for the Captain and FO. My guess is that these positions are hard to fill so Virgin has launched this programme to fill in the gaps and also lower their costs of manning 3 pilots to all long haul flights. SFO positions will be hard to fill as you're never in control during take off and landing and also most airlines do not count SFO hours.
Could be wrong but i imagine once starting with Virgin you'll be a SFO for a few years filling in those gaps until a FO positions and then you will start with 0 hours. This is risky as normally the min requirement for applying with other airlines is 1,500 hours and you may not reach that for many years.
SFO/FO/? Some definitions... FO is a First Officer (2 stripes), SFO is a Senior First Officer (3 stripes). Though this is essentially arbitrary, you could be called SO for Second Officer (2 stripes) or FO for First Officer (3 stripes), the only difference is what the name badge says. You start as a First Officer, not a second officer, you are a fully qualified co pilot on the A330.
Virgin A330s do not have secondary 'cruise' type pilots, indeed none of their fleets do. If ever it goes above 8 hours then you just get another co pilot. Cathay are pretty much the only airline left that have cruise first officers anymore as they are so limited in what they can do.
You wear two stripes when you join as an FO simply due to the low number of hours WITH THE COMPANY you have, the same way as many airlines do. This has nothing to do with duties, qualifications etc. After a few years and hitting the threshold for SFO (Senior First Officer), you get the third stripe, just as would happen with direct entry pilots.
To suggest that by doing the MPL you come out with an inferior license is a pretty hard argument to make, its the same job in the same jet, just a slightly different route.
Originally Posted by Andy148
If you have the time, (for comparison) a friend is going to start line flying after completing the BAFPP. He came out with a f-ATPL and a full time year 1 FO contract on completion.
Another slight error from above, if you do the BAFPP you get an ATPL (again not that it really matters) but you do go onto a reduced pay scale for the first 7 years of employment - you do not join on a regular FO contract.
Originally Posted by NatHiscocks
I applied for the MPL last year, the people who are on it are all over 20 years old, and a couple are ex cabin crew I believe. Its not to say this year they don't want younger generation people however?
There are people currently on the programme who have just finished school, just finished uni, early 20s as well as those with more life experience. If you have what they want they will take anyone at any age.