EK -Which fleet to request

[lospilotos]

I know this has been discussed before, at some length as well, but things change. So, what fleet should one go for if offered a job with EK? (yes yes, I know, they put me on what they need, but hey, you can always ask)

If put on the Airbus, are you stuck with turns to India for a few years while on the 330 or do you get some decent overnights as well? With the 350 coming (sometime) it feel like there is more focus on the Airbus fleet, while they of course ordered some 50 777 as well?

From a pure comfort and ergonomics perspective, are the Airbuses more comfy with the yoke out of the way and replaced by a tray table?

Pros/cons appreciated!

Thanks!
/L.

[donpizmeov]

Just bringing this back to the top. Got the popcorn all ready. :E

the Don

[vfenext]

You can request whatever you want. In the end you will go where you are needed. Short answer to a question that has been done to death here.

[Fart Master]

Hold on Don... Got my extra large supersize me fatboy drink bucket....easing myself into a comfory seat... you may proceed

[145qrh]

Í'll start..:rolleyes:

I would defo go for the Bus.

What's not to like about it:- table, comfy seat, quiet-ish A/c.

[Skylight Dome]

No, the Boeing. It's much bigger and nicer.

[MagicCarpet]

Let’s see. . . . join on the Airbus and spend years shoveling **** in the middle of the night around the Gulf & India in hopes of getting good rosters years in the future, or join on the 777 and have good rosters starting from day one. Hmm?. . . . What to do? . . . What to do? . . .

[ATIS]

Ahhh but are those good 777 rosters likely to continue with the 100 odd A380's in the fleet, cherry picking the decent destinations. If Lagos floats your boat then fair play to you.

[jack schidt]

Boeing is by far the best entry aircraft at this time. However in 2 years you will wish you chose the airbus.

You can look at all the reasons of pros and cons airbus or boeing but my reply is purely lifestyle and not type.

A343 A332 will be all gone within 2 years which means the Boeing will be doing its current jollies as well as picking up all the crap the bus boys do today. The A345 will remain(for the time being) but most of the bus drivers will go to the A380 which is BY FAR the senior flying club/fleet to be on for excellent day flying and decent trips.

Regarding the A350, I believe that EK might be considering dumping the order of the 900 (they wanted the 1000 and the 900 is now delayed anyway). Boeing have the 787 flying and a 777 made with 787 technology will be far superior than the A350, so you see that EK is going to become...... A380 prime layovers or boeing nice layovers with all the crap to dilute the fun. Future expansion would be a mix of A350/1000 or 777/787 hybrids and the 90+ A380s.

I hope this helped (stir up the crap???)

[helen-damnation]

Grow a massive pair of Bolleaux, front up and say you want direct onto the "Gay 180" :}

Doesn't hurt to try :ooh:

I'll get my hat, incoming...

[lospilotos]

Except the first couple of posts, thanks, food for thought...

[GShocker]

I recall that they said in the psychometric test/interview day that they wouldn't recruit people to A330/340's anymore because they're phasing out the type. Therefore there would only be left 777 and 380 I suppose...

I don't know whether that is the whole true or not but also what I've been hearing is that whatever they give you, you should take it. It's their way or highway I guess... :)

[MagicCarpet]

Several points. . .

Emirates is most definitely still hiring into the 330. The seniority list shows 11 new joiners started on the 330 just 13 days ago. (poor green bastards are probably still walking around grinning thinking they’ve hit the jackpot)

It is my opinion that the 330 will be around another 5 years or so. Emirates makes a lot of money flying people around the Gulf & India in the middle of the night, and the 330 is a perfect machine for those miserable night turns.

I think the 350 is a 330/340 replacement the way the 787 is replacement for the 767, not the 777 or 747. I would expect the 350 will mostly end up doing the crap flying the 330/340 is doing now.

I think the other function of the 350 will be to supply FOs to the 380, not to replace or supplant the 777 in any meaningful way.

Going to the right seat of the 380 is no silver bullet. It will delay your upgrade, and when you do, it’s back to the little bus shoveling **** in the middle of the night around the Gulf & India.

God knows how long it will take you to get to the left seat of the 380. My guess is twice as long as it takes to become a 777 captain with a similar lifestyle.

If you do eventually make 380 captain, you’re stuck in a machine that few other airlines fly, so it’s harder to go off and be a DEC somewhere else the way the 777 guys can.

I think if you turn down the 330 and say you are only interested in the 777 they will put you in a 777 class. They just need guys too badly right now to pass on someone who made it through selection. I could be wrong, but that’s what I’d do.

[fatbus]

I think you will find the 330/343 gone in less than 5 years, as stated by AS in Dec. Before the 350 does the crap 330 flying the 777 will do it (older 300ers and 2 class ) , 380 right to left is going to happen sooner than you think, if you look at total AC numbers a new joiner will up grade faster on the airbus ( most likely the 380), if the 359 is delayed it might just get CNX hence the additional 777 order to protect be caught with no new AC,355-1000 2017 EIS is way out there right now.

Has anyone heard about the 330 to 777 be cnx? Or did anyone see a list?

Outstanding job of manpower planning !!

[donpizmeov]

I have heard that to Fatbus. Rumour says reduced pilot numbers needed on 777 now because they are changing more 777 ULR to 380. Time will tell.

[MagicCarpet]

I think you will find the 330/343 gone in less than 5 years, as stated by AS in Dec. Before the 350 does the crap 330 flying the 777 will do it (older 300ers and 2 class ) , 380 right to left is going to happen sooner than you think, if you look at total AC numbers a new joiner will up grade faster on the airbus ( most likely the 380), if the 359 is delayed it might just get CNX hence the additional 777 order to protect be caught with no new AC,355-1000 2017 EIS is way out there right now.

Has anyone heard about the 330 to 777 be cnx? Or did anyone see a list?

Outstanding job of manpower planning !!

Fatbus I applaud your optimism for the prospects of the Little Bus drivers. I mean it sincerely. You do a great job of keeping up hope for the guys on the 330/340 fleet.

I still politely disagree.

The 330 will hang around until the 350s start trickling in, if for no other reason than to feed the right seat of the 380. With typical new aircraft launch delays, I expect that to be about 5 years from now.

Without a little bus EK would have only 2 places to get 380 FOs. Off the street or out of the right seat of the 777.

And I don’t think EK will send long & ultra long range Boeing aircraft on short to mid range routes when the 330/340/350 are better suited to the job.

Magic

PS- I concur on the Airbus to Boeing transfers. They wouldn’t be hiring 330 FOs if the transfers were going to happen.

[Praise Jebus]

More pop corn Don?

The common link between the responses so far is they all use words like "if" or "when" in other words no one has a clue what will happen tomorrow. Witnessed by the reversal of transfers AB to 777, when was that announced, two months ago? So how can you give advice, really, unless it's based on a tray table. I would suggest joining on the fleet that gives you the best life style today, as that will make settling in a slightly more pleasant experience. After that, deal with the negatives as all fleets will have them so they will be the same. I have no idea which fleet has the best life style for you, I don't know which has the best for anyone. Who cares......they pay the same. Just be happy you got the gig and expect changes on a regular basis and the rest won't matter.

[lospilotos]

Nice clip! He´s giving that joystick a good workout...

[GoAround_Flaps20]

SDU (Santos Dumont - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has the most beautiful visual approach I've ever seen. And the RWY is only 1200 meters long. Tricky and pleasant operation!

GoAround_Flaps20

[junglie-driver]

Anyone know what the tunes are on the video? Cheers

[Kernow 101]

Could you give me the YouTube link for this? Thanks

[MagicCarpet]

Is there a version of the video going into Hyderabad or maybe Thiruvananthapuram at 3:45am during monsoon season? Maybe overlaid with some of that Bollywood music with one of those girl singers with the high voice? Night turns to India is, after all, what they’ll be doing the majority of the time if they join on the 330, not going to Brazil.

[MagicCarpet]

Factually correct, but remember. . .

1 per day to Larnaca/Malta and most other decent A330 destinations.
2 per day (or more) to most Indian & Gulf destinations.

The 330 did pick up Dublin and Saigon and even a bit of Hong Kong, so maybe EK is trying to even things out a bit.

[Wizofoz]

The 330 did pick up Dublin and Saigon and even a bit of Hong Kong, so maybe EK is trying to even things out a bit.

They don't do equipment assignment based on being nice to Pilots. Most new destinations go to the 'Bus because it's the smallest.

When they build up enough traffic to justify it, they go to the 777 (we pick up Prague next month and Dublin in October).

Of coures, then WE lose the prime routes to the Dugong after a while...

[MagicCarpet]

Same old story then. The 330 does the foreplay and the 777 comes in for the. . . . well, . . . you know :{

[sheikhmahandy]

:cool: I think the term is...........money shot...........:D

[Iver]

While nobody can predict the future, what is the likelihood that the trip7 will be replaced by the fatbus on all major European and North American routes? Yes, I know the fatbus cannot make LA or SFO nonstop from Dubai at present. If that hurdle is jumped, what is the likelihood that all Europe and North American routes will be served by the fatbus eventually?

I recall reading how the EK CEO wants the fatbus on a great majority of those routes due to slot pressures and increasing demand. I have seen the interview articles where that was clearly stated (although I realise things change). So, simple question and not trying to stir the pot: with appropriate range eventually for the fatbus and so much needed capacity in highly-sensitive slot-constrained routes (i.e., major Euro cities and Canada), will the majority of trip7 then be relgated to 2nd and 3rd tier markets like the A330 is now?

I guess only time will tell........

[fatbus]

Fact : until the productivity was changed, which was about the same time as the 777 started doing ULR the little bus was by far way better than the 777.
First 3years on the 330 @ 60-70 hr doing daytime Europe, could not get any better.The 380 will take all the good 777 flts in time and with the increased T/O wt ALL on NA.

An update or change in A350 order could shed light on things as to the future routes of 777/350

[falconeasydriver]

The 380 will take all the good 777 flts in time and with the increased T/O wt ALL on NA.

Hmmmm, if it it means taking all of LHR and MAN, I won't complain, neither with respect to NA. Having said that, realistically, how many of our present destinations are A380 capable? I realize this will increase in time, but do you SERIOUSLY believe the 380 will be doing all the plum trips? I don't, if it did, there wouldn't be an order for the numbers of 777's that there are.
The 380 will be placed on routes where its increased capacity fits the frequencies required, the 777 will supplement these offering the frequency of service outside of peak capacity requirements, MAN is a perfect case in point, as is JFK.