I believe passover pay is indeed being discussed when the Balpa CC meet with management, I think on the 21st. As one of those affected it would maybe generate scale B so would be very worthwhile.

Get real HWB this is just the usual bu****it from the board. It was inserted to defuse/avoid the issues they know they are creating by making hollow suggestions.

Bringing in B757s to be operated by non-bmi mainline pilots for such a period(with possible extension according to the management) is wrong. We've had regional here for a few years now and they have proved to be the thin end of the wedge. BALPA should have put it's foot down on the regional issue sooner as the whole problem has now snowballed to a point where they don't know what to do about it. This kind of thing doesn't happen at our Heathrow based UK competitors because their pilots via BALPA don't put up with this kind of thing. How come BALPA when it comes to bmi are so weak?

Just noticed on CNN that BA pilots have voted in favour of strike action reference 'open skies'. This just vindicates the point I'm making above. Wow, airline pilots that are backed up by the union in order to protect working conditions! :{

TTO

All I am saying is let's wait and see what comes from the discussions with the CC and management.

Even if there are no conversions (and I think there will be) then there will have to be passover pay by the AFS.

BTW I think this should have been stopped in its tracks when we had London City doing Brit Mid routes - but that is history!

HWB

Heard it from Flt. Ops Director himself, 'there will be opportunities on the 757'

Does that imply bmi SFO's who have been waiting a long time for command will now be given that opportunity on the 757? BTW anyone know whether the CC met with company on the 21st?

BMIbaby BHX-Aberdeen route, waypoints
 

Can anyone tell me the usual BMIbaby BHX-Aberdeen route, waypoints? Thanks.

The route varies, on the way up to POL then either via Margo or via Newcastle depending on slot constraints. Back down is always the standard route via PTH, DCS, Lakey etc

As a non BMI chap, here's my penny worth! If you recall Astraeus did a similar contract with Flybe, 5 FlyBe guys ended up getting type rated on the 737, all have since left FlyBe and stayed on the 737.. Now.. consider that this is the first year there has not been a huge crop of students in the system, it is very likely that more FO's will be needed to cover the new schedules. Given the routes to be operated, It is likely there will be a chance for people with jet time to convert to the 757.. Just more than a thought!

Passover pay will more than pay for a type rating for a bmi pilot to convert.
IMHO bmi would be astute to put their own crew on the 757.

bmi to TLV
 

According to A.net bmi might not operate to TLV from March 13th as initially planned. Could we see the spare 757 on LHR-IKA? That would make more sense in the summer if we want to avoid the tech stop on the way back. TLV could perfectly be operated with a 320/321.

757 ops are not going to starting until May anyway so no chance of using it to IKA until then. Hope the Tel Aviv does go ahead, looking forward to some sunshine.

The original plan was to take the 757 to IKA but, and I kid you not, there are political issues on taking US manufactured aircraft into Iran. That is why the decision was changed to send it to TLV instead.

It's a funny old world.

Muppet, people bother with the agreement and the union because without them there would have been no consultation and no opportunity to put bmi pilots onto the 757, no resultant promotions in bmi, no prospect of passover pay, no movement of scale B. Of course, if you had read the whole agreement you would have been much better informed, if no wiser. Good choice of nick by the way.....

Max

"there are political issues on taking US manufactured aircraft into Iran. "

Funny when you land in Tehran your surrounded by US built Military and Civil airliners painted in Iran Air Colours!

Its more likely they don't want to see bmi carrying more pax than Iran Air!!

I think its the fact that the aircraft are owned and chartered from an american leasing company, not because they are built by the yanks!

It's exactly the same problem that Cubana have had. Air Europa was flying a 767 owned by ILFC into Havana on behalf of Cubana and were basically directed to stop because of the sanctions regime in place for a US-owned aircraft.

Without Prejudice...

For those BMI SFO's who might be thinking that they're up for a direct entry command on the B757 via Astraeus... you might be interested to know that Astraeus' Ops Manual / Part A / 5.2.2.2 / Upgrade to Commander / Minumum requirements are as follows:

• ATPL
• 3000 hours as Operating Flight Crew of which 2500 hours must be as operating crew on an aircraft over 12.5 tonne; INCLUDING
• 2000 hours as operating crew of jet aircraft over 25 tonnes and one year continuous service with Astraeus; OR
• 2000 hours PIC of jet aircraft greater than 25 tonnes and 1 year continuous service with Astraeus; OR
• 1000 hours as operating crew of B737 or B757 series aircraft and 6 months continuous service with Astraeus.

Along with which would be a command assessment sim check, successful completion of which gains one entry to a command course (ground school + sim) + command Line Training.

Astraeus' Part D (Training Manual) / 3.4.9.1 / Before exercising the privileges of two licence endorsements;

• (a) the flight crew member must have completed two consecutive operator proficiency checks and must have a minimum of 500 hours in the relevant crew position.
• (b) in the case of a pilot being promoted to command on one of the two types, the required minimum experience as commander is 6 months and 300 hours. The pilot must have completed 2 consecutive operator proficiency checks before exercising 2 licence endorsements.

Basically (as a minimum?), complete B757 Type Rating (including passing the LST to a high standard), then fly in the RHS for 6 months, at the end of which do another LPC / OPC (also requiring a pass at high standard), then do a command sim check, which if you pass will gain you entry to the command course, etc. Now do the math on how long that lot would take...?!

There won't be any direct entry commands on the 757, any of our pilots who do it will be experienced Captains or more junior FO's who have 2-3 years to go before they have the hours for a command. No senior FOs will bid for it because they won't want to get stuck on it while commands go to people below them.

PS. We don't even know that we will be flying it yet but it looks very likely although I can't think why they just don't bite the bullet and buy 2-3 757s and be done with it, it's clearly the right aircraft for the job.

Are the 757's not being damp leased?