Eastern Airways
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: UK
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Usually the management at Eastern look for an airport which is trying hard to attract new business and will subsidise the operation for a few years. Once the subsidies stop, Eastern leaves. Perhaps this is the situation here?
Join Date: May 2001
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I will put money on its the supply boat crew swaps.
Vargar is the highest level of airport classification for training. Ie A cat C.
Which will mean that special training needs to be done every year for the pilots to be qualified to be allowed to operate into it.
Obviously a select few have been chosen to get this qualification to be able to operate into there.
It is a bit of a bitch to operate into, lots of turbulence, high ground and a long divert if they don't get in.
Eastern have operated into there before so its nothing new.
The boat company's used to use J31's for the route as well. But there aren't really any of them left these days in the UK. So the smallest cheapest thing left is the J41 or S350. And I suspect Logan air don't have any left for charters so its only the J41 left. Which to be honest is vastly more suitable for the route than the J31 which was only a minute shy of 60 mins single engine speed from Shetland.
Vargar is the highest level of airport classification for training. Ie A cat C.
Which will mean that special training needs to be done every year for the pilots to be qualified to be allowed to operate into it.
Obviously a select few have been chosen to get this qualification to be able to operate into there.
It is a bit of a bitch to operate into, lots of turbulence, high ground and a long divert if they don't get in.
Eastern have operated into there before so its nothing new.
The boat company's used to use J31's for the route as well. But there aren't really any of them left these days in the UK. So the smallest cheapest thing left is the J41 or S350. And I suspect Logan air don't have any left for charters so its only the J41 left. Which to be honest is vastly more suitable for the route than the J31 which was only a minute shy of 60 mins single engine speed from Shetland.
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I seem to remember that it was Eastern's previous operations into Vagar that got the J41's single-engined speed increased in the Eastern manuals, to allow it to divert legally.
Last edited by budlee; 15th Aug 2014 at 16:27.
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Eastern Airways engineers have threatened to strike three times with out ever striking. Management forced to pay increase.
If the flight deck don't even ask, why would management volunteer a pay increase?
Probably in fear of reprisals for the group leader I imagine.
Eastern crew do a great job for poor pay. Management do not deserve such talented pilots.
If the flight deck don't even ask, why would management volunteer a pay increase?
Probably in fear of reprisals for the group leader I imagine.
Eastern crew do a great job for poor pay. Management do not deserve such talented pilots.
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A senior person at Eastern said to me that getting replacement pilots just wasn't a problem at all - it was getting replacement engineers (with relevant experience) that was the worrying problem.
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No it is 100% correct.
You can get pilots and rate them relatively easily.
Getting decent engineers that know the devious little ways of Jetstream's is like finding rocking horse poo with a 2 quid coin inside it.
Pilot can be on the line inside 3 months and be 100% productive.
Engineers its 1-2 years before they become useful and that's taking them with years of experience on other types and rating them. Its a lot longer if they are just licensed.
You can get pilots and rate them relatively easily.
Getting decent engineers that know the devious little ways of Jetstream's is like finding rocking horse poo with a 2 quid coin inside it.
Pilot can be on the line inside 3 months and be 100% productive.
Engineers its 1-2 years before they become useful and that's taking them with years of experience on other types and rating them. Its a lot longer if they are just licensed.
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bmi regional have exactly the same issue. Engineers issued with a hefty pay rise to try and prevent anymore going across to the heli operators, and it was down to trying to remain competitive in the employment market place in Aberdeen according to management.
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As usual, all crews are desperately looking to get out. Why the likes of J2, Monarch, BACF etc. aren't hoovering EA crews up is also beyond me. There are loads of really talented guys and girls who would be so grateful for a chance with a real airline.
Ask me three times a week if I hate my job and I'll probably say yes, but I have no intention of leaving, because there's all the other times.
FlyBe re-opening a base at ABZ will surely attract unhappy Eastern crew.
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Hello everyone,
What is the latest at Eastern with regards recruitment? How strict are they on the 1000tt/500 multi engine requirement? Is the info on ppjn accurate wrt pay.
Many thanks
gp
What is the latest at Eastern with regards recruitment? How strict are they on the 1000tt/500 multi engine requirement? Is the info on ppjn accurate wrt pay.
Many thanks
gp