Britannia Airways - Sponsorship Scheme 2004
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Hi all,
I am pretty new to all this and have been reading this thread for a while now. I have gained a bit of info from you all about what to expect as i am attending stage 1 on thursday. I was just wondering whether anyone could shed a bit of light on what i should expect as you all seem pretty clued up and have been through selection tests like this before.
To the chaps who have attended the tests already, what was it like!!! I am just a little curious and am wondering what to expect.
Anyway good luck to you all and any further info would be much appreciated.
I am pretty new to all this and have been reading this thread for a while now. I have gained a bit of info from you all about what to expect as i am attending stage 1 on thursday. I was just wondering whether anyone could shed a bit of light on what i should expect as you all seem pretty clued up and have been through selection tests like this before.
To the chaps who have attended the tests already, what was it like!!! I am just a little curious and am wondering what to expect.
Anyway good luck to you all and any further info would be much appreciated.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Yeah pretty much.
I have no flying experience so was pretty shocked when i got the phone call from AA. On the other hand i am studying towards a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree at Manchester MET and work at BAE SYSTEMS up at Samlesbury. I have not got a clue about what Britannia will be looking for but i guess all i can do is give it my best. I don't know wether my lack of flying experience will work for or against me but fingers crossed.
I have no flying experience so was pretty shocked when i got the phone call from AA. On the other hand i am studying towards a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree at Manchester MET and work at BAE SYSTEMS up at Samlesbury. I have not got a clue about what Britannia will be looking for but i guess all i can do is give it my best. I don't know wether my lack of flying experience will work for or against me but fingers crossed.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Having heard and read all the rumours about an up turn in the airline industry it looks as if anybody who is starting now and finishing within the next 2 years stands a better than average chance of getting at least a multi job with low hours, ie less than 500. Well i'm kind of hoping this is the case, and if anybody did manage to luck out and get that all so rare minimum hour jet job then you'd actually be in a better position than a sponsered pilot with salaries and the like. Also with the hopeful upturn in jobs opens up the opportuntity of mutli/coperate/cargo work where you get more of a chance to actually fly the plane, which would probably be more satisfying than the big jets, but don't get me wrong the big jets is where i want to end up. All in all sponsorships are great for the small percentage of people who get them but as the majority of hopeful pilots out there we have to face the dreaded self funded route, for now at least, but hopefully the jobs will be there for us at the end of the day. Still bitter though
Join Date: Apr 2004
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who knows!!!
I am due to graduate in ahhh 10 weeks from the University of Manchester with a BEng (hons ) in Aerospace engineering I have 79 hours ppl of which I passed 1st time in 45 hours with a night rating, I have PAID for all my flying and UNIVERSITY fees myself and know how hard it is and this disheartens me to hear people suggesting I and others were given the money to blow on what we want when I saved all my money from a very young age instead of buying comics and football cards!
I have no idea what Britannia are after but it seems a bit nieve to only ask for those with little or no flying experience rather than someone who has PPL status. I fit all the other academic requirement also I'm only 22.
Good luck to all those who did get somewhere with the sponsorship.
Any ideas of any other sponsorships available???
I have no idea what Britannia are after but it seems a bit nieve to only ask for those with little or no flying experience rather than someone who has PPL status. I fit all the other academic requirement also I'm only 22.
Good luck to all those who did get somewhere with the sponsorship.
Any ideas of any other sponsorships available???
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Stage 1
Hi im both suprised and interested that those who attended yesterdays stage 1 and who actively contributed to this thread before, have not added to it with there experiences of the day.
If folk are concerned that they may give advantage to those waiting to attend, and thus have detrimental affect to themselves, then spare the detail and give a quick synopsis of the day. How was it run, how were you treated, age of the candidates, male/ female ratio, wether folk found it hard or not etc etc???
Im sure there are many people out there like myself who would like to hear of your experiences, as it would seem looking at the credentials of those rejected (if not yet officially!), you are the lucky ones.
Go on, spill
If folk are concerned that they may give advantage to those waiting to attend, and thus have detrimental affect to themselves, then spare the detail and give a quick synopsis of the day. How was it run, how were you treated, age of the candidates, male/ female ratio, wether folk found it hard or not etc etc???
Im sure there are many people out there like myself who would like to hear of your experiences, as it would seem looking at the credentials of those rejected (if not yet officially!), you are the lucky ones.
Go on, spill
Join Date: Feb 2004
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hey ebee
did you work at sowerby? i only ask because i did a physics degree (bath uni) and i spent a year there myself. I was working for the materials dept. Maybe you worked with some of the guys i used to know.
as for the britannia selection i attended on monday and it was no different to what i had been told to expect. All paper based aptitude testing. About three hours in total. I found it to be tougher than OASC tests but that was just my opinion and others felt they weren't too bad. A little maths revision may help but largely these tests are about natural ability and i don't think i could have done much preparation that would have improved my score.
The process was rather short and sweet. As soon as we arrived
a register was taken. we were split into two groups. we then completed three different aptitude papers and then they waved goodbye to us. no chance to make any sort of impression other than through your test results.
Good luck to everyone yet to attend.
did you work at sowerby? i only ask because i did a physics degree (bath uni) and i spent a year there myself. I was working for the materials dept. Maybe you worked with some of the guys i used to know.
as for the britannia selection i attended on monday and it was no different to what i had been told to expect. All paper based aptitude testing. About three hours in total. I found it to be tougher than OASC tests but that was just my opinion and others felt they weren't too bad. A little maths revision may help but largely these tests are about natural ability and i don't think i could have done much preparation that would have improved my score.
The process was rather short and sweet. As soon as we arrived
a register was taken. we were split into two groups. we then completed three different aptitude papers and then they waved goodbye to us. no chance to make any sort of impression other than through your test results.
Good luck to everyone yet to attend.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Thanxs for the info about the format of stage 1! Does anone know if there is parking near the test building, i'm driving down from manchester tomorrow so will need somewhere to park the car.
Cheers
Nick
Cheers
Nick
Join Date: Aug 2002
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There's enough parking. You turn into the street with the Monarch bulding on your left, take a quick right, head down a small road and there's a barrier at the end of it. The barrier opens automatically when you drive up to it.
Male/female ratio at the Tuesday afternoon session was 1 out of ~25.
Male/female ratio at the Tuesday afternoon session was 1 out of ~25.
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Aptitude
I'd echo the sentiments of an earlier post, brush up on long division (I haven't done it since primary school - bloody calculators) but if you can't do simple addition, multiplication and subtraction you shouldn't be allowed within 50 miles of Luton.
Everything else was impossible to study for, no hand-eye or number recall as with RAF selection and some other schools. I found it tougher, all a bit ambigious and arsey to say the least.
As for the PPL rant yes, I found it hard to understand at first, I only have a cheeky couple of hours familiarisation under my belt but what I can gleen from conversations I've had, airlines prefer to get 'em young and teach students their way without any bad habits such as one handed flying and other little foiables (is that how you spell it?). It might cost them more in time, training costs and being sure of candidates ability to fly/stick to the course but it appears they are willing to pursue this.
Only similarity I can find is that I studied architecture at university but was advised by the couse officer not to touch technical drawing at school . You figure.
Everything else was impossible to study for, no hand-eye or number recall as with RAF selection and some other schools. I found it tougher, all a bit ambigious and arsey to say the least.
As for the PPL rant yes, I found it hard to understand at first, I only have a cheeky couple of hours familiarisation under my belt but what I can gleen from conversations I've had, airlines prefer to get 'em young and teach students their way without any bad habits such as one handed flying and other little foiables (is that how you spell it?). It might cost them more in time, training costs and being sure of candidates ability to fly/stick to the course but it appears they are willing to pursue this.
Only similarity I can find is that I studied architecture at university but was advised by the couse officer not to touch technical drawing at school . You figure.
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I see someone has mentioned "parking" so I thought I'd add that as well.
Plenty of easy parking at LTN. It's the staff car park and it's usually about 1/2 to 2/3rd full.
Couldn't be any closer from the Training building which is also the Crewroom.
Also for those of you who need to spend a night there are two hotels at the airport less than 3 minutes driving from the above mentioned crewroom.
It's the holiday Inn Express and the Ibis (right next to each other). Check it but last time I stayed at the Holiday Inn they finished serving food outrageously early so I ended up walking to the Ibis. The Ibis might be a little bit cheaper so it is perhaps worth having a look there first.
So have a good night rest and avoid any stress before the selection day. Like anything, it is as easy to have a "good" day as it is to have a "bad" one.
Good luck
Plenty of easy parking at LTN. It's the staff car park and it's usually about 1/2 to 2/3rd full.
Couldn't be any closer from the Training building which is also the Crewroom.
Also for those of you who need to spend a night there are two hotels at the airport less than 3 minutes driving from the above mentioned crewroom.
It's the holiday Inn Express and the Ibis (right next to each other). Check it but last time I stayed at the Holiday Inn they finished serving food outrageously early so I ended up walking to the Ibis. The Ibis might be a little bit cheaper so it is perhaps worth having a look there first.
So have a good night rest and avoid any stress before the selection day. Like anything, it is as easy to have a "good" day as it is to have a "bad" one.
Good luck
Last edited by PPRuNeUser0215; 21st Apr 2004 at 17:41.
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Tiram
Unlucky with the application, keep plugging away. I would just like to comment on some of your points;
I would say that is a bit of wishful thinking. The 'average' chance of a low houred pilot (with less than 500hrs)to get a multi job is extremely low now and will be not much better in two years time considering the JAR requirement for single pilot ops to have a minimum of 700hrs. Not many other jobs flying light multi-engine aircraft that require two crew. Don't see them increasing much either.
I think you need to look at the bigger picture. If a sponsored cadet joined the airline after completing their integrated course, say as a S/O and took three years to unfreeze their ATPL to become an F/O, that would be roughly 5 years. If a self sponsored integrated pilot joined the same airline after completion of his training with 200hrs, he too would join as a S/O on the same salary and spend roughly the same length of time making his way to F/O. (This is all hypothetical of course.) The thing to remember is that the sponsored student starts with the airline some £'large'k better off due to the airline having paid for his training. Again, this is in an ideal world and not true of all sponsorships. Even if you join a scheme where you are on a reduced salary you are in reality still probably no worse off (disposable income after pay day) as the self funded candidate is probably paying back his loans anyway. (Again, assuming similar age, ie no previous career with funds to have completed training.)
It's horses for courses, but if you enjoy hand flying aircraft you will soon get bored of hand flying everywhere. An autopilot is a godsend as sitting in the cruise, hand flying is just tedious. When you get on a big jet and the conditions are right, brief the other guy and switch the automatics off. The only bit worth doing is the T/O and landing and I have flown 'big jets' for four companies, none of which have said I can't hand fly the aircraft if I want to. It's my (airmanship) choice as PF. I would be surprised if corporate jet guys got more chance to hand fly. Yes, old cargo outfits may as an autpopilot might not even be fitted, but like I said, that novelty would soon wear off and you would have an autopilot at the top of your Christmas List!
I find it satisfying to hand fly up to the cruise on some days and even more so from TOD. That's all the hand flying I want thanks!
Anyhow, good luck to those still in the melting pot and to those who now have to consider other options.
PP
Unlucky with the application, keep plugging away. I would just like to comment on some of your points;
it looks as if anybody who is starting now and finishing within the next 2 years stands a better than average chance of getting at least a multi job with low hours, ie less than 500.
Well i'm kind of hoping this is the case, and if anybody did manage to luck out and get that all so rare minimum hour jet job then you'd actually be in a better position than a sponsered pilot with salaries and the like.
Also with the hopeful upturn in jobs opens up the opportuntity of mutli/coperate/cargo work where you get more of a chance to actually fly the plane, which would probably be more satisfying than the big jets
I find it satisfying to hand fly up to the cruise on some days and even more so from TOD. That's all the hand flying I want thanks!
Anyhow, good luck to those still in the melting pot and to those who now have to consider other options.
PP
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Britannia Aptitude tests
Hey all,
just back from doing the interview today, wish i had found this thread earlier as i went in blind this morning!
Other than that, the test was ok, nothing out of the norm, except a wobbly lead in my pencil (no pun intended) slowed up scribbling in my answers a tad.
How many questions did most people get through in each part on average?? I reckon i probably got 50-60% of the Q's answered in the first few parts, and only missed a few out on the last few.
Only wanna find out where i stand, having to wait one week has never felt so long!
Good luck to everyone in the process, maybe see you for you round 2
just back from doing the interview today, wish i had found this thread earlier as i went in blind this morning!
Other than that, the test was ok, nothing out of the norm, except a wobbly lead in my pencil (no pun intended) slowed up scribbling in my answers a tad.
How many questions did most people get through in each part on average?? I reckon i probably got 50-60% of the Q's answered in the first few parts, and only missed a few out on the last few.
Only wanna find out where i stand, having to wait one week has never felt so long!
Good luck to everyone in the process, maybe see you for you round 2
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Before anyone asks, I'm not actually asking about any of the content for stage 1...
Did they give any info about the structure of the scheme. I.e. is it an interview next, or more weeding out... what are the timescales, financial stuff, etc. etc.
Just interested to compare their scheme to CTC.
Good luck to everyone having a go.
NW3
Did they give any info about the structure of the scheme. I.e. is it an interview next, or more weeding out... what are the timescales, financial stuff, etc. etc.
Just interested to compare their scheme to CTC.
Good luck to everyone having a go.
NW3
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'She' (sorry, can't remember the lady's name) from HR wouldn't comment on any numbers w.r.t "weeding out" of candidates. But, I believe she said the next stage is group exercises and interview. Then those who are succesful at that stage go on to a simulator test (probably about 20-50 left at group stage and 10 applicants left for the sim is what I gathered from people at my session).
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Pilot pete
From what i've heard sponsored students get less than self funded students, is this not the case? Also barring britannia sponsorships, the only other sponsorships is can see are quite expensive, ie fly be asking for a £35,000 student contribution, which is quite steep. Out of interest does anyone know who pays if a sponsered student needs extra hours than the minimum? I presume it'd be the airline but....??????
Also what i was suggesting is that due to the recent down turn in airlines i had heard that there was also a downturn in self funded pilots, ergo if the same amount of retirements as in the past happened more jobs at some peg in the flying career ladder would open up
Finally the reason why i posted that was to try and give myself a reason as to why i've taken out a hellishly big loan to continue my flight training without promise of a job at the end of it
Realisticly i'll be hoping to get 300 hours instructing, hopefully some on twin, ie 500 odd total, 100-200 multi, before seriously looking for a job. I don't think that would be too ambitious, would it?
cheers
From what i've heard sponsored students get less than self funded students, is this not the case? Also barring britannia sponsorships, the only other sponsorships is can see are quite expensive, ie fly be asking for a £35,000 student contribution, which is quite steep. Out of interest does anyone know who pays if a sponsered student needs extra hours than the minimum? I presume it'd be the airline but....??????
Also what i was suggesting is that due to the recent down turn in airlines i had heard that there was also a downturn in self funded pilots, ergo if the same amount of retirements as in the past happened more jobs at some peg in the flying career ladder would open up
Finally the reason why i posted that was to try and give myself a reason as to why i've taken out a hellishly big loan to continue my flight training without promise of a job at the end of it
Realisticly i'll be hoping to get 300 hours instructing, hopefully some on twin, ie 500 odd total, 100-200 multi, before seriously looking for a job. I don't think that would be too ambitious, would it?cheers