Why are Airlines starting to sponsor?

[Non Iron Chippy]

Why are certain Airlines like Britannia., British European etc. advertising for sponsored pilots (semi sponsored) when there are so many quailified pilots in the market place?

There are hundreds of qualified pilots who vary in age, ability and experience that can't even get an interview and would love to join one of these operations.

What is the their operational thinking, does it make financial sense to half fund a pilot (£15-£30K, before type conversion) when there is an equivalent there for no expense?

[hptaccv]

...might have something to do with it! Lufthansa also only hires ab-initio pilots from their own pilots school. As a reason they state that it is easier to train someone from the beginning than to familiarise someone already flying with company policy. Also, it allows them to maintain quality of training to their own standards and gives them a heads up about someone not able to perform to standard before they even get in the rh seat of an airliner...

...out of an economical sense I've never undestood it either!

[KingoftheRoad]

It's true.............dead easy to train a cadet to fly an A320 say, then when they are out on line, they 'toe' the line so to speak.
Conversely an ex 737 jockey from another airline, might find the transition a little more difficult. Not because they can't hack the course, but the major problem is un-learning the old type and the 'old company' SOP's. How often do we hear, "we never did it that way in my previous outfit" The impression often given is the way they did it before was better ! Then when out on line there is a tendency to 'drift' back to what they've been doing for the last 'x' years.
A generalisation I know, but may go some way to an insight into some companies thinking and recruitment policy.

[Kefuddle_UK]

Can't help but butt in!

I have to disagree with this 'old dog can't do new tricks' myth completely. I work in an industry where one has to learn constantly to keep up, that industry being IT. In my personal experience I have never come across anybody who appreared not to be able to pick things up because they were highly experienced in some other similar but different technology. Actually the opposite is true. Those who have involved themselves with a wider range of products, technologies and services are nearly always the first to grasp the subtle issues surrounding the use and operation of said items :)

I know ****** all about aviation (just looking at a career change now). But quite obviously the situation is that the Airlines can see a need for alot of new pilots in 12-48 months time (taking into account the number of retirements over the next five years). There already seems to be shortage of Direct Entry Captains which indicates that the Airlines do not consider many of F/Os to be ready for command yet so there is no need to hire F/Os yet. Also, good business sense would be to get young pilots with command potential on board now before it is too late taking into account the 18-24 month latency of ab-initio intake to the commercial flight-deck (training, SOPs and Type Ratings). There is no point hiring experienced pilots yet because there is not the capacity. In time for the need, then qualified F/Os will be interviewed. command potential F/Os being the first into the hot seat). The subsequent vacum at the bottom of the barrel will see plenty of pportunity in turbo-props for low-hour self-improver pilots - at least that is what I am banking on :eek:

Tell me if I am way off beam, I can take it :)

[Bob Fleming]

it's something I've never been able to understand either - a lot of the self sponsored people have been thru exactly the same training as the sponsored cadets, same a/c etc to get a frozen atpl , so apparently saving the airline the cost of funding the licence as well as the risk of flunking.

yet they don't want to know, until the situation gets dire and then there's a knee jerk reaction.

i started a thread on this some time ago which you might like to read....http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65068

laters

[wobblyprop]

Step back a second. If these airlines start sponsoring now, the earlist an ab-inito would be ready is 12-18months ish down the line.

If they are doing the cabair/instructing version they'll be ready in maybe 2.5-3 years.

If airlines really need people before that i'm sure that the current pool of qualified people will be emptied.