Apparently a problem has arisen with the Brazilians that RYR has recruited and there is now a sudden and urgent need for crew (FO's in particular).

I know this is a rumour network but surely we need more than the word 'apparently'?
Exactly what is it you are telling us?

Not so much a problem,more like a realisation that they are being screwed over by a bunch of gypsies like all the others and the false promises are now obvious even to them.So they are off to pasture new and fr trawls the !!!! holes of the world to look for their next victims.Who will it be next?

Ah, I'll go fly for them, if they decide to treat pilots like people and not revenue streams to be screwed for every penny possible!
I'd stay there for a couple of years if they wanna pay to TR me on one of their planes!

How can they be short of pilots when so many of thier existing flightcrew dont get anywhere near 900 hours flying, and I'm not saying 50 hours short, i'm talking 3,4, 5,hundred hours

Money talks- bullsh1t walks. I see lots of walking.

pressman, where are you based? and these people you speak about are any of them based at STN or all at small European bases?

Currently, no shortage of pilots.

Information based on hours rostered to work next month.

I'll back easymoney up, based on my roster for the next month (just published this afternoon) there is certainly no shortage at my base. Some of the days I have coming up are hardly worth going to work for!!

They are cutting back hard for the winter. For example, seven aircraft taken out of STN, and many routes having their frequencies reduced for the winter season. Same as many other airlines I guess.

No shortage of FO's willing to cut their own throats, but there's a very serious shortage of captains, hence the cutbacks. They can't get command time applicants as only the gash, low-houred or desperate come here now. Hence the attempted raid on Air Berlin, which failed miserably.
The command failure is well above 50%. Why? Because people are pushed into it with minimum (i.e. less than 3000) hours. And anyway the cream of the crop doesn't exactly choose ryr these days.

Hey, pay more, the problem will go away. I find that most problems are solved with a healthy dose of CASH

Pay from date of hire instead of once training is complete and they would have a shot at one more captain. I've been doing this too long to do anything for free!

Very true Camel. I know of a few new Captains who've gained their command and within six months have left, 2 to BA I know of.. Good on them!

With them offering €56,000 basic for upgrade Captains.
Why on earth would you want to stay.
The high pay airline, truly an urban myth.

1. Can you be employed as a 'contractor' through your own limited company, or is all 'contracting' done through Brookfield?


No. Only through Brookfield. Although it could be argued you are a contractor in name only. It is just a way for Ryanair to circumvent a whole load of Laws and Taxes. You work when they tell, take your holiday when they decide, you could work forever as a "contractor".

2. Is the 'fast-track' command option open to 'contract' First Officers, or just those employed directly by the company?

2. "Fast-Track" is a total myth. There is no structured established program. You may get your command after a year, you may not. There are not set steps, there are no progress points, there are no waiting lists. There is no evidence that I have seen that you will be put ahead of anyone with similar hours as you but who has more experience in Ryanair. How it all works is a mystery that you as a common or garden line pilot will not be privvy to the workings of. Command will come up eventually but from what I have seen it takes closer to two years then whatever it is FR are promising now. "Contractors" become Captains the same as Permanent F/Os, treatment in this respect is broadly the same.

3. Are recently employed pilots currently being offered bases at airports other than DUB and STN within the UK?

Again, somewhat of a mystery system. No published waiting lists. People are cutting each others throats to get to popular bases such as Scavsta and Chareleroi, and being refused. A cadet F/O joins and gets given them, even though they want STN or DUB. A base change seems to require frequent visits to a Manager in STN and wearing him down with requests/keeping your face familiar. DUB has been very popular for fresh meat off the production line but who knows what will happen if you join now? The conveyer might be pointed at a different base by then. Or it might not. Who knows?

4. With 4,000 hours, including 1,200 on the B737NG, what is the REALISTIC chance, all other things being equal, of being accepted on the 'fast-track' command course?

There is no such course. With those hours I would expect you to be offered a course after 2/3 recurrent sim sessions or close to 2 years. That has been my experience, witnessing the progress of my peers. There maybe exceptions

I loath the company as much as I like it. Frustrating as it is because with just a little effort from the company it could be a bloody good place to work.

Pros: I love the 5/3 roster and we will all eventually be pushed onto 5/4 which is really a sweet set up having experienced it a few times. I don't want Hotel rooms, I like to be home each night and I am. I have no desire for Long Haul as it destroys my body, I like the intensity of 4 sectors. I like flying into empty airfields, no traffic jams any runway I like for takeoff. I like the varied mix of nationalities, I find it interesting. I have moved bases a few times, the freedom to live in some of the very hot and sunny Southern European bases is a huge attraction. Britain is dirty, cold and expensive. There is a better life out there. I like that as a Cadet I will/have/ might go from 250 hr wonder to Captain in 3 years.

Cons: We could be here all night but the main topics. Aggresive hostile attiude towards Pilots, seen as a complete inconvenience to the company by the top Brass. Erosion of commanders authority. Constantly erroding terms and conditons, in every respect, almost daily. New Captains, which you hope to be are now going to be paid 40K STG/54K Euro basic. They chip away at block times etc so your sector pay which is half your salary is getting lowered by 25% sometimes a month. No rights, due to no Union or Pilot association. While you are young and fit like me you might enjoy the 4 sector days but I think coupled to the very long 11.55 duty days (Cynical, the limit is 12 hrs) your body might not last until retirement. Constant turnover of people, no comradship with so many nationalites. There must be 15 different flavours of contracts, no published scales. Keep everyone guessing and split everyone up into selfish little groups.

Apart from that it's fine though........

Carmoisine nice post, summed it up nicely.

FOK.....generally you'll need two good sim checks, one could be your initial and then the following recurrent six months later. They are also looking for one season of winter operations and I think 500 hours flying FR aircraft.

But like everything here, nothing is in writing. So if you have a bad day in your second sim, or the examiner is on a power trip it will take you another 2 consecutive sims to be put forward for upgrade.

And after all that you'll probably be offered a basic salary of €56,000.

Best of luck with your assessment, if you take the plunge.

Carmosine, thats one of the most balanced Ryanair posts I've seen. good job

I hope all of those running "Ryanair clone airlines" in the U.S. are paying close attention to this.

Skybus is paying CA's $85k USD (roughly 42k GBP?).

Good luck getting the pay bumped at Ryanair! TC

Where on earth does this figure of €56,000 for a Ryanair captain come from?

I know a lad (from the local flying club) who is earning €75,000 a year gross as a Ryanair F/O.

On a previous Ryanair forum, a TRE admitted to earning €160,000 (£108,000).

Visual Calls,

That is a very disrespectful post to me, I fly for RYR and I am not a simpleton at the wheel who nearly crashes.

The problems you are hinting at in your short-sighted post are wider reaching than the relationship between the 1500 pilots and the Ryanair board of directors.

I would love to know more about this money invested in Ryanair pilots by Ialpa/Balpa you talk of.

Come on. G*t.