RAF DEPs to BA [Archive]

Hot Wings

29th Jul 2001, 22:50

Rumour has it that 12 of the DEPs coming on to the 744 at BA are RAF helicopter pilots. Has anyone else heard this?

I would have thought that it would be more appropriate to send them to the 737 or the A320 to cut their teeth. I just can't see that the 744, with 1 or 2 landings a month, is a good place to start your civilian fixed wing flying career.

Perhaps the military will allow me to play with an AH64 on my days off ;)

Hot Wings

Pickled

30th Jul 2001, 00:45

I understood that they were all going shorthaul, but would appreciate further info.

BavarianBoy

30th Jul 2001, 18:44

Thought you had to be zero flight time for long haul?? Is that not a 1000 hrs jet transport over 25000kg? Could be wrong though.
Rgds BB

Chaos

30th Jul 2001, 21:58

min 1000hrs >80 tons to be considered for anything bigger than the 'bus.

Hot Wings

30th Jul 2001, 22:54

I heard about it from a training captain on the 400. Perhaps they won't be ZFT?

BEATTIE

31st Jul 2001, 01:29

What's the problem with a helicopter pilot going straight to the 747..when I moved down from flying helicopters to "commercial fixed wing" there was not much of a problem. Indeed all the ex rotary pilots I know have all gained accelereted commands and the ones I fly as my F/Os are considerably better pilots than those pilots who have not flown rotary. Those of you who think of helicopter pilots as inferior should ask the DFO of BA to see how easy he found it when he had a go with the RN!

Sean Dell

31st Jul 2001, 11:50

Beattie, my Dad's an ex chopper pilot and he's rubbish at MS Flight sim!

alterego

31st Jul 2001, 13:12

I recently did stage one DEP (stage 2 on 11-8-01) and was told there that all military pilots will be going shorthaul to start with.
Doesn't effect me but RAF guys there were 'hacked' off!

Mowgli

31st Jul 2001, 16:04

The logic is that if you only do one or two landings a month, then per year, there's less chance of porking one!

I agree with Hot Wings in that on long haul you would not get much practice so line training would take longer with less continuity etc.

I think it's best to cut your teeth on shorthaul and then move to longhaul, but many people go straight from mil helos to longhaul without a problem.