Type frozen for 5 years at BA?

[Speedbird744]

When you join BA through the Cadet Scheme and start flying the 757/767, does the pilot have to wait five years before he can fly the 767 on longhaul routes? In other companies does it work the same way with the A320/330?
thanks

[Pielander]

Somebody asked this at my FB. The 744 training captain said he didn't know of anybody who had been strictly held to a 5 year freeze. Basically, if it suits the company, then they'll let you move, especially if the amount of retraining required is minimal. Of couse, you might have some competition from pilots with more seniority than you (i.e. most of them).

[Sick Squid]

The short answer to your first question would be no, Speedbird. Your waiting time for the 767 will be in seniority order anyhow, but not a long time... I've heard of 2 years before, but it doesn't make economic sense to have single rated pilots on a dual-rated fleet

It also makes sense to wait as the 767 is very different in handling terms from the 757, as well as in system layout. How they conned a dual rating escapes me, but.....they did. A bit of consolidation is a good thing, particularly if you are cadet entry on first type.

Your initial freeze is 5 years, and basically within that time the company can do with you as they see fit, including posting you (suitably remunerated, of course) to the Antartica 727 base, should one be set up.

In practice, this can work in your favour, so you should bid as normal every year, and if you are needed more elsewhere, you will be released. However, if you accept from day one that you will be on your first type and base for 5 years, or able to be shoved from pillar to post within that time then you may be pleasantly surprised. A good friend of mine has used this to his advantage and moved rather a lot within the company, initially being released after 2 years.

The "DEP's on 744" thread on Rumours and News relates directly to the initial 5 year freeze, as a whole tranche of 744 copilots were directed onto the 777 against their collective wishes a couple of years back. This is about the only time I've heard of it being applied in this way during my tenure, though I could be wrong.

Hope this helps,

£6

[Thunderbug]

Speedbird 744

Sick Squid is on the money, but maybe I can provide a personal example. In BA the 757 & 767 are run as a single fleet. The 5 year freeze applies to moving away from that fleet. I joined said fleet as a cadet entry. I did my 767 training (1 day ground school, 2 sim sessions and 4 line sectors) 4 months after completing the 757 training. Once qualified on the 767 you can then bid for some longhaul work as not all destinations require ETOPS - such as Dharan and Almaty. I had to wait a further 14 months before getting ETOPS qualified.
It's not in the company's interest to have single type qualified pilots on the fleet as they like the flexibility to substitute 767s on some routes when loads get high or when they need to consolidate two flights on to
one.

Any the wiser?