British Airways Future Pilot Programme.
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Forget this £25k figure.
First year salary around £34k (composed of salary+flight pay). Security bond of 12k also paid back. This takes care of the principal of the loan (84k). Accrued interest for your loan will also be paid back, but this ultimately comes out of your salary (the 34k), and whilst not insignificant, is incomparable to the repayments that would be required of other programmes (CTC Wings for example), where your security bond is not repaid. Ie. repayment costs in excess of 84k are the cost of credit of the loan. Payments are made to a predesignated schedule and overpayments are allowed.
As alluded to by a few others, to achieve the same take home pay as the FPP acheives were your bond not repaid, you would need to earn a fair bit more. I'm not going to calculate it, but it'd be in excess of £50k.
First year salary around £34k (composed of salary+flight pay). Security bond of 12k also paid back. This takes care of the principal of the loan (84k). Accrued interest for your loan will also be paid back, but this ultimately comes out of your salary (the 34k), and whilst not insignificant, is incomparable to the repayments that would be required of other programmes (CTC Wings for example), where your security bond is not repaid. Ie. repayment costs in excess of 84k are the cost of credit of the loan. Payments are made to a predesignated schedule and overpayments are allowed.
As alluded to by a few others, to achieve the same take home pay as the FPP acheives were your bond not repaid, you would need to earn a fair bit more. I'm not going to calculate it, but it'd be in excess of £50k.
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Berks has it.
Those of you who are successful will have plenty of time to do your sums and make spreadsheets etc...
However, for reference purposes:
I expect to have to pay between £800 and £900 to the bank, each month, at the end of the "repayment holiday", for the first two years. This is as a result of the reduced repayment schedule the bank uses for the first two years. The bonus is obviously fewer outgoings each month. The downside is that you'll take longer to pay it off/incur more interest/pay more for the privilege of the capital in the long run. NB the total sum I have borrowed is around £75k.
So the first thing to be noticed here, is that in actual fact during the first 2 years of employment, I can expect my loan repayments to be less than my bond repayments. Interesting...
After two years, your payment schedule changes such that you're now making up for lost time, so the monthly repayment will be significantly more than before. I don't have my numbers to hand, so I can't name a figure. The thinking behind this is, of course, that you're now earning more money.
There is nothing to stop you, however, from taking a more tactical approach and paying off more of your borrowings to keep the medium term costs down. Indeed, many would argue that is an admirable strategy. While most of this is still to materialise for me, it looks like this reduced repayment schedule is going to be very useful at a time when, financially, one is at one's weakest.
Those of you who are successful will have plenty of time to do your sums and make spreadsheets etc...
However, for reference purposes:
I expect to have to pay between £800 and £900 to the bank, each month, at the end of the "repayment holiday", for the first two years. This is as a result of the reduced repayment schedule the bank uses for the first two years. The bonus is obviously fewer outgoings each month. The downside is that you'll take longer to pay it off/incur more interest/pay more for the privilege of the capital in the long run. NB the total sum I have borrowed is around £75k.
So the first thing to be noticed here, is that in actual fact during the first 2 years of employment, I can expect my loan repayments to be less than my bond repayments. Interesting...
After two years, your payment schedule changes such that you're now making up for lost time, so the monthly repayment will be significantly more than before. I don't have my numbers to hand, so I can't name a figure. The thinking behind this is, of course, that you're now earning more money.
There is nothing to stop you, however, from taking a more tactical approach and paying off more of your borrowings to keep the medium term costs down. Indeed, many would argue that is an admirable strategy. While most of this is still to materialise for me, it looks like this reduced repayment schedule is going to be very useful at a time when, financially, one is at one's weakest.
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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Hi all.
Just posting for any advice you guys may be able to give me?
I'm currently in my 3rd year studying Maths and Physics as part of a Natural Sciences degree at a Newcastle University, I’m aware that my predicted grades will not be taken into account when I’m applying but surely the fact I’ve managed to get this far into my course must count for something. I also have three grade A A-levels. As part of my course I’ve done a bit of fluid mechanics as well as reading up on the subject in general.
I’ve also got books on aircraft design and failures, and some technical info on the Boeing 737 family on my reading list. I have three hours of flying lessons under my belt and should hopefully have more before the application window opens.
Basically, I’m wondering what my chances are given that I’ve not completed my degree? Also if anyone could point me in the right direction of any other topics I should be reading about or anything I could do to improve my chances I’d be extremely grateful.
Thanks
Just posting for any advice you guys may be able to give me?
I'm currently in my 3rd year studying Maths and Physics as part of a Natural Sciences degree at a Newcastle University, I’m aware that my predicted grades will not be taken into account when I’m applying but surely the fact I’ve managed to get this far into my course must count for something. I also have three grade A A-levels. As part of my course I’ve done a bit of fluid mechanics as well as reading up on the subject in general.
I’ve also got books on aircraft design and failures, and some technical info on the Boeing 737 family on my reading list. I have three hours of flying lessons under my belt and should hopefully have more before the application window opens.
Basically, I’m wondering what my chances are given that I’ve not completed my degree? Also if anyone could point me in the right direction of any other topics I should be reading about or anything I could do to improve my chances I’d be extremely grateful.
Thanks
Join Date: Aug 2011
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At current interest rates, my BBVA FPP loan repayments, will be £850 for the first two years after your two year training break (so years 3 & 4 of the loan), then £1250 for the remainder of the loan period (a further 6 years). That's based on an £84,000 loan.
In terms of salary, £22,700 base, plus flying pay which has partly changed recently to a fixed amount per month, but depending on base expect £8000-£10000. £12000 is perhaps a bit ambitious unless you're planning to spend a long time away from home! Then there's the £12,000 bond repayments, which as already stated above are taken off your pay at source which is tax advantageous.
In terms of salary, £22,700 base, plus flying pay which has partly changed recently to a fixed amount per month, but depending on base expect £8000-£10000. £12000 is perhaps a bit ambitious unless you're planning to spend a long time away from home! Then there's the £12,000 bond repayments, which as already stated above are taken off your pay at source which is tax advantageous.
Last edited by Nelson15; 27th Oct 2013 at 21:12.
Join Date: Oct 2011
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DNewcastle
Have you got 5 GCSEs at grades C or above? Since you meet the A-level criteria, and since you would probably have good GCSE results, then you should be able to apply. It is impossible to state what anyone's chances are, but you can only give it your best
.
Have you got 5 GCSEs at grades C or above? Since you meet the A-level criteria, and since you would probably have good GCSE results, then you should be able to apply. It is impossible to state what anyone's chances are, but you can only give it your best
.
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Advanced Entry??
I reviewed the BA site a while back. It stated no Advanced Program for pilots who have allready achieved commercial ratings. I have CFI experience and would not be accepted since I am viewed as being too experienced for this type of program.
Has there been any mention of a advanced program in the works? A program that would be modified towards people with ratings allready completed. Anything?
Has there been any mention of a advanced program in the works? A program that would be modified towards people with ratings allready completed. Anything?
Join Date: May 2012
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I find it vaguely astonishing that people are quibbling over the salary from this scheme!
This is by far and away the best cadet scheme out there, with the prospect of starting a long and rewarding career with the national airline. Compare that to paying out for an integrated course with no guarantee of employment whilst having to repay the loan through your own earnings and people STILL speculate as to whether or not the remunerations are worth it?!
This is by far and away the best cadet scheme out there, with the prospect of starting a long and rewarding career with the national airline. Compare that to paying out for an integrated course with no guarantee of employment whilst having to repay the loan through your own earnings and people STILL speculate as to whether or not the remunerations are worth it?!
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I think this is one of those programmes where you need to be in the right place at the right time as far as your life/career is concerned. You can't be too advanced, nor not advanced enough. Unfortunately for you Japandwell you are in a position I have personally come to refer to as no-man's-land. Moving up will require a huge investment of time and money. But so much has already been invested that it would be difficult to drop it all and move onto something else. To worsen things, there doesn't appear to be any programmes aimed at guys in your position. It appears to me like it's DEP or ab-initio, with nothing in the middle. They either want the luxury of not having to invest in your training, or the ability to instil their own values and methods of working from the start.
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It's an outstanding set of T&Cs, and the only scheme in the UK that selects solely on ability not ability to pay. That alone tells you of the dire situation of the UK airline pilot market.
Furthermore, you are joining BA - complete with seniority from the outset. You're not trying to get in during one of the limited DEP windows.
Those that get in will know all of this, and many excellent candidates will not get in due to the limited numbers.
Equally, go in with your eyes open. Flying today is a very different game to even 20 years ago and I fear that those A* students will not find it a suitable long term career.
Furthermore, you are joining BA - complete with seniority from the outset. You're not trying to get in during one of the limited DEP windows.
Those that get in will know all of this, and many excellent candidates will not get in due to the limited numbers.
Equally, go in with your eyes open. Flying today is a very different game to even 20 years ago and I fear that those A* students will not find it a suitable long term career.
Join Date: Dec 2010
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It's about job satisfaction, I suppose. For those of us who want this as a career and are incredibly passionate about it, it's hard to see how anyone could consider the BA FPP anything but an opportunity of a lifetime. Anyone who questions its worth are either a) very inexperienced in what the aviation industry is like today, or b) not passionate enough about becoming a pilot to recognise that there is far more to it than merely earning money. In either case, I think those applicants will struggle with the selection process. This is something you've got to want really badly. It's something that you should research thoroughly. It's something that you should prepare for. It's something you should be willing to leave a degree to pursue if it were required. If you're not that committed then you're probably just wasting your time.
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EZY FR or anyone alse having attended the Flyer show last Saturday, did Lindsay confirmed the potential 60 places this year ? From 95 in 2011, 72 last year and now 60 the competition has never been so tough...
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G-F - I agree that you've got to want this really badly, but I'm talking about ten years down the line, when the hassle of heathrow and whatever NG Airbus comes out have got to you. It's then that I think a super-bright individual may look for opportunities outside of direct flight ops (which do exist).
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Ispahan
Yes, they're looking for 60 cadets, but since the application window is only open for 2 weeks this time, then it is possible that not as many will apply this time.
Yes, they're looking for 60 cadets, but since the application window is only open for 2 weeks this time, then it is possible that not as many will apply this time.
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FANS: I don't disagree with that. I suspect it depends on how much you actually like flying. But there are many opportunities within BA away from flying that lots of pilots do as well as (or instead of) flying after some time in the company.
Ispahan: Further to what EZY said too, as the programme is now on it's third cycle the top guys (i.e. those selected) from the previous two cycles are no longer in contention. Although there will be lots of brand new applicants who are top notch, it's still a possibility that the competition is slightly weaker within the top n% of the candidates than in previous years. So maybe the odds have never been better?
Ispahan: Further to what EZY said too, as the programme is now on it's third cycle the top guys (i.e. those selected) from the previous two cycles are no longer in contention. Although there will be lots of brand new applicants who are top notch, it's still a possibility that the competition is slightly weaker within the top n% of the candidates than in previous years. So maybe the odds have never been better?
Join Date: Jan 2012
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good to know
EZY_FR thank you for this important new.
Maybe you can help me. I saw program is opened for all people (not only English)
but I absolutely don't know how to compare my studies titles with English one.
thank you again
Maybe you can help me. I saw program is opened for all people (not only English)
but I absolutely don't know how to compare my studies titles with English one.
thank you again
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Join Date: Oct 2013
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FYI in case you didn't already know:
CTC Aviation will also be holding live facebook chats with current BAFPP trainees and CTC Wings graduates flying with British Airways. The first of these will be –
1000-1200 hrs UK local time on Sunday 27th October
1800 – 2000 hrs UK local time on Tuesday 29th October
facebook.com/CTCWingsPilotTraining
1000-1200 hrs UK local time on Sunday 27th October
1800 – 2000 hrs UK local time on Tuesday 29th October
facebook.com/CTCWingsPilotTraining