A320babies progress from Wizz to Virgin via Air Tankers is not remarkable. That's what I call 'normal progress'. What I think is remarkable is that, at the time' you could go from (f) ATPL to A320 F/O. Just the fact that you can do a (f) ATPL at 18 with 250 hours is in itself remarkable, but to actually find a job on a B737/A320 type plane is something that is absolutely not going to happen in America under any circumstances.
Which brings me to why I'm even on this web site.
It all began with a conversation with a Virgin Captain at JFK. I told him I was a Brit working for a US carrier and was a CFI/II/ME and an A&P mechanic and had a Cessna 172M, and were teaching my three kids to fly. He told me his son had gone to Oxford and had a job on a B757 with 275 hours. I was just floored at the thought of a kid in the right seat, but if the opportunity arose for my kids them we would certainly take it.
So I started looking into getting a EASA (f) ATPL straight after getting the FAA Comm/Inst/Multi. They all will have many job opportunities in the US but will be restricted to Pt135 Air Taxi and Pt 91 Corporate until age 21. And even then the chances of getting with B737/A320 operators are slim at best.
I equate Ryanair to Allegient in the US, and Jet 2 to Spirit, and Easyjet to Southwest. It would be unheard of to attain that level until age 23-25 at the earliest.
I have no idea if it'll work as planned, but for the 15,000 Pounds and nine months (gu-estimated) we will certainly try. I see a lot of kids getting hired straight out of school with FlyBE. But jobs like that are just for the asking in the US assuming your 21 and have 1500 hours.
If it doesn't work out, that's alright too, for the University system in the UK is just as advantageous. Where as you can get a degree in nine months with a (f) ATPL, and a masters degree in the same time. And them we will have the EASA ATPL in our back pocket to add BA/VG to our list of final carriers.
I'm very positive and upbeat about the whole industry, even when things look bad. For there is always hope. What I don't like is when people wine and moan and complain. Waah, waah, waah, waah. Let me call you a wambulance.
Last edited by button push ignored; 1st December 2016 at 15:24.