Has anyone applied to BA more than once ?

[wtpurser]

I've just re-applied to BA after 15mths and was wondering what everyone else put in their second application form. Was it just roughly the same as the last or was a totally re-worked one called for ?

Mine didn't really change that much as nothing has really changed or is different from the last time. (apart from my age !)

Some feedback would be really interesting to see what approaches have worked for a second time applicant. How much or little of your original application did you keep ?

Appreciate any contributions...

WT.

[Pielander]

Good question wt. I'd just like to add to that - Has anybody not got as far the second time as the first time? http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif (Sobering thought, and I just hate being sober :))

Pie

[wtpurser]

Good Call Pie,

Bring on those replies...It will help
us all !

[tunneler]

Well this is my 3rd time in 3 years.

On both previous attempts I reached the FB (and this time too) so i hope to god that I get in!

Hope this helps

B

[wtpurser]

Yeah thats great Tunn, but what did you do for your application form. Did you do a completely different one or did you keep it roughly the same ????


Keep trying thats what I say, and if anyone tells you're flogging a dead horse then tell them to sod off. You have to be pushy and keep trying thats the only way that you will suceed.

[streamer]

I applied for the second time and have my first stage assessment in 2 weeks.

My application form remained substantially similar to my first one.

The only big addition was that I went to oz got myself a job at a flying school and now proudly hold a PPL.

I think that as long as you have shown you haven't sat on your arse for a year, and that your answers you give on the form are the most relevant, and you can argue this on an interview then there shoul dbe no problem.

All mine remained the same apart from the section about BA's continued commercial success, obviously things change in a year.

Hope this helps.

All the best

[ROTATION]

I failed the verbal reasoning test on both my attempts at BA.
There are other schemes available however :) so make sure you apply for them all!
My application form second time round was about 70% identical with new examples taken from work/experiences from the previous 12 months, did the trick for me! Could come across as slightly lazy if you reproduce last years form in its entirety although don't they bin application forms after 12 months?

[tunneler]

Ehm - application form was more or less the same for each attempt.

First time zero hours, 2nd time about 14 hours, 3rd time JAR PPL with 50 hours and a class one medical.

If it goes tits up this time I'm off to sunny spain.

Hope this helps.

B

[wtpurser]

Great replies folks !

yes thats right, they hold applicants forms for one year then they welcome re-applications after that period.

Most of my experiences were at school with a few elsewhere the reason being I'm only 19 and got down to the second stage tests at 18. So nothing much has changed since then.

Keep them coming, I think this is a really useful post for those re-appliers !

When did you send your form off Streamer ??

[This message has been edited by wtpurser (edited 20 April 2001).]

[Viking 1]

Assessment first time and no further, applied second time and turned down...arse.

BM twice, you have pilot aptitude but on this occasion.....blah.....blah.

Cabair, just go away....

Air2000, got no class 1 yet.

Sod em all, I going to work me arse off and pay for the hole shaabang myself, then I'll show em. They must be anti Welsh or something racists.

[Rusty Cessna]

Racist- No they are not.

[Goldfinger]

Have applied to BA three times. Got to the FB. In each application it was pretty much the same stuff. The difference being changes to info relevant to BA, such as economics, strategy, routes, aircraft etc. Most especially ECONOMICS though. Have now grown old and bald (nearly) and decided to do all the training myself, only for BA wanting me to re-apply again !! Don't increase your hours too much and talk to people such as the Air League. Having one of their sponsorships could help.

[Perfect PFL]

I'm about to fill in my application form for the third year in a row. The first and second attempts I got to FB each time. As for the application forms, they were almost identical, as I sent them off in my second year, then third year, at uni. Nothing much had changed in the way of experiences in that time, so there was not much to change.
Hopefully this time I will have more luck through the selection process as since I last went I have got my class 1 medical, done my PPL, and been working for six months now in the aviation industry as a research scientist.
I am slightly worried about how much flying experience they want, as I spent my three years at uni in the UAS, and have since done my PPL, so have a fair number of hours now, but I have been restrained not to do too many so far (about 140hrs at the moment I think).
Good luck to all those that are going for their second, third, ... , attempts, don't give up. :)

[great expectations]

I have applied twice. Failed my first attempt at Final Board stage, passed second time. No flying hours either time, 19 years old, application slightly different second time because I had more experience and better examples. Perhaps thats the point?? x

[wtpurser]

Thats really interesting stuff guys.

Still waiting to get down to LHR for the tests, depending the results of my application form...Here's hoping !

[DeltaTango]

When I go my..."we are sorry" letter, they pointed out that due to the huge response they do not keep they application files, so I suppose you can write anything you please the next time you apply.

hope this helps

DT

[wtpurser]

That is a help, cheers DT !

Did you phone up to see why that had not taken you on further ?

[Jetset Willy]

Applied 3 times. The first time I got straight through to final board, but the subsequent 2 times I failed at the aptitudes stage.

Well the second time I applied, I passed all the aptitudes except the short little maths test. The third time I applied, I made sure that I really got up to speed on the Maths, answered most of the questions correctly, and know I did much better that the first 2 times. Yet after getting the results, again I had failed the Maths, but passed everything else.

I found this quite strange, as the tests have not changed at all in my opinion, and I'm sure I did better at these each time. Yet the first time I sat them, I had no experience of them, yet got straight to Final board.

Something I noticed though was that on subsequent aptitudes, BA stress that you must let them know if you have ever sat these tests previously. Does anyone know why this is so important they know this?
Could they perhaps weight the results somehow against someone that has sat them before? (perhaps to provide a so called level playing field?)
This could explain how I got through them first time, but not on subsequent attempts?

Or maybe I just suffer from brain loss! :)

[wtpurser]

Are you gonna try again JW ?

[DeltaTango]

NO I did'nt.

"unfortunately"-now I'm a CPL with 300 which means that i don't qualify for all these schemes and I can't apply for direct entry because I'm considerate-I would'nt want them to get a heart attack laughing their pants of.......oh well, a pilots gotta do what a pilots gotta do-keep FLYING BABY!!!!!!!!


good luck to ya all.

:)DT :)

[wtpurser]

whats your options or route now DT ?

[tigershark1]

I have re-applied for the second time as well and I know that they do keep the old applications on file. It took them 2 weeks to come back with the assessment centre date. Bring on the aptitude tests....does everyone else tend to slip up on the verbal??
(I actually misplaced my original form so had to re-write the bl''dy thing, takes ages so a bit of advise never lose copies!)

[Quicksilver]

Just a brief one, but out of interest...

How many of you who got to the FB and failed asked for and got feedback, also what format did it take.

I think I would be very nervous getting to the FB for the 2nd or 3rd time, not knowing where I fell last time.

Quick

[Jetset Willy]

wtpurser, too right I'm gonna apply again! :) It'll be my final shot at it though, as I'll be too old after that!

[MikeSierra]

Applied twice,
First time only got through to the aptitudes..Now have my FB next week...(I'm SCAAAAARED!!! ) :)
Personally, didn't change the examples on the app. However, did change a lot of the wording and they way things were presented also more hours towards my PPL.
Hope it works this time!


------------------
G-XX...finals and hopefully land!

[tigershark1]

Good luck MS and let us know how it goes....i have not had the FB yet so it would be cool to know what happens :)

T

[great expectations]

Last year I phoned them up and requested feedback. The HR consultant who had been present at my interview called me up at an arranged time and spent about 45 minutes discussing my FB with me. I found everything he said incredibly encouraging and honest and above all it was very fair. I kept notes of all he said and it gave me a great place to start off from when it came to improvements. Its the best thing you can do when you fail - it makes you feel better and it helps you see everything very clearly in retrospect! xx

[3g Pullup]

I've applied to BA twice now...third time around at the end of this year.

First time...failed the verbal reasoning test. Second time, 'displayed lack of motivation' (!!!) at the interview during my final board. I know this because I wrote to BA asking for feedback, and a nice chap from BA phoned me around a month later. 'Nice' I hear you cry...well, yes he was! He went through the whole process with me (using the notes made during my FB) and highlighted the area I fell down in. He also told me to MAKE SURE I ANSWER THE WHOLE QUESTION (i.e. what you did, how you did it, what the outcome was) when discussing my experiences concerning Team work, Communication, etc, (I nearly fell down there).

Going back to the original point though...75% of my answers were the same (or were very similar). By this I mean that some of the examples were the same as in my previous examples, but, if they were, I started from scratch when describing them. Interestingly though, during my feedback, the BA guy said that they do not keep a copy of your form once you have 'been through the process'; whether it be successfully or unsuccessfully.

Hope this helps...

Good luck to all..

3g

[Pandora]

Just a few points from someone on the other side of the fence.

If you got to the final board last time but were found to be a little short in some way, make sure if you get to the FB next time you are able to tell them, with examples, what you have been doing since last time and why you are so much better this year. Lots of people get in second time round but only after improving themselves in some way.

Another thing - where exactly does the idea come from that BA doesn't want too much flying? My apologies if it comes from BA but between applying and being told I was successful I clocked up 125 hrs. The interviewer was quite happy with the explanation that you cannot pin all of your hopes on BA and there is no time like the present to get an hour closer to your dream. In fact, if you want to fly that much (money notwithstanding) is there any good reason for spending 3 years applying to BA and not spending a little time flying? In the grand scheme of things a few hours isn't going to hurt you. It didn't hurt my application.

So go and enjoy some guilt free flying. :)

[wtpurser]

It is good news ! Going down on the 30th July for an 'interview' according to the lady I spoke to. Maybe she mean't tests, who knows ! But at least that date gives me time to prepare.

Whoooooo Hoooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone else with same date ?

[This message has been edited by wtpurser (edited 26 April 2001).]

[DeltaTango]

wtpurser-all the best of luck to ya mate....

keep us informed...


:)DT :)

[wtpurser]

Cheers DT, will do.

[AMS]

Hi Guys,

Well I am applying for the second time. I intend to keep the examples similar to what I had written lat time, as I have done the same things again this year. The things that has changed is my Flying experience, prof exams, and Class 1.

Hopefully I shall see you there soon..wtpurser!!!

Thanks

AMS

[Perfect PFL]

Pandora - glad that you think that having 130 odd hours shouldn't be a problem for BA. I agree completely with what you say, if we are trying to prove to them that we really want to fly, that what better way than having spent most of your spare money paying to do it yourself. Also, as you say as well, we all need something to fall back on if we aren't successful with BA, both so that we can apply for the part sponsorship out there which require PPL + hrs, and so that we are that bit closer to doing it all ourselves.

Good luck to everyone going for the selection.

[Rizla]

Just to go back to Quicksilvers point regarding feedback, is anyone trying to get feedback from FB at the moment with any success? I've been told my records and FB notes have gone missing and they can't find them. Obviously I am wanting to know why I failed so I can rectify it next year and also its really annoying me not knowing.

What has everyone else's attempts at getting feedback led to?

Rizla

[EGPFlyer]

With regards to getting feedback.

I sent a letter requsting feedback as soon as i found out that i had failed the FB. About a month or so later, i got a phone call from the woman from HR who had done my interview...We spoke for about 15-20 mins going through everything that i had done that day and what the good bits were and which bits i had screwed up. :)
For those who havent yet asked for feedback, do it! Its essential that you know what you need to improve on for the next time.

Hope this helps :)

P

[TEMP0+TSRAGR]

1988 BA CEP - not even invited for tests.
1989 BA CEP - got to FB

1989 - 1991 -Applied to ALL other schemes, ie. Midland, Brittania, Cabair/Air UK etc .

Kept working on my hours, did some US hour's and an FAA IR etc on holiday from full time computer/engineering job.

1992 - Excepted on Cabair part self improver sponsorship to work as an instructor for 2 years. (ie. CPL/AFI later QFI rating, did 1000 hours instructing).

1995 - Paid for my own IR.
Air UK turbo prop job YEAAHAA !

1996 - Air UK promotion to a shinney jet !

1996 - BA DEP - not even an invite down.

1997 - BA DEP - final board no further.

1998 - BA DEP - final board - PASSED !!!
after 10 years of trying I was in !!!

2000 - after TWO painfull years in the BA
hold pool I finally got a call up for
a LHR shorthaul position.
I had >5000 hours at this point and
had lost my hair !!!!

THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING IN LIFE, DONT EVER, EVER GIVE UP - YOU WILL GET THERE EVENTUALLY !!!!!!




[This message has been edited by TEMP0+TSRAGR (edited 29 April 2001).]