BA CityFlyer/Jerez training scheme
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Big whoopee that the company is only a year old...they're giving quite few people the opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream! To be honest, i wouldn't care if i was flying a rustbucket (within safety parameters anyway) if they were going to give me a job at the end of it.
I got through by the way, i've got the 1030 start so it's gonna be an early start from Colchester!!
Anyone one else? So far on this thread i've seen one other person who's going.
Let the revision begin.
I got through by the way, i've got the 1030 start so it's gonna be an early start from Colchester!!
Anyone one else? So far on this thread i've seen one other person who's going.
Let the revision begin.
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chileconcarne27, you live a sheltered life obviously, it does matter that the company is new, since new companies come and go. BA Connect? Duo? Maxjet? Job security is an issue my friend believe me. And once you're in the seat you do care about the machine you fly, I love the Avro, I really do, but for reliablity, we'll be in a better position if we get EMB170/90s
Atreyu
Atreyu
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There's no need to 'my friend' me. Of course security in a job is important, that goes without saying, but i'm trying to get to the point that there are plenty of longer established company's who won't do half what BACF is doing to help new recruits.
The pickier new boys are about what they fly the damn site harder they are going to find it getting sponsored/employment. You have to take the rough with the smooth...and getting to FTE with the backing of an airline is definitley smooth enough for me...they can throw anything else they like at me and i'd welcome it with open arms.
The pickier new boys are about what they fly the damn site harder they are going to find it getting sponsored/employment. You have to take the rough with the smooth...and getting to FTE with the backing of an airline is definitley smooth enough for me...they can throw anything else they like at me and i'd welcome it with open arms.
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hahaha ok mate good for you. I do seem to remember flybe offering a broadly similar employment package, Cityjet have a cadet program with FTE and of course BA Mainline is attractive too, DHL wasn't too shabby if/when they hire and of course TFly is very good if they ever hire from their cadet program again. And this isn't like the company is paying for your training like the good old days, yes a JOC, maybe some upset training and of course a type rating, but all of the above I mentioned will also pay for your type rating too (which is the most important bit). This isn't BACF bashing, I work for them and thoroughly enjoy my work (even if it is still work 
) and I'm very pleased with how I've been treated by the company. What I'm saying to you is that it isn't the be all and end all, and just because you get a lanyard and a yellow vest at FTE doesn't mean your 'in the club' either. Just ask the Thomsonfly cadets from 2007.
Atreyu
) and I'm very pleased with how I've been treated by the company. What I'm saying to you is that it isn't the be all and end all, and just because you get a lanyard and a yellow vest at FTE doesn't mean your 'in the club' either. Just ask the Thomsonfly cadets from 2007.Atreyu
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Ok, we'll call it quits for now! I do get a little passionate about flying, and the fact that i've made it a career choice. I've applied to many of these schemes before and always try to keep the same momentum and enthusiasm for each one. If any one offered me the opportunity that BACF have, then i'll go all the way with them.
Chile
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Chile
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That's good to hear. Thanks Atreyu
My friends at FTE have said it's best to be philosophical about the whole thing. If you get a place take it because you'd be daft not to when there's mentoring offered. There might not be any jobs to offer us in two years' time but then we'll just be in the same boat as most of the other guys out there.
I'd love to fly the Avro before they go out of service - It's been my favourite since I was a little'un. Such a shame they didn't go ahead with the RJX back in 2000.
My friends at FTE have said it's best to be philosophical about the whole thing. If you get a place take it because you'd be daft not to when there's mentoring offered. There might not be any jobs to offer us in two years' time but then we'll just be in the same boat as most of the other guys out there.
I'd love to fly the Avro before they go out of service - It's been my favourite since I was a little'un. Such a shame they didn't go ahead with the RJX back in 2000.
And TNT will fly them until they rot too I'm sure!
I'm hearing whispers BA Mainline and easyJet are looking to run similar mentored schemes at FTE, each looking to take on 80 cadet pilots each.
Watch this space..
I didn't say anything!
S88 (just loves watching arguements form on PPRuNe)
Watch this space..
I didn't say anything!
S88
(just loves watching arguements form on PPRuNe)
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easyjet must be using the framework from the GB sponsorship if that's true. Flying the bus would be fantastic!
I love how wannabes talk of 'real work and proper flying' like we hand fly the RJ all the time, you wanna take a read of our ops manuals, and the 'defensive flying' part. Mainly regailing ourselves of "full use of automatics wherever and whenever possible"
Don't be fooled into thnking you'll be swooping around the skies like you would in a warrior in a BACF RJ! The punters down the back don't care if you're having fun, they want to arrive at their destination safely, and the safest means is by full use of the automatics. And besides good workload management dictates that you use the automatics because it frees up alot of capacity for dealing with paperwork, flight and performance mointoring and of course any non normal situations that may need attention.
So with that in mind which makes for a less stressful working day, RJ or A320? Don't get me wrong chaps(ettes) I'm bashing BACF, but you have to be aware of the realities of day to day line flying BEFORE you get all hot under the collar about winning a place on the mentoring scheme. Of course LCY approaches are fun, and seeing london from 2/3000 feet is a privilage not many have. You'll see in your training the Stress vs Performance curve, and hopefully then you may start to appricate what I'm saying to you guys/gals. Don't think for a minute when flying the bus you switch off and leave it to the computers, The involvement is broadly the same for all airliners once on autopilot.
And just to end with some food for thought, Since on the airbus the computers are always involved with the flight controls providing you safe limits to fly in, would a company who flies airbuses (airbusi?) allow more handflying than on an RJ fleet that affords no such protection?
In the end though chaps, after saying all that, you take what you get and worry about what type you want to fly and who you really want to work for afterwards! (Fingers crossed for EMB195s, i actually fancy those machines
)
Atreyu
Flying the bus would be fantastic! I love how wannabes talk of 'real work and proper flying' like we hand fly the RJ all the time, you wanna take a read of our ops manuals, and the 'defensive flying' part. Mainly regailing ourselves of "full use of automatics wherever and whenever possible"
Don't be fooled into thnking you'll be swooping around the skies like you would in a warrior in a BACF RJ! The punters down the back don't care if you're having fun, they want to arrive at their destination safely, and the safest means is by full use of the automatics. And besides good workload management dictates that you use the automatics because it frees up alot of capacity for dealing with paperwork, flight and performance mointoring and of course any non normal situations that may need attention.
So with that in mind which makes for a less stressful working day, RJ or A320? Don't get me wrong chaps(ettes) I'm bashing BACF, but you have to be aware of the realities of day to day line flying BEFORE you get all hot under the collar about winning a place on the mentoring scheme. Of course LCY approaches are fun, and seeing london from 2/3000 feet is a privilage not many have. You'll see in your training the Stress vs Performance curve, and hopefully then you may start to appricate what I'm saying to you guys/gals. Don't think for a minute when flying the bus you switch off and leave it to the computers, The involvement is broadly the same for all airliners once on autopilot.
And just to end with some food for thought, Since on the airbus the computers are always involved with the flight controls providing you safe limits to fly in, would a company who flies airbuses (airbusi?) allow more handflying than on an RJ fleet that affords no such protection?
In the end though chaps, after saying all that, you take what you get and worry about what type you want to fly and who you really want to work for afterwards! (Fingers crossed for EMB195s, i actually fancy those machines
)Atreyu
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Well I probably should tell you about the company so you know will know eventually what your working day will consist of should you succeed in getting on the scheme and being recruited into the airline. Start times are as per your roster, earliest I've had so far is 0430 and latest is about 1450, so quite varied start times.
Upon parking and walking in the rain and wind to the terminal we obviously have to pass through security, emptying your pockets and taking off jackets etc, trust me this could tip someone over the edge if they're having a bad day, but I'm sure the staff at the search point have seen it all before
On from that we walk through the length of the EDI main terminal to reach our crew room, so plenty opportunity for posing if that's what floats your boat
In the crew room we log into the staff intranet and 'check in' for our duty. Then usually whoever is in first, be it captain or f/o will start the process of printing the paperwork off. Once that is complete the P1 will brief the P2 on the current/forecast weather and any relevent NOTAMs along the route. The the crew will decide on a fuel figure for the flight, justifying why they took any extra if they did (WX/Icing/ATC etc) Then the figures will phoned through to the handling agent, and usually by the time we reach the aeroplane, the refuller is nearly done or actually done if the inbound landed with alot of extra fuel.
Once on board we stow our baggage if we have any (not our flight kit, just your clothes bag, you might not be nightstopping of course) then procede onto the flight deck. The P1 will perform the walk around, while the P2 performs the relevant checks, the actual checks done depend on whether the A/C was sealed up or was handed over by a crew. The P2 will start to set up the navaids for the SID expected, it's written on the flightplan, which bases its judgement on current winds from METAR reports, and will also plug the route into the FMS and calculate the performance figures (time permitting for the latter). The P1 will join P2 on the flightdeck after his/her walk around and begin to either check the performance figures or do them if the P2 is busy.
Once this is complete the before start checks are completed to the line, then the departure brief commences. Once this is complete, the loadsheet has hopefully arrived, and we interactively enter the weights into the FMC and onto the paper flightplan, ensuring no errors are made. Then the rest of the before start checks are completed. I usually get my clearence during the brief but it is personal choice. This must be listened to by both crew members, again so no errors are made. Once this is all complete, we had over the relevent paperwork to the dispatcher who then leaves the a/c and this allows us to close up and request push and start from ATC.
The way we set the aeroplane up for flight is by a set or memory actions triggered by an event, e.g receiving ATC push and Start clearnce automatically makes the crew perform the push/start 'set up'. We then follow the checklist to make sure we've moved the right switches into the right places! It sounds convoluted but it actually works very well, allowing you to CHECK each system is correctly set for start; since you've already moved the switch/control, and not just read and do from a list.
Thats about it really, the rest is just straightforward (hopefully) line flying, following a SID, fly along airways or by ATC headings, STAR or Radar vectored arrival and approach to land. The turnaround is always busy as above unless your finished for the day!
You have to be adaptable to change, ATC change runways, slot times move, weather changes, and all these changes can be in our favour and not in our favour and any combination inbetween. Add to that the infinate varible of passengers and people coming in and out of the flight deck means you can't be too settled in, as soon as you do that, it all changes!
And of course being ready for any non normal or emergency situation, remember we usually run the APU, and it could catch fire just as easily as the four on the wings could. Not likely, but possible! I find it as stimulating on the ground as in the air, it's almost like chess, trying to manage all your pieces correctly and get them in order to make your move. Or maybe I just suffer from illusions of grandeur, who knows!
Hope this was informative!
Atreyu
Upon parking and walking in the rain and wind to the terminal we obviously have to pass through security, emptying your pockets and taking off jackets etc, trust me this could tip someone over the edge if they're having a bad day, but I'm sure the staff at the search point have seen it all before
On from that we walk through the length of the EDI main terminal to reach our crew room, so plenty opportunity for posing if that's what floats your boat
In the crew room we log into the staff intranet and 'check in' for our duty. Then usually whoever is in first, be it captain or f/o will start the process of printing the paperwork off. Once that is complete the P1 will brief the P2 on the current/forecast weather and any relevent NOTAMs along the route. The the crew will decide on a fuel figure for the flight, justifying why they took any extra if they did (WX/Icing/ATC etc) Then the figures will phoned through to the handling agent, and usually by the time we reach the aeroplane, the refuller is nearly done or actually done if the inbound landed with alot of extra fuel.
Once on board we stow our baggage if we have any (not our flight kit, just your clothes bag, you might not be nightstopping of course) then procede onto the flight deck. The P1 will perform the walk around, while the P2 performs the relevant checks, the actual checks done depend on whether the A/C was sealed up or was handed over by a crew. The P2 will start to set up the navaids for the SID expected, it's written on the flightplan, which bases its judgement on current winds from METAR reports, and will also plug the route into the FMS and calculate the performance figures (time permitting for the latter). The P1 will join P2 on the flightdeck after his/her walk around and begin to either check the performance figures or do them if the P2 is busy.
Once this is complete the before start checks are completed to the line, then the departure brief commences. Once this is complete, the loadsheet has hopefully arrived, and we interactively enter the weights into the FMC and onto the paper flightplan, ensuring no errors are made. Then the rest of the before start checks are completed. I usually get my clearence during the brief but it is personal choice. This must be listened to by both crew members, again so no errors are made. Once this is all complete, we had over the relevent paperwork to the dispatcher who then leaves the a/c and this allows us to close up and request push and start from ATC.
The way we set the aeroplane up for flight is by a set or memory actions triggered by an event, e.g receiving ATC push and Start clearnce automatically makes the crew perform the push/start 'set up'. We then follow the checklist to make sure we've moved the right switches into the right places! It sounds convoluted but it actually works very well, allowing you to CHECK each system is correctly set for start; since you've already moved the switch/control, and not just read and do from a list.
Thats about it really, the rest is just straightforward (hopefully) line flying, following a SID, fly along airways or by ATC headings, STAR or Radar vectored arrival and approach to land. The turnaround is always busy as above unless your finished for the day!
You have to be adaptable to change, ATC change runways, slot times move, weather changes, and all these changes can be in our favour and not in our favour and any combination inbetween. Add to that the infinate varible of passengers and people coming in and out of the flight deck means you can't be too settled in, as soon as you do that, it all changes!
And of course being ready for any non normal or emergency situation, remember we usually run the APU, and it could catch fire just as easily as the four on the wings could. Not likely, but possible! I find it as stimulating on the ground as in the air, it's almost like chess, trying to manage all your pieces correctly and get them in order to make your move. Or maybe I just suffer from illusions of grandeur, who knows!
Hope this was informative!
Atreyu
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So, did anyone else receive the good news?? I had the best phone call of my life yesterday and they've offered me a June start.
Would be great to hear from any others that made it through.
Would be great to hear from any others that made it through.
. BM
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There's always someone who puts a dampener on things isn't there!!
I know you're only being realistic Atreyu but i've worked hard to get here and it's not going to stop now...!
Thanks BusinessMan, hope things work out for you too!!
I know you're only being realistic Atreyu but i've worked hard to get here and it's not going to stop now...!
Thanks BusinessMan, hope things work out for you too!!
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What can I say? I just love to crush enthusiasm whenever and wherever possible
Just trying to inject some reality into cloud 9 I guess! I have offered my congratulations and I'm sure the candidates will have successful training but personally I would (and did) save the celebrations until at least after passing the IR! But perhaps I'm just cynical?
Well done all though, great scheme and best wishes for the training and subsequent TR!
Atreyu
Just trying to inject some reality into cloud 9 I guess! I have offered my congratulations and I'm sure the candidates will have successful training but personally I would (and did) save the celebrations until at least after passing the IR! But perhaps I'm just cynical?
Well done all though, great scheme and best wishes for the training and subsequent TR!
Atreyu
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Aha... I'm confused.. Why did you apply yesterday?
Assuming you're talking about the BACityflyer Scheme with FTE, I applied about three weeks ago? Stage 3 is set for Manchester in a couple of weeks, and I don't have my hopes up.
Not many people seem to have applied, there's not much news about it circulating around here at least!
Best of luck,
Shay
Assuming you're talking about the BACityflyer Scheme with FTE, I applied about three weeks ago? Stage 3 is set for Manchester in a couple of weeks, and I don't have my hopes up.
Not many people seem to have applied, there's not much news about it circulating around here at least!
Best of luck,
Shay