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CTC holdpool (ATPers)

Old 14th Aug 2006, 22:46
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CTC holdpool (ATPers)

Could all 18 of you in the pool tell me if there's any news re the likelyhood of starting a TR in the near future. I don't have my AQC till Dec this year and don't know who, if any, of the major airlines will be recruiting come Jan 2007 (if i'm sucessful of course).

Oh and by the way, I asked CTC for their pre-study pack, but it appears to have been done away with! Does this make the AQC easier or harder?

Answers on a postcard pleeease!!!

T
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 09:16
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No news here

It's just a waiting game, one day the phone call will come.

Remember that the winter is a busy time for airlines as they like to train new pilots and get them on line for the summer program. AFAIK August and September are always quiet months for training.

If I was you I wouldn't be worried about who is going to be recruiting in January, if you get through the AQC at least you’ll know that a TR is not that far away.

I never received any pre course study material. Once I found out which aircraft I was on I learnt as much as I could about operating that type (CBT's, FS Add Ons, ITVV videos). CTC will probably be able to tell you which aircraft you are on 2 to 3 weeks before your course.

SW
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 09:32
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easyJet are advertising in the back of Flight International this week for Training Captains for their Airbus and Boeing fleets, presumably to start the backlog of type-rated, but not yet line-trained, FO's

Perhaps this will help to empty the hool pool somewhat.

Cheers

Last edited by Craggenmore; 15th Aug 2006 at 12:55.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 12:12
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The big question is whether Easy can get the line trainers though. Just because they are after guys does not mean that they'll find them. I'd say that's what is going to determine the length of holding time. Meanwhile CTC, continue to recruit guys for the pool and cadets are steadily coming through. I'm sure that everyone in the pool will get in, but it sounds like it could be a while.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 16:46
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Perhaps someone from CTC can answer this question for me, or at least someone who’s reliably informed.

Are CTC actually still currently providing cadets and ATP’s to their other “partner airlines”?

Are they in a situation now whereby they are running monthly AQC’s as a means of generation turnover without there necessarily been a demand?

Any CTC guys who have now ended up working in ops, having given up their previous well paid jobs, are going to be suffering from a severe loss of earnings, based on the assumption that they are still going to only be paid their £1000.00 per month for six months only once their line training starts.

As opposed to a situation whereby they could have been called forward for a TR once EZY could logistically provide a smooth transition into line training, six months later moving onto full FO’s pay…

Bit of a worrying situation for us that are about to start the AQC and something I would just like to settle in my mind, or at least be able to gauge my expectations going forward?

Any positive feedback would be much appreciated!
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 16:51
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Here's a radical thought:
Why don't you call them?
They're normally very helpfull, and if your in the hold pool I don't see what the problem would be in getting most of your questions asked.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 19:25
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Interesting Times

Come on now folks, I think that's a fair point Saffer. Had I parted with £6700 up front for an AQC in the near future, i'd be asking the exact same questions. Surely the fact that Thomas Cook, First Choice and Thomsonfly are running their own recruitment at the mo, should send alarm bells ringing to an extent. I know for a fact that as of this week, the holdpool is sitting in the mid-twenties, and with an AQC every 3 weeks, it won't be long before it reaches the magic 40 (the amount CTC always wanted to have, but never could, due to demand from the airlines).

I too will be paying particular attention over the next couple of months before the house gets re-mortgaged. And for those out there that think this thread is an excuse to have a pop at CTC, you couldn't be further from the truth. Having been in 3 other airlines holding pools, I found them to be the most professional and friendly of the lot. What I am questioning however, is wether they even know themselves who is going to be recruting and when. As i've always been told, a week is a loooong time in aviation, but what do I know is, the AQC still awaits me!!!!!

T
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Old 16th Aug 2006, 13:47
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Don't worry guys ezy are begging CTC for pilots, this summer has been somewhat problematic with hundreds of cancelled flights due to a chronic crew shortage and lots of subchartering has taken place to try to limit the damage to the schedule. A lack of trainers isn't helping and the continual introduction of the 319 across the network is a further stretch on resources as crews head off to do conversion courses.

Training is still going on at full pace according to the training captains at my base, there were a couple of guys heading off to do some line training in the crew room this morning! If you are short on cash, HSBC are usually happy to throw a 5 grand loan at you if you tell them "CTC sent you". Not ideal I know just a suggestion if you haven't already thought about it.

Good luck with it all.
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Old 16th Aug 2006, 18:40
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I am down for a forthcoming AQC and have been thinking about this hold pool getting larger, and about the likely lag time before entering TR. And also with who? There has been a lot of easyjet mentioned, but what of Monarch, Thomsonfly, TC, and First Choice?

Think I shall have to budget for renewing my IR as well. Encouraging to hear from a previous poster that Airlines like to do their training in the winter.

Will follow with interest.

LF
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Old 17th Aug 2006, 21:09
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Talking CTC Hold pool

will also be following this thread with great interest, hope to hear some positive news very soon now, sat with my fingers legs arms and everything else crossed ...
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Old 18th Aug 2006, 17:17
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I've just started my type-rating with easyJet three months after finishing the AQC. Some guys started about a month after finishing but the majority have had to wait until now. As I understand it, this is due to the lack of training captains available for line training which, as mentioned above, is problematic to this summer.

I haven't heard of CTC people working in the Ops Dept. I think this is because we are 'employed' by CTC for 6 months after the type rating (not at the start of line training), so from easy's point of view we cost them nothing. However, this leads to us being bottom of the queue when it comes to line training as TRSS and DE pilots get paid from day one. In theory, we could sit around for 5 months and then be line trained before we cost easyJet anything, which explains why it can currently take several months to complete.

With one new aircraft a week, easyJet are crying out for pilots. On the easy induction day, we saw a welcome schedule which showed several pilot intakes a month. Not all of these are CTC, and Wings Cadets would take priority, but figures of 400 pilots a year are being bandied around, so everyone in the holding pool will eventually make it.

As for CTC and its relationship with partner airlines, I haven't heard of AQCers going anywhere other than easyJet (recently). I was offered a place on a jet2 course, but this was rather irregular, and was eventually filled internally by jet2.

Do the AQC as soon as you can. You at least know then whether you make the grade, and you are in the system. Just plan to be waiting for a good couple of months; plan on getting a job which you can leave with minimal notice; plan on having to renew your IR and medical....plan on being patient!
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Old 18th Aug 2006, 22:22
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It's certainly true that the Ezy Training Captains are being utilised to the max at the moment. I'm guessing that they are trying to put through more experienced pilots (TRSS & D/E) as they need less line training sectors (about 1/4 of the sectors that CTC Cadets need), therefore upping the pilot quota quicker & more efficiently.
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Old 21st Aug 2006, 15:55
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For Wings ATP people, I have heard two different things....from one friend that most of us will end up at easyjet, and from another, that its quite likely we will be placed with Jet2, Monarch, First Choice, Thomson, or TC!

I have also heard that CTC expect their hold pool to be back near empty by around January since the winter is when a lot of the charter companies do their training.

Does anyone have any idea if there is a policy on it? Or is it more a case of the first airline coming along needing x amount of people, and they come from both Cadet and ATP sources?

Thanks

LF
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 08:23
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Hi all,Just a quick one what is financial set up whilst your are under(tr) training,i read CTC will provide an income of sort`s?Got a house,wife and baby to support.
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 08:30
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pipertommy,

The deal is (at least for those going to EZY) that during the type rating you will receive £500 (to last nearly 2 months(!)), then for 6 months thereafter £1000 per month, after that the decision is made whether to give you a permanent contract or not. Recently EZY cadets have been given night stop allowances and holiday (neither of which they had before).

Cheers,

FT
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 08:48
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Not to bad,Last one if you don`t mind,how long is the TR?Couple of months?
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 09:02
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The TR is 6 weeks, 3 weeks technical ground school with 3 progress tests and a final written paper, then 3 weeks flying in the sim. That's for the airbus rating anyway, I'm sure the Boeing conversion courses are similar. This does not include base training. There's normaly always a wait between finishing the conversion course and the base training.
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 09:24
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Probably worth mentioning that the Boeing type rating is a tad longer than the airbus, mainly due to the 300/700 differences course.
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 09:26
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This is true, however if you end up at Easy I'm led to believe that from september you'll only be typed on the 700. If you're on the boeing fleet of course.
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Old 22nd Aug 2006, 09:39
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Thanks!So you will be on £500/month from TR training until you start the base training.So looking about 3 months-ish
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