BA Sponsorship

[Artificial Horizon]

I have just heard through the grapevine that in the near future British Airways will be announcing a new Cadet Sponsorship programme. This is to guarantee a flow of pilots over the next few financial years and will involve a contribution from the cadet (not full sponsorship). Rumors are that it may be one of these new Multi Crew ATPL's but this is to be confirmed. Anyway, watch this space.

[splashbrooke]

sounds interesting!

[thesexypilot]

'watch this space' - sorry to dampen the mood, but you'll be watching for a while - I'd get on with your training now and let the very young and those who aren't planning to start training for a few years dream about this one!

[GS-Alpha]

I wrote to BA in 1995 asking if they did a cadet scheme. They told me that they did, but that they had no plans to do so in the near future. One month later, the cadet recruitment adverts appeared in the national press. They tend to keep mum about things until the very last minute.

gsalpha

PS I too have heard that they are looking into some form of cadet scheme - but it will not be the full sponsorship scheme of the past.

[Artificial Horizon]

Well in a recent letter from management I quote "To fund this future recruitment, we are evaluating a new ab-initio training progrramme to guarantee supply of some of our pilot need". It will be happening in the near future.

[Superpilot]

AH is a BA pilot and long time PPRuNer, so I trust his comments and I too think this could be revolving around the new MPL license simply because the BA (fATPL) sponsorship has never in effect ceased to exist. It is the Oxford APP course after all! And even if BA did launch their own (fATPL) sponsorship they'd only be using OAT again!

[GS-Alpha]

I can second AH's quote also.

[roll_over]

That's pretty interesting. The prospect of a job with BA at the end of your training is ofcourse, very, appealing . If it were to start in the near future though, I suspect I would be too young.

[BerksFlyer]

So if it were to be based on the MPL, surely extra training would be required when the cadets are ready for captaincy?

Or has it been decided that an MPL is sufficient for captaincy?

[rick0]

Will this scheme be done with OAT? like the Flybe one is at the moment?

[Philpaz]

I was hoping that FlyBe would start a trend. Lets hope it does, after all no airline (especially not one of the big guns) is going to want to get to pick from whats left-over after FlyBe has taken the cream. Well OAT's cream anyway. Lets hope we see them ALL go in to competition offering better deals for us wannabe's.
Cant see it myself but as my lil old mam says if you dont have dreams they cant come true.

Phil

[Propellerhead]

Captain's in BA only fly multi-crew so I'm sure the new licence will be fine! You just won't be able to fly single pilot seneca / night mail etc which lets be honest most Oxford graduates don't!

Think the scheme could be here sooner than we think from the numbers of pilots BA are going to need over the next couple of years due to expansion, part time, and a few retirements.

[Penworth]

Captain's in BA only fly multi-crew so I'm sure the new licence will be fine!

I think they were referring more to the MPL graduates lack of P1 experience and development of decision making skills in real aircraft than the fact they will be flying a multi pilot aircraft with a multi pilot licence!

[BA_Baracus]

Some interesting comments! Especially the “Captains in BA only fly multi-crew ….” one! Educated!

The new licence is the worst idea i've heard in a long time! What if, God forbid, one of these MPL FOs is flying with a Capt who becomes incapacitated? Only sim time, no P1 experience, min “flight” time…

But anyway, i'd be very surprised if BA have a cadet scheme anytime soon. They interview about 24 low hour people a month at the min. These are OAT cadets between CPL and IR phase, the best FTE and CABAIR graduates. Out of these people they seem to take about three or four every month. This seems to keep them ticking over nicely. They are also taking on a small number of DEPs.

I don’t think there are many plans to expand, they aircraft orders are to replace the oldest 744s and the 767 fleet.

We shall see though…

[Adios]

Don't forget that NetJets are now taking about 50 of the best and brightest Oat trains each year and getting them at the beginning of the course. That's bound to hurt BA in 2009 when the full effect of the NetJets programme is felt. BA would not have to offer a pound more than they already spend on meeting their FO vacancies to reverse the trend. Then NetJets might have to respond with some funding to entice the applicants back their way. It could get rather interesting the next few years.

[Grass strip basher]

Any idea how many pilots BA takes from OAT or FTE per annum vs experienced hires to fill their requirements?? I would imagine the numbers involved in any BA MPL scheme would be extremely small as surely they don't have problems with a lack of supply from the likes of OAT etc at the moment?

[captainjohno]

if you go onto the OAT website you can view their statistics on graduate employment figures

[rick0]

if you go onto the OAT website you can view their statistics on graduate employment figures

Also..

http://ap254.com/news/ - A class of OAT webite (okay it was a while ago I think) - all got jobs - so they say anyway :)

[4KBeta]

if you go onto the OAT website you can view their statistics on graduate employment figures

Were are the flames?

[Propellerhead]

Tell you what, why don't we just leave it to BA and the CAA/JAA to decide if cadets with MPLs are safe to fly BA aircraft!! Do you really think they will do it if not? Alternatively we can just let a load of arm-chair pilots decide for them, who clearly know better :rolleyes:.

BA Baracus, you're talking rubbish, BA is getting 4 777s as EXPANSION aircraft next year, followed by 4 787 expansion aircraft the following year, they're NOT to replace existing aircraft. The replacement aircraft is the A380 currently, with more 787s to come. Also, the reason BA needs a cadet program is not that they can't get enough low houred people, but they can't get enough DEPs, so they need a reliable and accurate number of cadets from a sponsorship scheme.

[trijet320]

Agree with above. The 4 Triples and 4 78s are expansion ac. BA needs approx 150 pilots/year until 2012 at least. Cadet type recruitment is required as there aren't enough quality DEPs. All this straight from the new Chief SH Pilot's mouth! :)

[MrHorgy]

How about BA open up recruitment to modular schools as well? God forbid the INFIDELS gaining a place at BA! :E

Horgy

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

There are not enough quality DEP applicants to BA..?

Speaks volumes.

WWW

[3Greens]

"All this straight from the new Chief SH Pilot's mouth"

Must be true then, i mean i BA manager wouldn't ever tell a lie eh? ;)