Aer Lingus trying to recall cadets...
 

Hi all
I have heard from a couple of sources that EI have written to their laid-off cadets of a few years ago, offering them direct-entry F/O seats. Anyone out there with something hard and fast to back this up? be real nice if they opened up again.
regards
TDD

Cadets
 

Many have found employment already either with other airlines or simply in different area's of work. Know a few guys myself who went to Cityjet as they have been hiring pretty agressively in Ireland in recent years. So it should be an interesting one to see if they can meet their requirements with just ex-cadets!

Maybe not too long (so i've heard from a source in the company) till the cadet program comes back. We can only hope and pray for wannabe's sake!:ok:

flyerire.

Hi there
I doubt very much if a pure Cadet scheme ever returns to EI.They might be willing to take on low-timers but ab-initios,nah.Too expensive, too slow and too fussy to administer. Allegedly, they are looking for 55 bods, so wait and see...
regards
TDD

Cadets
 

55.....wow, that is a lot! Well, 9 new pilots for every new plane and then retiree's, i suppose. Do they have many order's/deliveries for next year apart from the 2 330's?

Regarding the Cadets, thats exactly what i thought when i heard the rumour too!! But apparently,

1. They are very keen to hire "Irish".
2. If they are taking low hours pilots, they prefer to have an input in their training also as they want only the best and so some type of semi-sponsored cadet scheme does not seem off the cards.

What we may see happening also is that the pilots who went to other airlines may be lured back to Aer Lingus and a lot of space will become available elsewhere but this may be unlikely unless the Aer Lingus offer is very good.

That's great news, if they don't come up with a new pay deal for new joiners, because the Aer Lingus package on offer to their current pilots including pension & benefits is supposed to be among the best in Europe.

Good news also that they want predominantly Irish pilots, I've always believed in looking after your own first, something which Irish and British airlines aren't usually very good at. At the risk of sparking this debate again, how many Irish pilots do you find in KLM, Air France, Lufthansa, etc.

This is great news, hopefully some of us low timers will get a look in:rolleyes:

I’m not getting my hopes up. Knowing Aer Lingus they will have meaningless stupid aptitude tests. As if having a fATPL doesn't show that you have enough of an aptitude to be a pilot.

Hi all
All over Europe, unofficial protectionism is the order of the day, so I don't see why Aer Lingus shouldn't indulge in a bit of it.There are plenty of non-Irish in EI already, so it can't be said that they haven't had a fair go at getting in. With regard to terms and conditions, I'd say that new comers would be offered lesser terms than the existing crowd, such as the pension scheme, as it stands now, being closed off to newbies. The existing Ts and Cs are among the best in Europe which is why the present pilots guard it jealously.As far as EI having an input into training, they would do that simply enough by doing the TR in-house.They already have a greatly-underused A320 simulator and I am led to believe that the pilot's union will oppose newbies having to fund their own TR, except only as a deduction from their wages.
Either way, it won't do any harm to tidy up the old CV and get it ready:D
regards
TDD

Excellent news and will most certainly keep me eyes open and ears to the ground.


Regards:ok:

We'll have to wait for the takeover aswell. Knowing the Irish govt. they will make a b*lls of it and drag out the proceedings. I heard that they recently recruited from CTC and FTE (although not running courses through them). A partial sponsorhip scheme would be great though, especially if just for Irish wannabes or those who speak the (sh*t) Irish language á la Air France/KLM with French/Dutch! Shouldn't really get my hopes up. BTW, has anyone heard if there are any major expansion plans, or will this have to wait until after the takeover? How many retirements will there be over the next few years?

captwannabe a chara,

cad atá cearr leis ár dteanga féin? is teanga an-shiumúil é má tá sé múinte go maith ach bfhéidir go raibh tusa ceann de na buachaillí dána ag caint agus déanamh ríraí agus ruallie buaille sa scoil nuair a bhí tú óg!

bíonn a lán doaine ar fud na tíre ábalta caint as Gaeilge agus tá bród orm a rá go bhfuil mé ceann de na daoine súid.

And by the way any irish speakers out there i apologise in advance for any gramatical errors! I just felt like showing off for once! Anyway continue with the thread...

A chara,
Is fuath liom an Ghaeilge! As béarla más é do thoil é.

Haven't a clue what you're on about boy! In my town we speak the Queen's English. Irish is dead - unless Aer Lingus wanted it as a requirement for a sponsorship scheme, in that case tá bród an domhain orm bheith ábalta caint as gaeilge! Scroggs will prob delete the Irish - English language forums. God save the Queen and all that! Enda Kenny for Taoiseach!

Please continue.........Ar aghaidh libh! :ok:

Sadly, we don't have a Gaelic-language forum, though we have quite a few other languages.

The reason why most non-English language posts get deleted (or moved to an appropriate forum) is that if I can't understand what you say, then I can't moderate it. That could leave Pprune wide open to abuse. So, while I appreciate your desire to express yourself in your mother tongue, please don't do it here.

Scroggs

It's alright Scroggs, he's just pointing out that captwannabe might have been "head of the bold boys in school" talking and messing when he was young! :ok:

with regards to the possible aerlingus cadet programme, some have said they may want people with 'low' hours. how many hours is counted as 'low'?

also, i like that some decided to add a bit to this forum, as gaeilge! an mhaith ar fad!

slan

Yes, the company have written to the cadets asking if they would be willing to return. How many actually return is still up for debate. It's been a while since they were chopped, and by now alot would have settled elsewhere. The number of approx 50 pilots is correct, and that is due to the delivery of the A330's and another A320. I would say this is just the tip of the iceberg over the next few years. At the moment the airline is undercrewed and max duty hours are being reached on a regular basis. Hire-ins are a regular occurrence at the moment, due lack of crew or aircraft.
As regard a cadet scheme, I wouldn't count on that for a while, if any. The company needs pilots now, not tomorrow. It's far cheaper to hire a direct entry pilot (preferably type rated) rather than wait 18 months to get a cadet on line. As regard 'unofficial protectionism' , or being keen to hire Irish - er don't think so. Being Irish doesn't make you any better at the job or any more committed to Aer Lingus. They will want people who are competent and able to fit in.
Any new comer's will be on the same T & C's. Despite the company stating in the press recently, that all new entrants (not just pilots) will be on a defined contribution scheme. Mr Mannion has been told quite blunty that the pilots will walk the walk around the airport if he tries that stunt with the pilots. Unlike BALPA, IALPA has the forsight to realise the stupidity of caving in on the pension issue. By looking after new entrants, IALPA is ensuring that it remains one of the best.

so how many hours , is 'low hour pilots'????????????????????

Notice to EI pilots from CEO
 

NOTICE TO PILOTS FROM CEO


Notice to Pilots from the CEO Notice to Pilots from the CEO
Notice to Pilots from the CEO
Rehire of former Cadet Pilots

As you are aware we have committed to the purchase of two additional A330 aircraft, which are due for delivery in 2007. In addition we are in the process of sourcing two more A320 aircraft. In the past number of weeks a comprehensive plan has been developed to address the training and resource requirements, and pilot numbers will be increasing in line with the growing fleet.
I am pleased to announce that we are now in a position to honour the commitment made to the former cadets in 2001. It is hoped that many will take up their positions with Aer Lingus in the coming months.
The Company will be initiating contact with this group starting today and training is scheduled to commence from July.
I am sure you will agree that this is a very positive development for Aer Lingus and we can look forward to welcoming the former cadets on to the line, as we work together to meet the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.



Dermot Mannion

CEO

Thanks for keeping the ole post there scroggs and as was said there was nothing malicious on it. you'd be surprised how many irish folk can speak their native tongue at least to a comprehendible level. an irish language forum would be welcome although i fear it would be under used.

As for the cadet programme. I do wish they would bring it back although i feel my eyes aren't up to scratch. its not going to stop me trying after my engineering degree though. until im told to sod off i'll keep trying.

Hi all
Talking to some of the current jockeys today, one stated that he had been in contact with some of the ex-cadets and a rough reckoning of thirty or so out of the fifty-odd were willing to at least apply to come back.Just leave room for me, that's all I ask!:}
regards
TDD

Times are finally changing!! Good news.:ok:

Hi all
Latest I've heard is that the ex-cadets are being interviewed over the next few days, with a view to a course date in June.IALPA are said to be trying to get EI to start them on the equivalent of Year 5 pay and conditions,which is not going down well with some of the established heads...Don't suppose there's any chance of Mannion contacting all the laid-off engineer apprentices and rehiring them on such generous terms?:rolleyes:
regards
TDD

those cadets are soo lucky!!! come on EI, start a new cadet programme! Even an easyjet/ flybe style programme!!!!!!!!!!!:)

Yes, please do! This time next year! And bring in language requirements like most other EU state airlines! Irish will be an official EU language next year aswell!

I wonder if i got in contact and told them Im starting training for my fATPL next month, and that i would pay for my training would they give me a job!!?

I hope EI start a new cadet programme for all those young Irish wannabes including myself ! Since they have not recruited since Sept 11th alot of young wannabes with potentional have missed out and now they will have their chance of fulfilling their lifelong dream. I think they will but this time next year ! It will be a green version of the Easyjet cadet programme though ! Fingers crossed in the meantime !

From what I hear there's little chance of a cadet scheme starting in the near future. Even if it was going to start, I would not be relying on it as I think its easier to win the lotto than get on the cadet scheme!!

captwannabe,

Good suggestion. Not only will that keep out Johnny Foreigner, if properly applied and tested (by Gael Linn at the very least) it should exclude about 80% of the Republic's population too thereby reducing the number of future applicants to about 10.

Ah now, I didn't mean they had to be fluent Irish speakers or to be able to write grammatically correct Irish. But, they should be able to pass the higher level Leaving Cert exam.

I think it is possible they will start a scheme through CTC. They have already hired a few CTC graduates, and it won't cost them anything until they hire the cadets.

i think having leaving cert irish wouldnt be such a bad idea, as part of the cadet programme requirements! but thats just me, and also because i can speak irish!!! you need spanish for iberia, lets have it so you need irish for aerlingus! it'll make the whole airline greener!

Captwannabe I can see where you are coming from with your idea but I dont think it would be fair ! Gaeigle is the worst thought language in our Secondary Schools today ! I spent 14yrs learning the language and I still cannot figure the bloody thing out ! I spent 6 learning French and I am very good at French ! Goes to show how badly thought Gaeilge actually is ! Fewer and Fewer students are doing Honours Irish for the Leaving Cert simply because its too hard and there are very few teachers out there who can actually teach the language properly !

Slan !

spanish for iberia

irish for aer lingus

german for lufthansa

anything for UK carriers

cheekycapt,

Wasn't just me then! How many hours of my life did I spend listening (or not as the case may be) to that bloody language being shoved down my throat year after year. Back in my day you had pass the bugger in the Leaving to actually get an overall pass (whatever the hell that meant). The fact that I and a good number of my school buddies could ace every maths and science subject under the sun was irrelevant to the Gaeilge mafia who ran the Dept. of Education back in those days.

Ironic thing is now I would actually like to be able to speak Gaeilge. But any thoughts like that when I was a youth were beaten out of me through utter tedium.

Good old days my arse.

Anyway for you youngsters out there I'm sure no such barrier will appear. The last time Aer Lingus recruited I believe they did actually employ one or two non-Irish residents. But the vast majority were from Ireland (north and south).

Hi Captwannabe
"I think it is possible they will start a scheme through CTC. They have already hired a few CTC graduates, and it won't cost them anything until they hire the cadets."
Just wondering what your source for this info is? I didn't realise they were signed up to CTC. :ok:

cheekycapt,

I completely understand your point of view. I have been learning Irish for almost 13 years so far, and French for 6 years (learned a bit in Primary School). I am unable to use the Irish language properly, but if I'm lucky I might get a B in LCHL next year (what a joke of a subject!). I can understand French much better, Irish just isn't a practical language. But, if they required cadets to have LC Irish even at ordinary level, it would be a good thing. It would/should never have to be spoken when working for Aer Lingus.

A38lephant,

They're not signed up to CTC, but when they were looking for pilots, they went to both CTC and FTE (not sure about Oxford). Check out their websites and you'll see. BA and a number of other airlines have acted similarly.

I don't think Irish should be a requirement. Spanish is the primary language in Spain; German is the primary language in Germany. Irish is what in Ireland? A language that’s forced upon primary and secondary school students and that’s not used in most parts of Ireland. Would be very unfair I think as it would rule out a lot of good pilots from entering Aer Lingus. Saying Irish is the same as Spanish or German just isn’t right.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for our national language, I just don't think it should be forced upon people to learn.

Just my thoughts (and no I can't put two words together in Irish, but I can fly a plane...).

TolTol,

I don't think that it should be forced on people. But, since it is a statutory requirement of our education system, and it will be an official EU language next year, if Aer Lingus required cadets to pass Irish for Leaving Cert, then our national airline would be hiring young Irish nationals. I'm not saying that Irish should be spoken on the flight deck! English is the language of aviation.

On the FTO's websites, it says that Aer Lingus have recruited from these schools. I don't know exactly when they were hired, but if they have hired from these places in the past, and are looking for pilots now...................

The last group of around 30 Direct Entry Pilots recruited into EI was mid 2000, all from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience. Some were recruited directly from Oxford (self sponsored) as that was where EI had all its 37 cadets at the time.

The other DE's ranged from Airline TRE's, Capts and FO's, Air Corps, RAF, USAF, General Aviation, and fresh out of various training schools!!! All of whom able to speak varying dialects of Irish! ;)

Can anybody give any figures what a newbee at EI could expect to take home? Or any info on the T+C's in general? Whats life at EI like?

Cheers
dlav