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City Jet....C###S

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Old 13th Oct 2007, 22:34
  #21 (permalink)  
 
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Angry

£350??? Is that it??? I think you may need to re-evaluate your priorities if you really want to get into this industry.

I've got a place on the CTC Wings scheme, leaving the UK for NZ in January.

I've been to their Crew Training Centres 3 times so far with approx costings as follows:

First Time for Stage 2 (which, incidentally I failed)....£373 for travel to PWK from home, flights to BOH, taxi's back and forth between BOH, hotel and CTC, Hotel for 2 nights B&B and a few meals. Oh yeah...that includes £170 ish for the assessment day!

Second time for stage 2 as above except only 1 night in hotel and no second charge for assessment day....£178

Third time for Stages 3 and 4.....this time with 3 nights in hotel, hire car (as taxi's are too expensive and one day was in Bournemouth, the other in Southampton).....£352

Passed all of these so needed Disclosure...£20, plus JAA Class 1 Medical and flights to Gatwick plus meals....£310 plus £75 then flights to Hythe to arrange finance...£65 return, plus flights and 3 nights hotel etc for induction day and evening reception for me and my wife (with the other students and their family) £400.

In total I have spent so far approx £1943 since July 2006 and I haven't even thought about insurance for my life, medical, finance etc at about £1200.

Unfortunately for me I live 500 miles away from where they want to assess and interview me as well as approx 400 miles away from the only place I can do my JAA Initial Class 1 medical but thats the way it goes and I fully accept that everyone I want to be trained/employed by will not be on my doorstep and willing to pay to assess and interview me as you seem to expect!

Quit bitching as an attitude like that over £350 will not be tolerated by any airline you want to be employed by hence, I'm sure, you didn't get a job!
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Old 13th Oct 2007, 23:44
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Airlines charge for interviews etc because you wannabes will pay it. Do you think they wouldn't hire if they had to fund the interview themselves or pay for your rating? The aeroplanes will fly anyway, even if the airlines have to provide everything for the interview. The difference between success and failure for an airline is not the piddling cost of an interview. The TR is provided by the manufacturer as part of the deal for buying the aircraft, so they don't need to charge you. They do because you all keep paying.

If you are willing to pay, they will accept. You're cutting your own throats.

For example, ryr are desperately short of pilots. They do not have hundreds of CV's. If a few of you refuse to pay, they will provide TR's.
You're cutting your own throats.

Quit bitching as an attitude like that over £350 will not be tolerated by any airline you want to be employed by hence, I'm sure, you didn't get a job!
If everyone bitched, nobody would have to pay. Sheep.
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 00:02
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vito corleone, did you not realise that the industry was like this before you started out?
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 00:38
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In France if you are unemployed, when you manage to get an interview far from where you live, the national job center gives you the money back to cover travel expenses (hotel, flights, etc..). Which is quite good indeed

Vito Corleone, don't worry, life is a school and we all learn from mistakes. Try to understand why you were not succesfull on that particular day, and next time should be the good one

Good luck.
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 00:40
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Vitocorleone and CamelhAir....C###S

Sort your attitudes out guys.

Luke SkyToddler got it right when he said "Cityjet had a lucky escape" not employing you. I certainly wouldn't want you sat next to me for a few hours with that attitude.

CamelhAir- you're like a broken record, quit moaning about people paying for their own training, yes everyone hates that they have to pay for their own training, but that's the trend over the last twenty years in this industry. Get over it. You knew how much it costs to get a job before you got into this industry.

Vito - you sound like one of those idiots who buys a house cheap becuase it's next to an airport and then moan about the noise. If you're lucky enough to get another interview then expect to pay at least that amount of money training towards the interview and you might just get it.

That's all I have to say about that.
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 10:34
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Angry

If a few of you refuse to pay, they will provide TR's
Bit naive there. I'm sure it would take every commercial pilot who wants further TR's and every wannabe on the planet to refuse to pay before every airline provides free training and type ratings.

If there were no wannabe's, willing to fund, part fund or find sponsorship then the world would soon run out of pilots!

As for the 'sheep' comment, I suppose your atpl training and B737 TR were free then?? Or was the silver spoon never removed?
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 10:59
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If there were no wannabe's, willing to fund, part fund or find sponsorship then the world would soon run out of pilots
No it wouldn't, the airlines would fund it. As they have in the past when it was required, and as they will in the future if necessary. The difference between success and failure for an airline is not the cost of the training, incl ab initio training. That's merely propaganda that wannabes have bought into.
China is doing zero to hero training, fully funded, right now. Why? Because they have to.
An objective view of this industry is vital.

Sorry Bongle, the truth ain't always palitable.
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 17:47
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As for the 'sheep' comment, I suppose your atpl training and B737 TR were free then?? Or was the silver spoon never removed?
I take it this was ignored then or do you actually not have either??
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Old 14th Oct 2007, 22:33
  #29 (permalink)  
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Cityjet are one of the few airlines that still offer training bonds and will consider low hour frozen ATPL holders for a JAR 25 jet. Cityjet is probably one of the best deals around for a fATPL holder at the moment.

Most would consider the expense of attending the interview for the possibility of a training bond onto a jet a worthwhile gamble; especially with so many airlines operating pay for type rating schemes these days.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 00:14
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I'm afraid Vito has a point (although his attitude might be another matter).

Self-sponsored TR, Line Training, Costly Sim Checks, Interview expenses are just the thin wedge.. may be OK for some of you guys with cash to burn, but the new fATPL is then expected to throw out more cash with no guarantees all to save the employer a few pennies (or pounds), so my sympathies.

However those of you who seem to love to attack Vito's viewpoint (not his attitude) should remember that your working conditions are gradually eroded by such tactics. Its disgusting and lowers standards as well as those who pay fly those who can't... well they don't. Its a generalization that is scarily becoming almost the norm.

Personally I'd rather fly with a self-improver with 500hrs instructing and 50hrs light twin (the good old days) than the cash heavy twats one sometimes sees who seem to think its OK to pay for everything (including being on the line).
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 11:27
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I am in agreement with Flash 8. Yes, I agree with Vito's point on the way the industry treats wannabes (don't agree with the attitude or wishing an airline to go bust).

I am dumbfounded by the way the industry treats wannabes by making them pay for everything without the airline paying expenses - at least for travel.

Of course you are all going to say things like "There are tons of low hour pilots so if you cant pay, we will just take another from the pool" and "You knew the industry before you bought the ATPL / TR - no guarantee of a job" etc ... but BUT this does not make it right and things really must change. Sure, being a pilot is a priviledged job but it shouldn't be some secret society where you have to bend over and get shafted (yes literally) in order to get the job after already spending close to £70K!!

This is the ONLY industry (someone pls correct me) where you spend 70K and are not guaranteed a job at the end of it. And then you have the likes of Pilotmike saying spend £400 on a sim check and £150 on an interview preparation day. Are you serious PilotMike???

Is this really the state of industry that I want to join? Is this how I am to be treated? So if someone is "lucky" enough to get 5 interviews in a year, then you are looking at £2750 for 'preparation' on top of the fact that you may have paid £15K for a TR and £70K for an integrated course and don't forget that you may have lost an average of £25-30K salary as you spent a year doing the course itself!!! NOt to mention how much you really would pay back in interest on replayments if you got a loan or if you remortgaged the house.

So with everything I just said, the statement changes :This is the ONLY industry (someone pls correct me) where you spend directly/indirectly 150K and are not guaranteed a job at the end of it.

Vito - I welcome your rants. And if just one wannabe per year takes a browse of PPRUNE and sees your posts which makes them think twice as hard before deciding to join the industry (not neccesarily deciding against being a pilot), then you should be commended. It's good to have a reality check now and then.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 12:42
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And then you have the likes of Pilotmike saying spend £400 on a sim check and £150 on an interview preparation day. Are you serious PilotMike???
Yes, completely serious. Let me explain it to you.

This whole situation reminds me of the You've Been Framed clip of a rather overweight lady running down the beach, chasing the air-bed which is being blown away from her. She runs the whole length of the beach, exhausted, always just metre from catching the wayward air-bed, without ever catching it. Had she simply put a fraction more effort into catching the air-bed right at the start, she'd have saved all that wasted time and effort, and be lying down on it sipping cocktails in the sun. Vito's situation somehow reminds me of it - if he just focused some of his effort into self improvement instead of venting his illogical fury with aviation / flying schools / Cityjet / British capitalist society / paying travel costs / (add whatever else you care to), he might just figure out where he needs to spend his effort.

As we are discussing a serious profession where we are all expected to be professional, surely spending £550 isn't such a huge sum to invest in one's self to be able to present at interview the very best one can?

Most wannabes have already invested some £55k (or considerably more) to get the very bare basic qualifications necessary to be eligible to apply for the job. So the further investment of just £550, or about 1% extra, could make the vital difference between success and failure. Just think - 1% extra to set yourself apart from the queues of wannabes who have done nothing to make themselves shine and stand out from the crowd. That looks like extremely good value to me, given how hard it is to land that first job.

Using Vito as an example, he might very well have benefitted from the £550 investment I suggested, so long as he had bothered to learn that he needs to lose that attitude to get anywhere in life. Had he made that small investment in himself, then he probably would never have had to pay to travel to any more interviews.

We humble pilots don't set the rules, we simply learn to play by them. Paying a modest sum to learn the rules thoroughly and to hone one's skills seems an incredibly wise investment, and I was completely serious in recommending it.

But Vito and others will probably continue to justify why somehow they simply don't need to.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 13:12
  #33 (permalink)  
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Some very wise words pilotmike.


Oh, I'd give my left arm for a Cityjet interview.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 14:07
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Wise words or just another who's succeeded in flipping the real world 180 degrees to make the self justification seem sane and even sensible.

Previous history safely shelved. It was all a very long time ago and they were very, very drunk.

Return on investment beautifully ignored.

Future ability to pay off loans, get morgage, start family nicely distanced on that burner right at the very, very back of the hob.

So, that's it then. Trebles all round.

Rob
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 14:26
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Dear Vito,

you are right, that' s f... disgusting! (I translate:"c'est la vie!!!")

why don't you try airlines paying you for travel and hotel?.
I got an interview with Tyrolean, cost me nothing. 12 euro only (had to pay my own breakfast).I went there cuz it was paid!

then I got another interview few weeks later , the company didnt asked me any money. I even asked them if I had to pay the sim check cuz I have 0 money for them.they told me they take care of all expenses.

you must focus and apply only where you can get money, not giving your money to these C%%^s.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 14:27
  #36 (permalink)  
 
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Cityjet

Vito - Its all a bit frustrating I know. Don't be too worried about the people slagging you off for venting your anger. A problen shared/halved and all that.

I had those tests a couple of years back. If cityjet strill use Harcourt Publishing for thier aptitudes tests then;

What do they intend to gain from those tests. Generic and long winded. A bit of a lazy HR department i think.

Very much like the old CTC group discussion for phase 2. I really wanted to ask what model they were using to assess character and communication skills. I know the answer would be 'none'. Completely useless and ineffective way of measuring the above. Although, I don't think they do that anymore. Without sounding stuck-up, as an ex management trainer, i found that part of the experience laughable.

If anyone is bothered, you can contact Harcourt and get those tests. Which again seems a little strange.

Its just the sort of stuff you need to take on the chin and move on.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 14:29
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PilotMike, thanks for your reply but I am just trying to present Vito's point which unfortunately he has hidden within his attitude and confrontational posts which means everyone is slating him. Because if you look deeper - he is making a bloody good point.

I am trying to bring out the fact that the industry as a whole - due to its status as being a dream job etc - must not use this as an excuse to treat potentials like this.

You may call me a prophet of doom but how long will it be until Airlines actually implement a form of the employment regime that France was trying to bring in (unsuccesfully if you remember)? - i.e Work for the airline for 2 years on the minimum wage and if you don't cut the mustard, then you can be sacked without argument?

How long will it be until Airlines will only give you a job if you work for free for the first year?

How long will it be until Airlines will want you to give a blood donation in order for them to paint their liveries!!!!????

But you can't complain! "Be positive", "have good attitude". "You knew about the difficulties of the airline industry before you spent money" etc..

Mike, There is one point that we must agree to disagree. And that is I would NEVER be able to fathom paying £550 to get ahead of the rest having already paid for your ATPL because what it means is "he who has the money gets the job".

Do you know Vito's finaincial situation? Maybe he took out a HSBC loan. For 7 months he says he hasn't even had a response. Yet somehow he has to pay £500/600 a month back to HSBC - ontop of rent/food/mortgage?. Can he afford £550 in order to get a job that he has already trained for, passed and has the license to prove it? What happens if he doesn't get it? Should he pay another £550 in 2 months time? Then again, then again ad infinitum?

This should not and must not be the case and if you are correct that this £550 would have got him the job, then I hope all Wannabe's read this post and realise what type of industry they are joining.

£550 might very well be 1% extra investment, but what if you can't find that 1%? According to Vito, he spent £350 in expenses getting to the interview. So if he managed to beg steal and borrow for that £550 - then hed just have £200 left! Not enough for a sim ride.

Everyone - please try and ignore Vito's attititude for one minute and give constructive responses incase there are other wannabe's reading this thread. And I dont mean spouting corporate management spiel "be positive, your time will come, wear a smile bla blah blah". I feel for this bloke - this might be me one day. It could be any of us.

If you can't find anything to say then say the truth that many don't wish to admit. And that is

"Tough Sh!t. Sorry Vito but it happens".

That way, in years to come we wont have more fATPL pilots crying on the forum. Becasue they will k now the truth from reading the arhives.
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Old 15th Oct 2007, 21:26
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paying for an interview with ctc or ryanair or whoever is rubbish, lets face it.

only when the number of low houred desperados starts to reduce (which it may, possibly, i think) will this situation change. i love flying and have a frozen atpl but i also love engineering and will be happy to carry on with that if it comes down to it. not gonna shaft myself for the sake of working for some of these ****ty ass companies (if it was ANY other job - you wouldn’t look twice at one or two these outfits - thats the truth isnt it). Have a (good) plan B i say...

also, it would be interesting to know what the differences in quality of applicant are for the different airlines - especially those who screw everyone vs those who dont

chin up chaps, one day, we'll all be millionaires
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Old 16th Oct 2007, 08:28
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Sickbag, I'm with you all the way ! Similar situation - guess we're fortunate to have our Plan B - then again it paid for all the training, bit by bit, without any debt ! I think pilotmike's suggestion is to pay for interview training, which I believe is a good idea and he does paint in my mind an accurate picture ! However, giving Vito the benefit of the doubt I believe he was just venting off his disappointment (and let's face it we all say things in the heat of the moment sometimes), perhaps not how I would choose to articulate it on a public forum, but hey ! Each to his own. That said, as Dan1405 quite rightly points out - all these costs must have been perceived prior to interview etc and had things gone differently Vito would have been posting the good news and telling everyone how he (maybe she?) can't wait to join them !!

However, Vito does address the underlying issue which is, placing the burden of travel and accommodation costs on the individual (read wanabee who is more likely than not already skint after paying massive sums to be 'privileged' enough to actually legitimately apply to the airline in the first place) and let's face it £350 is not an insignificant amount of money, regardless of the fact the individual may have paid IRO £50k ! Any interview that I have been to for a permanent position in engineering has had the travel expenses reimbursed and for one interview I went to in Canada the company paid for return flights from YOW to YVR for me and my wife, hotel, hire car and expenses for the whole weekend; and I still turned the job offer down !

Vito makes another point about the aptitude tests. If as he says, all those attending were from the UK, then would it have been too much for CJ to host them in a hotel, in let's say, the Midlands, and give those in the UK a reasonable chance of attending without too much expense? This kind of thing happens a lot in engineering when they have a recruitment drive on.

Anyway, to all you wanabees out there - chin up ! The competition is now one less as I have decided to stick with engineering. When I decided to go CPL at age 34 the industry was soooooo different and I really don't think I want to be a part of it anymore !! Also, for lifestyle reasons !! I'm under no doubt I would have enjoyed the flying, but I'm sorry it's not going to happen at any cost, and I don't necessarily mean financially either !!

Good luck one and all. You're going to need it !!

CG.
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Old 16th Oct 2007, 09:03
  #40 (permalink)  
 
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Look I agree with Vito - Cityjet ARE a bunch of ****s. They are absolutely renowned for dangling a bit shiny-jet baited hook in front of every 200 hour wannabe in Europe and calling them for "assessment".

However if Vito would have done the slightest bit of research before he opened his wallet, he would have found out that information.

It's just another symptom of the exact same disease that we all told the guy off about last month. The problem with Vito is that he is yet another 200 hour hero who feels that it's his god given right to step straight into a big jet and won't countenance flying anything smaller or less befitting to his incredible status. And then goes all foul mouthed and bitchy when he pitches up at some ripoff scheme masquerading as an assessment day, and finds that there's intense competition for S.F.A. jobs. Did you by any chance go to the Ryanair "information day" up at East Mids the other day as well Vito?

There are plenty of jobs out there that are entirely within Vito's grasp that don't charge a peanut for assessment or training or type rating or anything else. But I bet he's not applied to a single one. You could try here for a start.

If he would - if ALL of you would - only stop applying to the likes of these chancers, then the problem would go away. But there is absolutely zero chance of that happening, because the puppet masters in Cityjet and Ryanair and all the rest of those kind of airlines make sure to give just enough of you a job, to keep the wannabe gossip mills churning and the rest of you queueing up to throw a few hundred here and a few hundred there at these kind of assessments.

No sympathy sorry. As the great P.T. Barnum once said, "It is morally wrong to allow suckers to keep their money". And THAT my friends is what you all are, for supporting these kind of schemes.

The world is so full of great little aeroplanes, and great genuine low-timer jobs, great places to fly and have some awesome experiences and build some hours while you're young and working your way through the ranks, I just shake my head in disbelief sometimes, it just seems that all you Brits are incapable for a single second of thinking outside the box and going out to where all this flying is waiting to be found, that you all think these kind of ripoffs are the only way to get ahead in this business, well let me tell you they're NOT!!

[edited because I had, in fact, failed to grasp that Vito was only bitching about the cost of his hotels & flights - not the assessment itself? I was sure Cityjet charged for the actual assessment, but I am happy to hold my hand up and eat my words if wrong. Vito mate you seriously seriously need a reality check if travel costs to an interview is all it takes to wind you up. And you better not apply for Ryanair because you'll be paying for your own flights and hotels to every sim and nightstop for the rest of forever].

Last edited by Luke SkyToddler; 16th Oct 2007 at 11:38. Reason: Screwed it up
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