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Thomas Cook Interview

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Old 21st Oct 2004, 18:17
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Thomas Cook Interview

Have interview coming up with TCX.

Anyone able to give an idea of what to expect?

Any info would be good.



Cheers
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Old 21st Oct 2004, 18:38
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It depends upon what your experience is....

Do you have an internal reccommendation ?

Expect, amongst other things a chat to find out if the interviewers could sit next to you for 12 hours, and still want to go for a pint with you....
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Old 21st Oct 2004, 18:49
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I have about 600 hrs TT but about 400 of that being on heavy turbo-prop.

I have no internal recommendation.

Do you currently work for Thomas Cook airlines? Could you give me information on roster patterns etc, via private message if necessary. Are the new hires likely to go on to the Boeing or the Airbus fleets?
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Old 21st Oct 2004, 21:29
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A320 or Bust,

Did they contact you by email or phone you? I have 750hours with 550 on the ATR72 but unfortunately havent heard anything yet!

When is your interview?

Goodluck.
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Old 21st Oct 2004, 21:39
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One more quick question to go with leo8’s

How and when did you apply? Direct contact or letter, through website, or some other approach.

Thanks for the info and good luck
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Old 21st Oct 2004, 21:42
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Hi guys,

I filled out the online form about a week or two ago. Interview is next week. Contacted by phone.

Good luck to everyone else who applied and those who have an interview.

Cheers.
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 08:27
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The main bulk of the vacancies I believe will also be MAN & NCL based (both boeing), with maybe a few at LGW. There are at least 32 vacancies on the 757. There may be a few A320 vacancies, but the clue is the manager in charge of recruitment is the Boeing deputy fleet manager....

Not a bad company to work for; If I had the choice of all the UK airlines it'd probably come 4th behind BA & Virgin, and the Britannia, although the latter seem to be having a few probs these days.

Life as an FO. From what I see, life is considerably better than in the likes of EZY / FR etc, but the major difference is time to command. The first commands in 4 years (yes 4 years!) are about to be offered, but it is likely to be only 5 or so, and there are over 150 FO's. Do the maths. That said, plenty of FO's are leaving right now to the likes of Virgin & BA.

Expect to have a busy summer, and a quiet winter. How quiet depends upon where you are. LGW is perhaps the busiest in the winter, with lots of skiing from mid december. MAN has some skiing too, but NCL is practically dead with just a handful of canaries flights.

In the last year I have flown 750 hours with TCX, the agreed limit is 800hrs but there is a voluntary overtime agreement. You will get 8 days off a month, almost always in pairs, and sometimes more as they give you 104 DO's a year. Roster stability has been poor this year, due to lack of crews, again depending on where you are. Expect the majority of your duties to be 2 sector days, with less and less of bucket & spade spain, and more of turkey, far greece, egypt etc. i.e. almost always back to base, but there is plenty of night flying in the summer. There is now also ETOPS flying to canada in the summer on the 757, but this is the top 2/3 of MAN & LGW fo's and all GLA Fo's.

The union is fairly strong, and has good relations with the company.

Last edited by expedite_climb; 22nd Oct 2004 at 08:51.
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 10:34
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expedite_climb

Thanks for the info. Are you or maybe anyone else reading this able to give specific interview details in addition to what you have already posted? Also, what sort of experience did you join the comapany with?

If ppjn is correct then if interview goes ok then its sim in hs125. Is this correct?


Thanks again.
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 11:07
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I believe they use a 757 sim now, could be wrong though.
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 11:29
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Afraid I can't really help on the interview itself as it is a long time since I did mine. It used to be for someone like yourself a little bit of bad guy / good guy along with the usual tell me about yourself, and them telling you about the company and it's heritage and present direction. As I say, I suspect it will be 'can you be one of the boys....'

Not sure about the SIM either, but CTC used to be in charge of these assessments, and the company remains to have a strong association with them...... If so, what they are looking for is a capacity to learn.

I dont think what I joined with is relevant to the recruitment now, as the pilot management / recruiters / bean counting thinking is different these days.....

Good luck though.

Oh - and in case you are interested -

SFO Year One (From Nov 04) (Joiner with full ATPL or on gaining full ATPL) - ~£41,500

FO Year One (From Nov 04) - ~£32,000

On issue of your green book you will go to year one SFO.

Flight pay is currently £2.58 per hour, check in to clear.

Current pay deal runs until Apr 06, with an RPI +0.1 increase in April 05, and 1.5% increase in Nov 05, (latter subject to company meeting profit targets).

Last edited by expedite_climb; 22nd Oct 2004 at 11:41.
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 12:07
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Once again thanks for the informaiton.

Sounds good, just got to get through the interview now!



Cheers.
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 14:38
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Also have interview coming up with Thomas Cook. If anyone has any pointers on interview, selection procedure, sim etc would be greatly received. Good luck A320 or bust
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Old 22nd Oct 2004, 23:16
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Angry TC

Heard a rumour from a friend that half of 30 pilots needed would be 'experienced' and other half 'low houred Integrated guys'

Don't shoot the messenger because as i say it's a rumour from someone who got it from the flight deck inside TC

I'd be interested to see what experience CapD has thanks A320 or bust for your info.

Also very interested to see if any low houred/no commercial experience guy's got the call for interview?

Good luck guy's anyway, have heard there a great company to work for !!

HFS
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Old 23rd Oct 2004, 16:38
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Hi there I have 2000h TT, 500 of which in turboprop. Come on guys and girls someone must have an idea of what to epect!

Hey there captainkilner and A320 or bust. Thanks for PMs. Problem is that I can\'t actually access them. Any chance of forwarding them to [email protected]. Thanks alot, help greatly appreciated.
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Old 25th Oct 2004, 13:12
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Joined the airline 4 years ago.

Interview Format 1 Hour Chat with Chief Pilot and Fleet Manager. No quiz, No psycho, No tricks.

Tips: Be prepared, be smart, be punctual, be knowledgeable, be interesting, but above all BE HONEST and BE YOURSELF.
Remember, you meet their experience requirements. They want to know about YOU.

Simulator: Seems to vary. Ex- military and experienced pilots may not be asked to complete one. Others probably will.

Format: Varies. HS125, Caravelle (oh yes!) 737, 757, who knows, just go back to basics, Aviate, Navigate, Communicate (Inside and Out).

Tips: Be safe, be competent, and above all BE A CREW. Don't drop your oppo in it. If you do, GOODBYE.

There are no tricks. Get the basics right and be yourself.
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Old 25th Oct 2004, 14:21
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Cadet interviews

Hi,

Is there anyone out there who is a previously unemployed cadet who has been contacted for interview?

Cheers,

Ian.

Last edited by Reds Blues Greens; 25th Oct 2004 at 16:47.
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Old 25th Oct 2004, 19:08
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People who are granted the opportunity to fly either a 757 or an A320 are lucky - regardless of their total hours. That being said, which aircraft (757 or A320) is better as a learning platform for low-houred pilots? For the experienced guys out there at TC, which do you think would be "better" to start on from a learning perspective? And which base provides the most varied flying (also good for experience building)?

I'd fly either in a heartbeat and be very happy...
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Old 26th Oct 2004, 10:25
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RBG -
Check out the Oxford website - follow link to APP websites and choose 227. Some Oxford APP graduates have been contacted, so I guess that the low hrs guys and Gals they're looking for might come staright from the schools (via recomendations).
In fact 4 students went to TC earlier this year from Oxford - at 2 days notice. This latest request to Oxford has been dispalyed as an urgent one. Therfore, perhaps time is up for low hrs guys not contacted.
How these people were selected is unknown.
The on-line application was very unspecific, and so to choose between candidates (other than experience - which low hrs don't have) would be a pretty impossible task. It didn't even list first time passes etc.. let alone any personal info. Probably not designed for low hrs recruitement.
I along with others wait to hear that magic call - phone still dead though.
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Old 26th Oct 2004, 10:46
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I would have thought that they have let eveyone know by now, do you think this is the case or is there anyone still getting called.
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Old 27th Oct 2004, 18:12
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Thomas Cook

Odd Skipper

Although i think your probably correct, if you read the passage below from the Oxford website it does say 'to be considered for entry' so maybe not all over just yet for modular bod's !!

'Oxford Aviation Training is delighted to have been invited by Thomas Cook to supply Trainee pilots and Graduates to be considered for selection for entry into the airline as First Officers. More details will be supplied once matters have been finalised.'

Like i say your probably correct but let's see if any low houred guy's have been contacted by TC post a reply albeit modular or integrated because at the moment no-one has.

Here's hoping

HFS
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