At Balpa Conference Now - Your Views
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At Balpa Conference Now - Your Views
I am sitting in the lobby of the renaissance hotel just after the BALPA conference.
If you did not make it down here, you did'nt miss much.
There is some recruitment going on but not alot. Well you probably know that already.
The airlines still seem to be interested in integrated people and not modular. Still don't understand this way of thinking, but who am i to argue.
Apologies to everyone who did'nt pass the selection for the 747 JAL brighton pier simulator job. I eventually gave the Captain position to a frozen PPL holder with IMC. And the F/O position went to a recently captured Orang Utan (but he WAS an integrated student).
You can book your future sim rides with one of the above at any time Brighton Pier is open.
I am interested to hear from other attendees at the conference today on how you rated the day.
If you did not make it down here, you did'nt miss much.
There is some recruitment going on but not alot. Well you probably know that already.
The airlines still seem to be interested in integrated people and not modular. Still don't understand this way of thinking, but who am i to argue.
Apologies to everyone who did'nt pass the selection for the 747 JAL brighton pier simulator job. I eventually gave the Captain position to a frozen PPL holder with IMC. And the F/O position went to a recently captured Orang Utan (but he WAS an integrated student).
You can book your future sim rides with one of the above at any time Brighton Pier is open.
I am interested to hear from other attendees at the conference today on how you rated the day.
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My ex girlfriend was at this event I think. Her current boyfriend works for the pilots union.
Sorry for being ignorant but would you mind explaining the difference between integrated and modular?
Sorry for being ignorant but would you mind explaining the difference between integrated and modular?
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Just got back now,
Dont mean to be pessamistic but I thought it was a bit of a downer.
There are allot of jobs out there but only if youve got the experience or type ratings.
What realy upset me was all the talk about intergrated being preffered to modular (2 airlines mentioned this), what the !!
City express also mentioned that to apply you have to have completed your course within the last 12 monthe and have flown 50hours in the last twelve months, well there goes another option, bugger ! In other words if you dont get hired ASAP youre stuffed, nice!
But on a better note I met a BA 747 captain who has to retire (55 years BA thing) and he gave me his e-mail address, said hed keep hes ears open.
So in conclusion fom a point of view of knowing more when I came out than when I was going in , not so shure, £50 would better be spent on a few cases of Belgian Wife Beater, but if you managed to get some networking done...who knows.
Good luck all and chin up.....
no really good luck
cheers for now
Goose
Dont mean to be pessamistic but I thought it was a bit of a downer.
There are allot of jobs out there but only if youve got the experience or type ratings.
What realy upset me was all the talk about intergrated being preffered to modular (2 airlines mentioned this), what the !!
City express also mentioned that to apply you have to have completed your course within the last 12 monthe and have flown 50hours in the last twelve months, well there goes another option, bugger ! In other words if you dont get hired ASAP youre stuffed, nice!
But on a better note I met a BA 747 captain who has to retire (55 years BA thing) and he gave me his e-mail address, said hed keep hes ears open.
So in conclusion fom a point of view of knowing more when I came out than when I was going in , not so shure, £50 would better be spent on a few cases of Belgian Wife Beater, but if you managed to get some networking done...who knows.
Good luck all and chin up.....
no really good luck
cheers for now
Goose
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Yes I was there and have to agree that this year was a waste of £50. I know of one airline rep who also agreed that this year was not as good as last years.
A few of the presentations had funny moments with plenty of jokes at the expense of Ryanair. There was however one really BORRING one given by a young chap who seemed to be sucking plums at the same time as talking.. he presented a lot of info but delivered init in an extreamly boring way!! But good on him for getting up and giving it a go.
I felt that some of the presentations were rushed, but that is down to the time restraints but down by BALPA and the whole event did not seem as organised as the past years. But hey that is only my two cents worth.
At least they had good chocolates and cakes
Moku.
A few of the presentations had funny moments with plenty of jokes at the expense of Ryanair. There was however one really BORRING one given by a young chap who seemed to be sucking plums at the same time as talking.. he presented a lot of info but delivered init in an extreamly boring way!! But good on him for getting up and giving it a go.
I felt that some of the presentations were rushed, but that is down to the time restraints but down by BALPA and the whole event did not seem as organised as the past years. But hey that is only my two cents worth.
At least they had good chocolates and cakes
Moku.
moku,
Would you be referring to the SFO from Britannia? If so, I agree, he did it all wrong. Comedy is not his strong suit .... and his presentation was somewhat canned and stilted. Hey, but he does have a pilot job at least!
Would you be referring to the SFO from Britannia? If so, I agree, he did it all wrong. Comedy is not his strong suit .... and his presentation was somewhat canned and stilted. Hey, but he does have a pilot job at least!
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I agree with Preppy, 600-700 jobs is the best news that I have heard in a while!
The industry is on the move and that means us low houred guys and girls will be given a chance to move up the food chain. Fingers crossed.
Not quite sure it was worth £50 though.
Spoke to the Brit's (Thomsonfly) guy during the Lunch, he seemed very encouraging and said that they might be taking on a number of SO's early next year.
The industry is on the move and that means us low houred guys and girls will be given a chance to move up the food chain. Fingers crossed.
Not quite sure it was worth £50 though.
Spoke to the Brit's (Thomsonfly) guy during the Lunch, he seemed very encouraging and said that they might be taking on a number of SO's early next year.
Last edited by DysonDriver; 9th Oct 2004 at 21:29.
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I thought it was far from doom and gloom. If you want to work for BA or BA Citiexpress or GB or BMED then yes lots of hours and integrated is the best way. I hate to say it, because I am still a great fan of BA for it is dealing with the world we live in now far better then its rivals on the other side of the pond, but if I was an experienced 5000hr guy the operators that presented and made the best impression on me were people like Cathay, Dragonair and Virgin. I think many of us are still trying to decipher what poor old John Monks had to say (BA purchased more LHR slots but has no plans for growth???). BA will be back but it will never quite be what it was IMHO.
But plenty of other operators I spoke to were not so fussed about the integrated / modular issue.
If you came into this game with your heart set on getting a job with BA then you are going to be spending alot of time sitting around feeling sorry for yourself at the local flying club. I intend to be the FO of the aircraft from the smaller, perceivably less glamourous operator, taxing past your flying club as you cry into your tea....
Finally I thought Capt Robin Cox from Virgin stole the show at the end and told us all the attitude we need to take. If you want an aim for 10 years time then there it is - a job with Virgin which is an airline clearly going places.
But plenty of other operators I spoke to were not so fussed about the integrated / modular issue.
If you came into this game with your heart set on getting a job with BA then you are going to be spending alot of time sitting around feeling sorry for yourself at the local flying club. I intend to be the FO of the aircraft from the smaller, perceivably less glamourous operator, taxing past your flying club as you cry into your tea....
Finally I thought Capt Robin Cox from Virgin stole the show at the end and told us all the attitude we need to take. If you want an aim for 10 years time then there it is - a job with Virgin which is an airline clearly going places.
Last edited by timzsta; 9th Oct 2004 at 22:54.
PPRuNe Knight in Shining Armour
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It just told me what I already knew that as a 500 hour pilot over the age of 35 that I'm in a black hole that no recruiters (I repeat no recruiters) are interested in looking into, and as such was a complete waste of £50.
Ohh, and that's another thing, when I first went to a BALPA conference it was FREE.............
Ohh, and that's another thing, when I first went to a BALPA conference it was FREE.............
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Too Many People
Yes I went a number of years ago '00 and there were about
70% people who put their hands up to the 'have been lookin
for more than a year' question reported in the log as most had been successful in the last year... duh
70% people who put their hands up to the 'have been lookin
for more than a year' question reported in the log as most had been successful in the last year... duh
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I think BALPA should be giving us more for our 50 quid.
With the current format, it would have been better spent on another hour in the log book. (Or inventing a age-reverser to get back under 30!!)
It's all very well BALPA getting together 20 or so airlines, but the format of the day needs completely reviewing. The presentations were ok - it's never easy standing up in front of 400 people telling them they're not wanted. But the bun fight/queue to be told you've: not enough hours/too old/not integrated is a complete waste of time.
Why not provide the prospective employers a list of all attendees, grouped and sorted by experience - preferably a few days in advance. If they spot someone they like the look of - have a quick chat on the day and invite them to interview. It can't be a best use of time to try and get 400 people queueing up to see the same people to be told the same thing, over and over.
The timing of the conference needs reviewing too: Many operators said they hadn't yet got their plans together for Summer 2005, so couldn't give any useful recruitment figures. Maybe the EOC needs to be mid-Nov instead?
Summary: Waste of £50 plus parking, plus petrol, plus time. But with a few refinements, could be a very useful day.
With the current format, it would have been better spent on another hour in the log book. (Or inventing a age-reverser to get back under 30!!)
It's all very well BALPA getting together 20 or so airlines, but the format of the day needs completely reviewing. The presentations were ok - it's never easy standing up in front of 400 people telling them they're not wanted. But the bun fight/queue to be told you've: not enough hours/too old/not integrated is a complete waste of time.
Why not provide the prospective employers a list of all attendees, grouped and sorted by experience - preferably a few days in advance. If they spot someone they like the look of - have a quick chat on the day and invite them to interview. It can't be a best use of time to try and get 400 people queueing up to see the same people to be told the same thing, over and over.
The timing of the conference needs reviewing too: Many operators said they hadn't yet got their plans together for Summer 2005, so couldn't give any useful recruitment figures. Maybe the EOC needs to be mid-Nov instead?
Summary: Waste of £50 plus parking, plus petrol, plus time. But with a few refinements, could be a very useful day.
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Hang on Hang on!!
I only remember one speaker saying he preferred integrated. He also said they would accept applications from modular students and review them individually. Also, if I remember correctly, the particular employer in question was only going to recruit a v.small handful of fATPLs anyway! So, to be honest, it was nothing to worry about.
And another thing, the fair number of good jobs available for 2/3000 hours guys with the flash airlines will free up quite a few jobs I would imagine at the lower end for us wannabees!!
I agree it wasn't fantastic and my £50 quid may well have been better invested at the bar, however, the outlook wasn't too bad to be fair...
Biscuit
I only remember one speaker saying he preferred integrated. He also said they would accept applications from modular students and review them individually. Also, if I remember correctly, the particular employer in question was only going to recruit a v.small handful of fATPLs anyway! So, to be honest, it was nothing to worry about.
And another thing, the fair number of good jobs available for 2/3000 hours guys with the flash airlines will free up quite a few jobs I would imagine at the lower end for us wannabees!!
I agree it wasn't fantastic and my £50 quid may well have been better invested at the bar, however, the outlook wasn't too bad to be fair...
Biscuit
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pretty much my thoughts
Concerning the presentations.
Robin Cox (virgin) was very good at presenting, especially as it was short notice for him.
Most of the other guys were dull and plodding. That's ok, because unless you present for a living, it is difficult.
What i fond funny, was some of the guys asking questions after a one or two of the presentations and said;
" thanks for that interesting and enjoyable presenation"
- why did'nt they go up on stage with their CV and perform certain acts to get attention.
Desperation can do funny things to people - I'm talking from experience!
Robin Cox (virgin) was very good at presenting, especially as it was short notice for him.
Most of the other guys were dull and plodding. That's ok, because unless you present for a living, it is difficult.
What i fond funny, was some of the guys asking questions after a one or two of the presentations and said;
" thanks for that interesting and enjoyable presenation"
- why did'nt they go up on stage with their CV and perform certain acts to get attention.
Desperation can do funny things to people - I'm talking from experience!
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ccatfanclub
Hey dude, its not my fault, theres no spell checker on this site !
Was there any usefull info at the end of those long q's.
I didnt bother as I was the only bloke there no in a suit...mabey its time I took this job hunting malarkey more seriously....what happened to the days when pilots wore jeans and leather jackets ?
Was there any usefull info at the end of those long q's.
I didnt bother as I was the only bloke there no in a suit...mabey its time I took this job hunting malarkey more seriously....what happened to the days when pilots wore jeans and leather jackets ?
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Sky Goose,
.....And I waisted all those years in school learning to spell. All the time those busy bees at microsoft were making a spell checker, why did I bother?
Remind me not to get on your plane. It'll be the FMCs fault when we end up in Timbuktu but at least you'll have jeans and T-shirt on though like a real pilot
.....And I waisted all those years in school learning to spell. All the time those busy bees at microsoft were making a spell checker, why did I bother?
Remind me not to get on your plane. It'll be the FMCs fault when we end up in Timbuktu but at least you'll have jeans and T-shirt on though like a real pilot