Ryanair Questions

[veeOne99]

I've just been offered a place on the RYR SSTR cadet scheme and have a couple of questions that I hope people who have been through this route could answer.

I realise that some of this has probably been discussed before but as everyone has an opinion on RYR it's difficult to actually find any hard facts and figures.

1. Does anyone actually get offered a permanent RYR place or is everything done through Brookfield?
2. Are you actually self employed or an employee of Brookfield?
3. If self employed - have people managed to offset tax against the costs of the type rating?
4. What are the timescales from the end of type rating course, base training and line training - are there any gaps in between?
5. When do you get confirmation of your base?

Any help gratefully appreciated. I'm trying to make an informed decision as to which path I take - this or FI for a year and taking a chance to see what else comes up

[skyflyer737]

Hi - here are the answers to your questions. I'm basing them on what happened to me and everyone else I did the type rating course with:

1. Everyone seems to be offered only a Brookfield contract at the end of line training. During line training you have a six month Ryanair contract which will probably be terminated early if you move over to Brookfield.

2. You are self employed when you work through Brookfield and need to register as self employed or set up a limited company (British nationals living in the UK do - I can't answer for non Brits I'm afraid)

3. Unfortunately in the UK you cannot offset the cost of your type rating against earnings to reducde your tax liability. I've tried, once directly with HMRC and once through an accountant and the answer is always the same - no. However, you can offset SOME much smaller costs such as travel to / from a tempoary work place, mobile phone bill, internet access etc. Not much but it helps.

4. Finish type rating - expect between one and four weeks before base training. Then apply to add the 737 to your licence. Once you have it on your licence expect to wait around two to three weeks before being rostered for line training.

5. Your line training could be at a random base(s). I got the one I wanted in my own country but others didn't. I did spend one week in Bergamo doing it too. Once line training is complete you'll get confirmation of your base around one to four weeks afterwards and you'll almost certainly be offered a Brookfield contract. I was offered four different bases and all in the UK if I wanted it.

Hope this helps
SF737

[Diamond_Dog]

WOW! There is light at the end of the lengthy tunnel of b*ll**** that gets posted on this website. VeeOne99, good work on a series of well worded questions. Skyflyer737, thankyou for some really objective answers. :ok:

I have just completed my TR with FR. I've tried to find out whether it is possible to offset the TR cost. It pretty much looks like this cannot be done (from a UK perspective).

I can say that the information Skyflyer737 has provided is generally pretty accurate, based on the intelligence I have gathered so far.

In relation to your choice between an FI rating and the SSTR. I have to say an FI rating would be a valuable feather in anyones cap. This is something I don't have and would still like to do at some point in the future. All I would say is that whilst an FI rating would be invaluable experience and could lead to more interview opportunities, the TR will still most likely have to be paid for by you. I would also say, take the first opportunity you get with the airlines. All things considered, you never know when the next one might present itself.

The very best of luck with whatever you choose to do..

DD

[Captain N]

guys you say the cost of the type rating cannot be offset against earnings, but surely if you pay for the TR using a loan, the intrest is tax free???

[veeOne99]

Thanks for getting back to me. I think I'm going down the SSTR route as being the wrong side of 30 I don't know when the next offer will come along. As you mention diamond_dog you'll probably end up paying for a TR where ever you end up.

One final question, and you don't have to answer - what do you reckon you spent in total for the TR, food, accommodation and all the hidden costs before you started earning any proper money?

[fullrich]

Why cant you offset the cost of training to tax free earnings? In my first job I was a self employed pilot and offset all the cost of my MCC/MEIR/CPL training towards my earnings and payed no tax whatsoever on my first year. Cant see what the differnce would be with a type rating. I didnt pay for mine!
As long as the training (received in the previous 3 years) is seen to further your progress in your job then it can be written off as an expense.

[skyflyer737]

You can't offset the cost of your type rating against earnings because of HMRC rules effectively saying training "to put you in a position to carry out the performance of your duties" is not an allowable business cost.

If you managed it with your MCC/MEIR etc then well done. Either the rules were different in those days or you were lucky to slip through the net. Believe me, I've argued with HMRC over this. I can't answer why those are the rules - you'd need to argue that with HMRC directly.

As for total costs, I spent £26,000 (pounds sterling) on everything including type rating, accommodation during type rating (I stayed in a decent hotel and could have done this cheaper), uniform, fuel to / from line training base, car parking, ferry to / from CAE in Amsterdam etc. This was up to the end of line training so covered a period of 6 months from starting at Ryanair to end of line training.

Very expensive indeed. Was it worth it? Probably. I would have loved to have done it cheaper and indeed not paid for a type rating myself but being the wrong side of 30 I saw no other option. At least I am now earning before tax and national insurance around £4000 to £5000 per month and am heading towards 1000 hours on the B737-800.

I hope this helps. PLEASE don't turn this thread into the rights and wrongs of working for Ryanair - it's simply some facts for those thinking of doing it to help them make up their own mind.

[dartagnan]

26000 pounds is 39000 euro??

where do yo guys find this money?.

[fullrich]

Skyflyer. I started my first job less than 2 years ago. However Im based in Ireland so I guess our tax system is different.:)

[zuluflyer]

i am in university doing a course in safety management my lectuerer has said that at rynanir pilots are paid a bonus if they manage to do a faster turnaround of 25 mins is this true and if they dont then they start cutting your salary by a certain amount of percentage?

[RD29]

Just a quick question. If you are paid via brookfield outside the UK are all rates the same no matter which countries base you work from.

Is there any advice to what factors will help you fly the most...ie base how well the company like you.

Thankyou

Pablo

[VNA Lotus]

" i am in university doing a course in safety management my lectuerer has said that at rynanir pilots are paid a bonus if they manage to do a faster turnaround of 25 mins is this true and if they dont then they start cutting your salary by a certain amount of percentage?"


TSss, well, Ryanair should throw its passengers with a parachute before landing and pick up the others passengers with a parachute for each person (paid by themself of course) at the end of the runway and rapidly take off in the opposite runway, and do it again at destination. :D less than 25', for sure!!

Other solution, each plane has got a flashing red/blue light. No slot, and speed limits and priority.

[Kempus]

skyflyer737,

"to put you in a position to carry out the performance of your duties"

An interesting comment but my account is satisfied that I could perfom my duties as a pilot no problem on a Seneca doing air taxi work or as a skydive pilot and by adding the 737 rating, build up my business and allow me to get more customers ie Brookfield/Ryanair. He put along the lines of an accountant wanting to give advice about pensions or investments. Although he has the basic qualification to practice he needs to complete a course to allow him to legally advise, all of which can be offset.

He did state that this is only possible on the Brookfield contract and not the Ryanair training contract so you do need to wait until then.

Only time will tell if this will actually happen but it has been done before by other contractors so fingers crossed eh!

Oh and the wait for base check is now about 3 weeks as thats what stage I'm at, however there are still some guys waiting from the 2nd of Jan to get done! Why they cant let us take an aircraft to the south of France where the weather is nice like any other airline does is beyond me! Instead we wait around for the weather in the UK to give a crosswind component less than 15kts in Jan/Feb! :ugh:

[Mile_Hi]

I think they just need to keep an eye on you after all those alleged "rumours " :mad: about you and the midget in the red light district... letting you loose too far away is asking for trouble.

[veeOne99]

Can anyone who has recently completed a TR at CAE, Amsterdam recommend any accommodation that is clean and tidy near the training complex?

Any help greatly appreciated.

[IRRenewal]

i am in university doing a course in safety management my lectuerer has said that at rynanir pilots are paid a bonus if they manage to do a faster turnaround of 25 mins is this true and if they dont then they start cutting your salary by a certain amount of percentage?

I am afraid your lecturer doesn't know what he is talking about. There is no such bonus for FR pilots (I should know, I am one) neither is there a salary penalty if you don't achieve a 25 minute turn around.

Should make you wonder what other nonsense this lecturer tells you.

[Kempus]

ha! your just jealous you missed out!!

[V-PJ]

Hello everybody!

Just a quick question; I applied for the Ryanair scheme through CAE Amsterdam last month (3-4 weeks ago) but have yet to hear anything back from them. Can anybody tell me how long they normally take to make contact? After all, I thought Ryanair were desperate for pilots!

Thanks,

V-PJ