Hi
I have tried to revive a thread in the Wannabes aboutf BACE's selection process but without any joy.
Thought I ll try my luck here so here it goes:
Is there anyone who could feed me on Stage one of the selection.
I have successfully passed the application form bit but haven't been given a date yet.
Does anyone knows how long should I expect to wait before I hear more ?
Also, I have 2000 hours, 450 turbine, 1700 hours PIC. What are new entrants going onto at the moment (if indeed BACE is taking on rather than just creating a pool) ?
And how quickly/lengthy will be my time before I get a command (rough estimate is fine as I understand how the industry works;))
Tips appreciated, pros and cons too
Red Snake
14th Oct 2002, 09:27
The reason you're not getting many replies is probably that no one really knows. Almost all the current pilots have come from Brymon, BRAL or BAR. The BACX selection process is new & not familiar to most of us but I've heard it's along the lines of the BA process - the IPA may have some up to date info. (they've been very helpful to me over the years) . People have been selected into a holding pool, I think. There are not many new joiners flying the line - the low houred pilots have mostly come though the BA cadet prgramme.
We've just gone through some major reshuffling of bases and fleets post FSAS & the dust hasn't settled yet - there seems to be crew shortages on some fleets & bases, & surplases on others but this should sort itself out before long & maybe we'll see the bigger picture then.
We did advertise for J41 captains a few weeks ago, so that would suggest an expected shortage there, but I heard we'd had hundreds & hundreds of applications (for any aircraft/base) & there certainly aren't that many openings.
Time to command is a guess right now. It used to be quite quick on the turbo props as people wanted to move on to bigger things. Turbo prop commands are faster. Jet commands at certain bases are dead men's shoes.
Sorry I can't be more specific, but good luck!
Thanks Red Snake for the reply and I know what you mean by the new recruitment process being unkown to most.
A mate of mine joined just before it all changed so he couldn't tell me much about the new format either.
I guess there isn't a real rush for infos as I haven't been invited to attend an interview yet so perhaps the best way to approach it is to wait until it happens and go with an open mind.
Thanks for reminding me the useful database the IPA has to offer. I am a member of the "other one" and wonder if they have such thing too.
Keep'em coming !!
Turbine1
14th Oct 2002, 22:42
Dear Mr Amex
I’ am replying to you’re latest thread regarding the BRACE application process and selection criteria
Having thoroughly researched this process for many years with many different company’s it is with great pleasure that I will share my experiences with you in first succeeding in the application stage, through to the initial interview followed by the psychometric test, maths tests verbal reasoning and finally the simulator ride.
The most important process in gaining that first interview is the application form, beit either a simple form such as the type you receive from Tesco, to the more in depth application form as seen in the likes of Citiexpress and BA.
The approach to such a long-winded form when it first arrives is don’t open it; this will only **** you off put it in the draw somewhere well away so you don’t see it after about 3 months go back to the draw retrieve the relevant document.
Congratulations you have now passed the initial stage 1.
Stage 1. Delaying the Application form
Stage 2. Filling in the Application form
There are varied approaches to this process, after wiping clean the form from your tears, the name stage is quite simple (I Hope) then we get to the school details which can be tough if you left education 30 years ago and only went to junior school, this can be bypassed with “I went to the university of life” answer, I found this one useful throughout the years but I must stress this approach didn’t actually get me an interview, sorry I tell I lie, I got asked to attend a McDonalds open day.
Flying hours is probably the next stage, now we all been there answers to the question, hours in the last six months, now if you work in a non-aviation environment this answer can be difficult, 50 hours in your mini is I’m afraid is not going to count.
I found that a good substitute is the Sunday afternoon walking the dog in the local park, model flying. This is a very cheap and enjoyable way to attend the afternoon and you can be very creative with the parker pen. I must stress that 3000 hours in the space shuttle may flag up a small discrepancy.
That leads me on to the next part of the form the innate question regarding “why do you want to work for the sun shine’s from my arse airlines. What can you say , yes I want to work for your company because I need a bloody job. The other questions like, please describe a time when you faced a difficult or unexpected challenge in you life, well t’was a bit difficult getting out of bed this morning the postman and the milkman arrived at the same time, bloody difficult.
What has influenced your choice of career, what step have you taken to develop appropriate skills and qualifications and how do you foresee your career developing.
Well what haven’t I done? Worked 3 jobs to get enough money to pay for the flying training and ground school, the exams, spent years working in dead end jobs whilst the likes of Dw’y unsettles the world economy creating yet another cycle of job cuts and forgone expansions. Rant over.
References
Using the mad women down the street who walks here cat Is probably not the best person to use nor is the milkman for that matter. Just a word of advice.
Congratulation you have managed to complete the application form it has only taken you 4 months and 30 photocopies later.
In summary
Take your time, think about what you want to say and write 30 different copies.
The Interview.
There are very different interview techniques that the airlines like to employ, the most common is the 3-stage process which includes an assessment day, to see if you can write and tell the time.
If you are successful they will invite you back for the second stage which can include a group exercise which could run along the lines, “you own a strip club what can you do to encourage more business”?
What have leant from such exercises? make your point don’t shout and have a laugh and just relax, don’t relax to much you might just fall off the chair.
The third stage, the interview, this depends on the company could be with just the Chief pilot and if your unlucky the HR manager a pilot manger and the tea lady.
Some take apart your life asking questions from your application form, some asking probing question regarding technical details from the pilots friend Flying the Big Jets.
I normally went for the more technical detail of the Cessna 150; you could read that in an afternoon great stuff.
Well now we get to the Simulator ride, this is down to you now. Various companies employ different techniques regarding this process, most I’m afraid comes down to cost.
Some will put you in a full motion sim of the same type you are being interviewed for, some will put you in a Microlight sim that’s been tweak to handle like a 747 on steroids. The later can be bit difficult unless you’re got to time in a Blade 912.
Congratulations you’re passed
Now comes the most important detail the contract………………read it before you sign it, in this environment final salary pension are a thing of the passed, health care, loss of driving licence and do I have to pay for my uniform are questions you would want to ask.
Time to command? How old are you now? if the answer is 30, time to command 20 years, 40 time to command 50 years and so on, you get my point.
I hope this information is of help in the up coming interviews.
Rrgds
;)