Business Aviation Asia (BAA)

[IDpilot]

Hello,

Is there someone on this board who flys for BAA, has interviewed or knows anything about this company? If you could post on this thread or PM me all or any information you know about the company I would appreciate it.

Thanks

IDpilot

[IDpilot]

This must be good news if nobody is talking bad about them!

[bizjetbus]

I have also been looking for information on the company and two of the agencies, Smile and WASINC, that are recruiting for BAA, but so far very little info on any of them....

[junkyardfreightdog]

I spoke with some guys at wasinc about BAA. They said it is a full time job where you live in china, not a rotation where you could airline home every X amount of weeks etc..Also they said it takes about 6 months to get your chinese validation after you are hired. The numbers for pay for a guy that isn't current and qualified in a specific type are on the low side in my opinion. But alas that is their justification, lower pay since they have to pay for training. I also believe it is a 3 year training agreement again if you don't show up with your own training.

[IDpilot]

Thanks for the info freightdog.

[FrankR]

Since pilots here will talk S&^% about getting a free ,,,, (use your imagination) and no one has a single bad thing to say, it should speak volumes about BAA.

My only caveat is that you should NOT use the agencies. They add nothing. Send me a new $20 and I'll give you the email for the BAA guy doing all the hiring.

oops, maybe they have one of those web-sites things... All the hiring is done out of Shenzhen.. Call and ask for Caleb.

One big plus is that at BAA, when you go out for dinner, you don't have to say "Hey, lets go have Chinese food" you just say "Hey, lets go have food"

[FrankR]

A few more comments about China,

Getting a China license is like ordering pork fried rice. Sometimes you get it in 5 minutes, sometimes half an hour.

Study the FAA ATP 121 written!!!

Finally, what is the going pay rate "for a guy that isn't current and qualified in a specific type"?

[Chalidriver]

Watch your 6

May June, around 30 pilots left BAA.......

[Klimax]

30 pilots left BAA.

Where did they go to?

[Chalidriver]

Mostly to HK, several operators, also managed aircrafts are leaving now...

Be very careful where you step inn, specially as for the contract and tax issues...

[pjevs]

screening china

why is all Screening cancelled in china from CAAC??

[777Efoh]

Flying the ACJ for BAA

Hi,

I've just been contacted for a possible job on the ACJ for BAA. Would appreciate any info on the company, base, roster and the usual T&Cs for a Captain position.

PM me if you wish.

Thanks!

[FrankR]

I hear that BAA has 3 ACJ's (?). The crews (Pilots and inflight) are easy to get along with.

Most ACJ guys are Chinese, as opposed to the biz jet crews, who tend to be mostly westerners. I hear it's old school, the Captains get waited on hand and foot by the FAs, and some crews smoke whilst in flight (I can't confirm this).

All the ACJ's are B reg, so you will have to get your B license.

Hope this helps

FR

[777Efoh]

Thanks FR. Any idea why the turnover is so high with BAA or is it due to expansion? Seems like they are the only one always putting up job ads.

Pampered by the FAs?! That part of old school I like! As for crew smoking inflight, as a Captain, surely you can tell the F/O to not do it?

I think one of the biggest problems with flying jobs in China are always going to be contractual issues and tax. Salary paid off-shore will alleviate some wrt tax.

[FrankR]

Not sure where the post about the number of pilots leaving got their info from. This summer, there were two managed aircraft from Hong Kong who left for HK management companies, a few guys who left for positions at management companies in HK, and a few guys who got postings in the states, but the number I hear is around 10 guys left in 3 months, not 30 in one month...

BAA gets far more aircraft than the rest of the HK guys put together. They and Deerjet are the big players. Your position is very secure at either, as long as you are not a huge jerk who openly rants on about things. On one hand, you will need to learn to do things the Chinese way, and on the other, you avoid the reactionary tantrums and drama you so often find being served up by the expat managers in Hong Kong.

Take your pick, and enjoy the flying. The pay is about the same!

- and it's the old school Chinese Captains who are first to whip out the cancer sticks, not the expats or the FO's or FA's.

FR

[Hoggin]

What?

It would appear that there is some misinformation going on here. As I understand it, there is no smoking in BAA planes. 121 planes yes but not BAA.

Wasinc is terrible. There are several options available to someone looking to get on with BAA. Direct is certainly an option. Caleb, at BAA, is a rough one but thats about it. The rest of the company is good.

BAA is stable and probably will be for a long time. Whoever posted about A/C leaving for Hong Kong was right and its pretty insignificant. Deerjet and BAA are probably the biggest in China. Deerjet is a little ghetto so if you had the choice you would be better off going with BAA.

I would avoid WASINC at all costs.

[FrankR]

Hoggin is spot on here, at least according to everything I've heard and seen.

For all you gents looking to move to China, here are a few current observations seen by me and my mates who fly in the region in the last month:

All the companies have some quirky recruiter. They ask for the same thing over and over, and ignore you for a month, then email you to come to China tomorrow night to take the CAAC written. Just smile be nice, and it will work out. Recruitment is your first big test!!!

But you should ONLY deal direct, avoid ALL the middle men staffing companies at ALL costs, as I've seen guys who were in a tight spot get tossed directly under the bus by their procuring company.

BAA just fired one of their intermediary companies as the guy was withholding pay from pilots for several weeks each month.

Bill Z just screwed a 605 guy who was in a tight spot with Donghai jet concerning some issues that could have been worked out easily.

Another guy named "Universal something" just hired some guys to crew an airplane and is paying them about 60% of what the management company pays other pilots on type... (Yes, all management companies everywhere pay you less than they charge the client).

To review:
Recruitment company = Typical snake oil salesman shyster
AOC holder = Awkward, frustrating, much better once in the door.

Hope this helps,

FR

[Dash 7 Rider]

Send me a PM with your questions and I do my best to answer them.

[Springbok614]

I tried to apply to BAA a while ago through WASINC but was told that CAAC will not validate my license due to my passport and thus my country, South Africa, not having diplomatic relations with China! They have had diplomatic relations since 94. Confused.

[ivapilot]

BAA Interview

I m going next week to HKG to interview BAA and to do the medical examination and writen test with CCAC

I will appreciate any information about it...

Thanks a lot!!