Ops interview with Excel - any info?
 

Hi guys & gals,

I have an interview TOMORROW with Excel Airways to work as an Operations Assistant. I have a frozen ATPL but want to gain experience in an airline Ops department in the meantime whilst looking for work as a pilot. I think I will like the hard and varied work.

I am very excited about this opportunity and was wondering if anyone reading this could let me know more about the job and what it involves. Any tips would be appreciated.

Cheers x

yeah, dont mention you wonna be a pilot!!

not a good idea mate. No airline will employee you knowing you will eff-off as soon as a flying job comes up. :)

SPFlyer .... really? :eek: Im getting an FAA Dispatcher's Licence soon and hope to have some interviews during the summer ... you dont think i should say something like "I would like to see myself in a few years as a First Officer on one of your aircraft" ...?? Bad idea? :\

Well I had the interview this morning and think it went really well. We discussed my flying licence but the job is only for their summer period anyway so it works out well. I really want the job, sounds great and a nice bunch of people to work for. Fingers crossed!

FLY HALF

Glad the interview went well.A great place to work and great
guys to work with.Hard work but rewarding.A very busy summer
ahead and not for the faint-hearted
And don't worry,we all take our turns at making tea!!
Work hard,play hard,and who knows what is on the horizon?
A great place to learn,and when you do become a pilot,you will
know how hard it is to keep the aircraft in the air.
Let us know how it all went

FFD,

Yes, I do think it's a bad idea.

It takes a lot of time, money and effort to train Ops bods. People really dont appreciate spending 2-3 years getting you fully trained, only for you to jump the fence to where you think the grass is greener and then they have to start all over again.

If you are honest from the outset, then maybe. But surely this can only go against you at interview stage?

Some of the best Ops Officers are wanabee pilots an ATPL is a good footing and sets a good standard. plus some of the best pilots are ex Ops Officers... it goes both ways If the Ops world had a proper certified training scheme and licensed us all then you wouldn’t have the problem of training people who jump ship.... but then if you had to have a licence then the smaller pay peanuts companies would have no staff and the wanabee pilots with frozen ATPL`s would be still be exploited........ I don’t know what is the answer. Ohh and I aint a pilot:ugh:

And just to put the cat firmly amongst the pigeons, some of the WORST Ops Officers are also wannabe pilots, so don't assume ATPL = Good Ops Bod. I work in OPS at a large North-Western airport and I have learnt my stuff over a number of years, sticking it out whilst the wannabees come and go - I agree that the ATPL sets a high standard but there is no substitute for well-placed knowledge and years of job experience.

Off my soapbox now,

PHX

Well I got the job anyway. Nice to see people's comments after my initial posting, thanks. I'm looking forward to working in Ops very much and I have only ever heard positive things about working for Excel. Cheers!

Good on you, I also have recently just got a job as an Operations Assistant for flybe. (British European).
I look forward to the challenges that lye ahead, you don't realise just how much goes into running a day by day flying program!
Good luck!