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Old 10th Sep 2004, 16:11
  #221 (permalink)  
 
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re: Astraeus A320 Type Rating

Raspberry, as a bit of an older lurker (39) , and still contemplating whether or not to do my ATPL at Stapleford, were any of the self sponsored Type Raters in late 30's or early 40's ?? Did any of these older students doing the type rating get a job ?

There is probably no need for me to elaborate on why I am asking these questions !

Look forward to your reply, and congratulations on your new employment . Could I ask you will be working for ??

regards
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Old 10th Sep 2004, 16:28
  #222 (permalink)  
 
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Hi BenH,

The average age of the people on the course was 30. Two of the older guys were successful in gaining employment, one was 37 with 600 hours (300 turbo prop) and the other guy was about 45 with 4000 hours, he was a Captain on Jetstreams.

You cant go far wrong with Stapleford it’s a good school with good Instructors.

Regards

R

P.S check your PM
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Old 10th Sep 2004, 16:30
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FYI the chap who wrote the article in FLYER earlier in the year, about his A320 rating, did not get a job straight away. In fact, he was ultimately able to pull some strings and I think he now has a job. Nice guy too - shows how age can work against you.

Safer option would be to apply for smaller airlines where they know you will not leave...
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Old 10th Sep 2004, 19:15
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Arrowhead,

I believe I did my MCC with this guy at Guildhall - good bloke and if he has a jet job now I am pleased for him!

I missed the relevant Flyer edition!!
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Old 10th Sep 2004, 19:28
  #225 (permalink)  
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Perhaps Sir Donals responses were somewhat of the hotheaded nature, but with regard to Arrowheard comments, they seem on the ball to me.
500 hours on type will make you slightly more employable than your 200 hour cadet. It will not make you "eminently employable." When you have an unfrozen ATPL, you MAY then be a step or two ahead of the 200 hours guys. BUT somewhat behind the plenty of other more experienced guys out there.

In 6 months time you may well be very happy with your new job, in 6 years even. BUT you WILL, absoultely no questions, be moaning about the rosters, the fatigue, crewing, etc etc. And no, you won't be different to everyone else. I have seen it happen to everyone. This does no mean dissatisfaction with the job overall, but with aspects of it. Thats human nature. Better accept this fact now, it'll make it easier for you if you get a job.

"I'll worry about pensions and working conditions when I have a job, not before."
- this sort of statement shows an incredible lack of foresight and ability to plan. I would suggest that one lacking these traits should never get near heavy metal. Flying jets is not a hobby, it is your JOB, you income and your security. Treat it as such. (and by doing so, you will help protect my job and security).

"And we never went in blind to start with"
- Then get out there and talk to people who have been at this more than a couple of months. Because you clearly have not yet had the insight of such people.

I love flying, but please please keep your bl00dy eyes open and it'll be better for us all.
 
Old 11th Sep 2004, 15:44
  #226 (permalink)  
 
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Hi, I also would like to know how Hamrah can claim that 95% of all of Astraeus's SSTR people have jobs flying jets as a result of completing a TR with Astraeus.

I did the TR and have a job flying a B737 but was never contacted by Astraeus after I completed the TR. I have had no contact with Astraeus since I completed the base training......so how do they know who is employed and who isn't??

Fiske
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Old 11th Sep 2004, 16:56
  #227 (permalink)  
 
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7E7 jet rating.

I know this is looking into the future a bit but when I hopefully come out of training this aircraft might be out. Since there would be few people with experience on this type if you got a type rating on it then wouldn't you stand a good chance of becoming employed?

Mooneyboy

( I know I don't have direct experience of the industry so don't attack me due to my naivity).
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Old 11th Sep 2004, 18:55
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Maxiumus

FYI I live in the real world where final salary pension schemes were buried with the dinosaurs, and anything less than a 60 hour week is better than my last job. Okay, the pay is less, but the views and stress are much much better...

Also, if 500 hours (or 100 sectors) makes you employable by BA standards, and most employment agencies contracts, then I am still happy to believe there are good prospects of employment for 500 hour A320-rated pilots. Does anyone know an A320 pilot with single 500-hours on type who does not have a job, but is still prepared to work in the Far East? I suspect not...

Isn't there fatigue in virtually every job (certainly in every 60 hour/week job, or every well paid job, anyway...)

Job/Income/Security - perhaps I already have enough assets and security and just want a job flying jets...? Ever considered that? That is not to say I dont treat flying 150+ passengers around (plus myself) with the utmost respect that this level of responsibility deserves. Just saying that I wake up in the morning wanting to be a jet pilot, and not too worried about the BS that every job has.

And lastly, I know several pilots who have made the jump from professional careers, and not one of them regrets it, and not one complains about the conditions. Perhaps the complaints about conditions come from people who have limited experience about conditions at most highly paid jobs.

STOP MOANING EVERYONE! Get used to fatigue. And get used to a defined contribution pension (which may actually beat final salary pensions anyway).
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Old 12th Sep 2004, 15:28
  #229 (permalink)  
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Arrowhead:

"but the views and stress are much much better"

- Views, yep I agree with that. But stress.... I am sorry to say that once again displays your utter ignorance of aviation. For example, the ever present prospect of losing your job to the medical, the sim check, ill health, any number of random incidents etc etc. Or not seeing your family for ever second important day, like that birthday, or indeed birth, the day they're sick, Christmas, Easter, first day of school etc etc etc. Ever heard of AIDS - Airline Induced Divorced Syndrome? Or dealing with crewing who don't want to know? Or living from a suitcase semi-permanently? Or being pressured into accepting semi-u/s aircraft? Or dealing with an LVP approach into some sh1t-hole on low fuel? Etc etc etc etc etc. Stress, my friend, stress.

"Job/Income/Security - perhaps I already have enough assets and security and just want a job flying jets...? Ever considered that?"

- I couldn't give a to$$ what other assets and security you personally might or might not have. What I do care about is that I, and 99% of other pilots, might or might not have the luxury of other assets and security and therefore rely on the best we can get out of our employers to provide said assets and security. So if you propose to come along and undermine this situation by working for less than you and we are worth, then I think you would understand my total and utter disdain for you.

"saying that I wake up in the morning wanting to be a jet pilot, and not too worried about the BS that every job has."

- yeah, me too, and I like what I am. But unlike you, I recognise the large amounts of BS that accompany the profession (see above). And I worry about it, because, unlike your amateur hobbyist attitude, I have a professional attitude. Which I expect to be remunerated accordingly for.

"That is not to say I dont treat flying 150+ passengers around (plus myself) with the utmost respect that this level of responsibility deserves"

- God help us all us in this profession if you ever get a job carrying more than 5 passengers.

"I know several pilots who have made the jump from professional careers"
- oh so they've left flying to do something else?

"Perhaps the complaints about conditions come from people who have limited experience about conditions at most highly paid jobs"

- actually no, most of the complaints come from those who have had, formerly, precisely that. We know how a professional with large amounts of stress and pressure should be treated.

"STOP MOANING EVERYONE! Get used to fatigue"

- don't you know it's illegal to fly fatigued?

I really think you ought to take a long and hard think about this job. And if, by some awful twist of fate, you get a job while still holding the attitude you do, don't expect for one minute to actually have the respect of any of your colleagues.

Mooneyboy:
Yeah, i think that plan is a bit naive, sorry!
 
Old 12th Sep 2004, 23:11
  #230 (permalink)  
 
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Self funding a rating will no doubt continue to be part of the industry for years to come. While I don't agree with the ethics of it I do admire those who do go down such a 'cut-throat' route. The prospect of never getting a job or even worse loosing your medical after getting your rating are risks - the latter one probably near suicidal if I was in that position. Even with a job your loss of licence would be a drop in the ocean in recovering your total training costs. However providing the costs can be paid off and you can live on more than bread and water then the no bond aspect is a bonus to some extent I suppose.

There was a interesting article in Flight a couple of weeks ago on how Asian airlines are finding it difficult to recruit type rated crews and I noticed that Air Arabia are recruiting - it looks like the A320 is the rating to have at the moment and that the 737 has taken a back step to second place?
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Old 13th Sep 2004, 08:43
  #231 (permalink)  
 
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I dont hear of many pilots saying the BS, stress, fatigue, and T&C are so bad they wish they were a lawyer/accountant/stockbroker/surgeon. But I do hear the reverse. Why is that?

Perhaps this is because the stress, T&C, fatigue are just as bad (or worse) at these other careers? Because in those careers too, you cant always be there and again often live out of a suitcase... Or because you can lose your job simply because your new boss does not like you? Or your last case/opinion/operation which you were forced to accept was not successful (no autoland available)...

And all of the above means that there will be people prepared to pay for a TR. Get used to it...
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Old 13th Sep 2004, 10:00
  #232 (permalink)  
 
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I dont hear of many pilots saying the BS, stress, fatigue, and T&C are so bad they wish they were a lawyer/accountant/stockbroker/surgeon. But I do hear the reverse. Why is that?


Whilst not wishing to paint a gloomy picture, a Captain who is a colleague of mine is taking early retirement for the above reasons because he and his wife have had enough and I have heard of a couple of other pilots who have considered or are considering a change to a non aviation job.

Obviously for the latter case it is unusual circumstances, however take note that the airline business is not always as rosy as you portrayed in your previous post.

With most other jobs that you mentioned, you will probably get home every night to your own bed. However when you live out of a suitcase having sleepless nights in strange surroundings and getting up at the crack of sparrows can leave you feeling exhausted and the day has not even started!!! Never... never... never underestimate fatigue - One day last week during a turnaround the Captain and I got off the aircraft during a turnaround and he simply refused to operate the remaining sector due to fatigue.

Or because you can lose your job simply because your new boss does not like you?

It has happened in aviation and it will probably continue to happen - the attitude from management is normally get rid of him and face the fact that we will loose the tribunal when it goes to court! It won't happen very often but it has happened!

I do love my job and I would not trade it for another type of career but all I am doing is trying to let you know of what can sometimes make or break a job at the end of the day - the lifestyle and terms and conditions.

The unimportant things in this world are what you fly & where you fly to and the most important thing is where you get off the plane at the end of your day!!!
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Old 13th Sep 2004, 13:27
  #233 (permalink)  
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"Get used to it..."

Cheeky upstart aren't you Arrowhead. I console myself with the knowledge that your attitude will act as an effective deterrent to your airline employment. Not so much that displayed in the last post, but more your utter and total refusal to listen to posters with more experience than yourself. Do you really think that a refusal to listen to those who've been there, then lecture them according to the preconception that you alone are correct and finally ridicule them for daring to argue is actually a desirible trait for a airline pilot hopeful?
As I said, I don't think you've any chance of securing a job, in fact your lack of knowledge about aviation makes me wonder if you are a pilot at all, but if you actually do make it past an interview, I guarantee you this: the first training captain you come across is going to kick your ars€ harder than you can possibly imagine.

"Never... never... never underestimate fatigue"

- wise words indeed Mr Geezer.

"all I am doing is trying to let you know of what can sometimes make or break a job at the end of the day - the lifestyle and terms and conditions."

- too bl00dy right, in this forum however we seem to be in the minority. Its a pity the uncomphrehending majority here don't realise that as soon as they have a job this is what is actually important.
 
Old 13th Sep 2004, 16:34
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Cheeky... refusal to listen... ridicule... [not to mention attitude and manners]... I suggest you take a good look at some of your own posts, and then see how to make constructive and thoughtful comments like Mr Geezer.

You have now skewed this post away from trying to help people make a balanced decision about Astraeus/SSTRs and towards pointless tit for tat. Since it sounds like you did not do a SSTR anyway, there seems little point in continuing this trite banter.
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Old 13th Sep 2004, 17:28
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Arrowhead

You have now skewed this post away from trying to help people make a balanced decision about Astraeus/SSTRs and towards pointless tit for tat.
A few PPruners have great difficulty with reading someone's question and it might be handy if the original poster had a 'delete' or 'move to rubbish bin' option.
Because most that have a difficulty with reading have no difficulty in expressing their story which is of no help to anyone but their own ego.

Sometimes you just want to shout RTFQ

Joe
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Old 13th Sep 2004, 19:19
  #236 (permalink)  
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I admit I stand guilty of aiding and abetting thread creep. My defence is this: The first poster asked about SSTR's. A fair question, despite my not agreeing with them. A poster then weighed in with a pro argument giving various reasons. Unfortunately this party has clearly no idea whatsoever about actual life as an airline pilot. He, and his ilk, are also hell-bent on undermining T&C's for those currently in employment.
I thus think that if the first poster is to get a clear idea as to the pro's and con's of an SSTR he should hear about life post rating from people who are in that life and not be influenced by the totally unrealistic BS posted by another poster.
So you say, what gives me the right to rubbish his opinion. Well, ask any airline pilot and you will find that my experiences are somewhat more realistic than rubbish spouted by others living in dreamland. To refuse to see the facts is just plain stupid.
Case closed for me anyway, I have had enough arguing with some clueless wannabe who in all liklihood will get no closer than MS flightsim to a jet.
 
Old 13th Sep 2004, 19:33
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Lightbulb

Arrowhead,

How can you possibly tell someone to get used to fatigue!!?? That is such a callous and immature statement. I think most would argue that fatigue is one, if not the most insidious factor affecting flight safety.

I remember 3 years back when I was hourbuilding in Florida and was returning from Key West to Orlando at night. That morning I had flown down with my instructor and his girlfriend and then spent the day wandering around Key West. By the time we got back to the airport to fly the return leg it was dark. I was dreading the 3.5 hour flight at night in a single but my instructor was confident that I could manage. It was 8pm and I was already feeling tired. However, buoyed up with adrenaline I took off and flew northwards into the night. Within an hour I started to feel very sleepy and my heading and altitude accuracy started to suffer. By this time and with more than 2 hours to go I started to worry about falling asleep so I handed control to my instructor who flew for a while. He looked tired too but seemed to be bearing up okay. Whilst not flying, I grabbed 5 minute kips but every time he handed me back control I still felt sleepy. We did this on and off for the next two hours until we commenced our descent into KISM when I took control. My instructor flicked the usual switch and hey presto we had approach lights. It was now passed 11.30pm and I was dead on my feet. We established ourselves on a 4 mile final for runway 33 and seeing the runway at last I recovered some energy. With about 1 mile or so to go my instructor, trying to improve lighting intensity, inadvertently switched all the lights off! I remember swearing at him but fortunately we were still at about 500 feet and I did have some visual cues from either side of us. Within a few seconds he had the lighting back on but not as intense as before. The illusions at night were staggering and not to be taken lightly. Over the threshold we came and I was so knackered by then I didn't even flare and I have never landed so hard in 6 years of flying!

Throw in some innocent passengers relying on you to get them home safely, some bad weather and/or technical problems and you soon realise that fatigue is frigging frightening and seriously dangerous. Ignore it at your peril!

It is more dangerous in aviation than in any other profession and I for one will never get used to fatigue!!

Last edited by Ray Ban; 13th Sep 2004 at 19:43.
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Old 15th Sep 2004, 09:17
  #238 (permalink)  
 
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Hi guyz

Cheers for all your posts and replys to my topic - great!!

someoine on here said that 95% of Astraeus students are in work, GREAT.


Would be interesting to see how that break down would work out ie. I Bet that means 95% 737 rated people are and the other 5% are a320 rated.

Im have a problem picking a school to do my a320 rating - any suggestions???

Regards
G-MIMA
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Old 15th Sep 2004, 09:57
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Whilst certainly not looking to advocate anybody doing ( or not ) a self-funded TR - wherein this is purely for the record - Astraeus' TRTO are presently approved to deliver TR's for the following aircraft:
  • Airbus A319 / A320 / A321
  • Boeing 737 -300 thru -900
  • Boeing B757 / B767
Nb. All courses available with combined MCC.

For a list of TRTO's click here: CAA - Standards Document 31: Organisations conducting CAA and JAR-FCL Approved Courses of Flight and Ground Training

In particular see pages 21 thru 26 of that document, i.e. 'Part 3 - Organisations Conducting CAA Approved MCC and Aircraft Type Rating Conversion Courses In Accordance With JAR-FCL 1'.
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Old 15th Sep 2004, 10:24
  #240 (permalink)  
 
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GMIMA

Check your PMs
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