British Airways Future Pilot Programme.
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All of this is speculation at best. CTC does invite many of their partners and would surely make a bigger thing of this, though I'd like to be proven wrong!
BA has attended the Pilot Careers shows regardless of FPP. Keeping the interest going I guess.
Also the photo I've seen for the event is of BA Cityflyer aircraft. Which hires totally separately to mainline, but through CTC (though most cadet pilots come from FTE)
All will be revealed... or not
BA has attended the Pilot Careers shows regardless of FPP. Keeping the interest going I guess.
Also the photo I've seen for the event is of BA Cityflyer aircraft. Which hires totally separately to mainline, but through CTC (though most cadet pilots come from FTE)
All will be revealed... or not
All will be revealed... or not
If it is going to be scrapped it will possible it will just be allowed to "wither on the vine" as part of cost cutting., Certainly if LC says the scheme is "closed indefinitely at the moment" (permalink #3521)that is a pretty big hint, fingers crossed it gets revitalised at some point.
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Who knows what's going to happen, though I do hear that they are going to have a retirement bulge at some point in the near future (and that's from a contact I know who works there).
If all goes to plan, I won't be able to apply for a couple of years since I'm changing career right now. Given my luck, that means BA will probably offer a fully sponsored Lingus-esque gig!
If all goes to plan, I won't be able to apply for a couple of years since I'm changing career right now. Given my luck, that means BA will probably offer a fully sponsored Lingus-esque gig!
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I do hear that they are going to have a retirement bulge at some point in the near future (and that's from a contact I know who works there).
What Beazlebub said and I agree with his logic. Despite the rumours it's certainly not going to "big" bulge 
for the forseeable future, 2015 and especially 2016 were exceptional years for recruiting.
The "65ers" are already starting to leave but it's not big numbers, it's a trickle due previous attrition, etc.
for the forseeable future, 2015 and especially 2016 were exceptional years for recruiting.The "65ers" are already starting to leave but it's not big numbers, it's a trickle due previous attrition, etc.
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I agree too. BA have seen heavy DEP recruitment in the last few years from places like EZY. Hence opportunities open up there. Last I heard there were some DEP pilots on some sort of waitlist. So yet another retirement bulge or "pilot shortage" will become nothing more than a false headline.
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Doesn't look like BA FPP will return anytime soon.
However, BA/CTC will announce a "tagging" scheme tomorrow at CTC's careers event, where they will be interviewing Whitetail cadets nearing the end of the training for placement with BA.
I'd imagine there will be more details to come tomorrow with the official announcement.
However, BA/CTC will announce a "tagging" scheme tomorrow at CTC's careers event, where they will be interviewing Whitetail cadets nearing the end of the training for placement with BA.
I'd imagine there will be more details to come tomorrow with the official announcement.
Last edited by Omies; 25th Feb 2017 at 00:43.
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Yup, sounds like that was all that was announced. BA has done this before though so it's nothing new, another great marketing opportunity for CTC to sell their Whitetail course though, despite the fact the vast majority will end up with the Orange lot with BA taking a small handful of people.
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Hi, the FPP in its former form is not being resurrected I'm afraid. It's a new exclusive arrangement with CTC in that BA will be tagging whitetail cadets at the end of the ground school stage.
The full criteria was as follows:
o 5 GCSE’s at C or above, including English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject (single or double award) excluding general studies
o PLUS EITHER 3 A levels or equivalent, at grades BBC or above (General Studies
excluded)
o OR an Honours degree at 2:2 or higher or a pass or above in a higher degree such as MSc, MA, MPhil, DPhil, PhD or MBA
o If you have equivalent academic qualifications then you will be asked to provide a Letter of Comparability from UK NARIC before attending your first selection day. The Scottish education qualification equivalents are detailed in the FAQ page
• EASA Class 1 medical and able to meet British Airways medical criteria
• A valid passport (with minimum of 12 months before expiry date) allowing unrestricted worldwide travel
• The unrestricted right to live and work in the UK
o No more than 1 ground school fail
o Minimum of 85% average
o No course deferral
• Your height will be between1.57m (5'2") and 1.91m (6'3") with weight in proportion to height (height is accurately determined during the assessment process).
- Based at either Gatwick or Heathrow on the Airbus fleet.
- Tagging currently available to only those cadets in the ground school stage of training at this time.
- CTC placement team to put names forward based on ground school performance.
- Cadets must then pass assessment at waterside.
The full criteria was as follows:
o 5 GCSE’s at C or above, including English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject (single or double award) excluding general studies
o PLUS EITHER 3 A levels or equivalent, at grades BBC or above (General Studies
excluded)
o OR an Honours degree at 2:2 or higher or a pass or above in a higher degree such as MSc, MA, MPhil, DPhil, PhD or MBA
o If you have equivalent academic qualifications then you will be asked to provide a Letter of Comparability from UK NARIC before attending your first selection day. The Scottish education qualification equivalents are detailed in the FAQ page
• EASA Class 1 medical and able to meet British Airways medical criteria
• A valid passport (with minimum of 12 months before expiry date) allowing unrestricted worldwide travel
• The unrestricted right to live and work in the UK
o No more than 1 ground school fail
o Minimum of 85% average
o No course deferral
• Your height will be between1.57m (5'2") and 1.91m (6'3") with weight in proportion to height (height is accurately determined during the assessment process).
- Based at either Gatwick or Heathrow on the Airbus fleet.
- Tagging currently available to only those cadets in the ground school stage of training at this time.
- CTC placement team to put names forward based on ground school performance.
- Cadets must then pass assessment at waterside.
If someone was pushed to say when FPP would be back, if it is back, would Spring 2018 be a reasonable estimate?
What can be said is as far as BA are concerned there are a load of DEPs waiting in line (in and outside the pool) and the CEO, Alex Cruz is a great believer in cutting costs. FPP was great while it lasted ( for both the individuals and to some extent the corporate image), but when you consider where BA has gone with the likes of catering you'll perhaps see why the aim will be to spend as little on pilot recruitment as possible. Makes sense to me to look at the sort of scheme gbotley suggested if you want to recruit complete newbies, rather than go through the expense of screening and interviewing applicants with little or no proven flying/aviation background.
'If FPP has gone it is a shame though.......
Last edited by wiggy; 26th Feb 2017 at 12:25.
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Well "why should we pay when people are queuing up to pay for themselves" is likely the attitude.
I do often wish we could all get together and agree to not pay anything (i'll keep dreaming lol) ... and watch how all the airlines start paying for us instead. Only in this industry can they get away with the status quo, we do ourselves no favours.
I do often wish we could all get together and agree to not pay anything (i'll keep dreaming lol) ... and watch how all the airlines start paying for us instead. Only in this industry can they get away with the status quo, we do ourselves no favours.
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TheTypicalBrit,
It's not a case of the cadet applying, it's a somewhat headhunting arrangement. CTC Aviation put forward the names of certain cadets to BA whom then invite them to Waterside for BA's own selection event.
It's not a case of the cadet applying, it's a somewhat headhunting arrangement. CTC Aviation put forward the names of certain cadets to BA whom then invite them to Waterside for BA's own selection event.
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George, in regards to your point about this only being eligible to cadets currently enrolled in ground school, does this mean that if I hypothetically start a whitetail course in a month's time, then I wouldn't have this opportunity?
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What can be said is as far as BA are concerned there are a load of DEPs waiting in line (in and outside the pool) and the CEO, Alex Cruz is a great believer in cutting costs. FPP was great while it lasted ( for both the individuals and to some extent the corporate image), but when you consider where BA has gone with the likes of catering you'll perhaps see why the aim will be to spend as little on pilot recruitment as possible. Makes sense to me to look at the sort of scheme gbotley suggested if you want to recruit complete newbies, rather than go through the expense of screening and interviewing applicants with little or no proven flying/aviation background.
'If FPP has gone it is a shame though.......
'If FPP has gone it is a shame though.......
I suspect with this tie-up with CTC it does look like that BA FPP is pretty much finished.
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Is this a permanent arrangement for BA then? Or more of a stop-gap to tide them over the next X months/years?
Sounds like an excellent opportunity for a few Whitetail cadets to get a job without the whole self-sponsored type rating & Flexicrew rubbish (I presume?)
Another nail in the coffin for anyone unwilling or unable to pay 100,000+ for their training.......
Perhaps what's most striking it that BA are no longer seeking the best available cadets, only the best out of a very select pool. Still a very high standard I'm sure, but very few companies outside of aviation would do that.
Sounds like an excellent opportunity for a few Whitetail cadets to get a job without the whole self-sponsored type rating & Flexicrew rubbish (I presume?)
Another nail in the coffin for anyone unwilling or unable to pay 100,000+ for their training.......
Perhaps what's most striking it that BA are no longer seeking the best available cadets, only the best out of a very select pool. Still a very high standard I'm sure, but very few companies outside of aviation would do that.
Last edited by ManUtd1999; 30th Apr 2017 at 16:16.
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Well "why should we pay when people are queuing up to pay for themselves" is likely the attitude.
I do often wish we could all get together and agree to not pay anything (i'll keep dreaming lol) ... and watch how all the airlines start paying for us instead. Only in this industry can they get away with the status quo, we do ourselves no favours.
I do often wish we could all get together and agree to not pay anything (i'll keep dreaming lol) ... and watch how all the airlines start paying for us instead. Only in this industry can they get away with the status quo, we do ourselves no favours.
Perhaps what's most striking it that BA are no longer seeking the best available cadets, only the best out of a very select pool. Still a very high standard I'm sure, but very few companies outside of aviation would do that.
Sad to see that the FPP has been killed off it seems, not totally surprised since Alex Cruz was brought in to cut costs. Looks like it's over to Easyjet to see what they can come up with, not exactly getting my hopes up for you folks though...
At my place, if someone turned up offering to pay for their own training, they'd get laughed out the door. Management want only the best and they are very, very clear about it.
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CTC will be loving it, a great marketing tool being "sole-supplier" to BA, although the majority will still end up on said Flexicrew contracts.