Silverjet Second Officer Recruitment
 

I thought this might be of interest to some wannabes as I couldnt see it mentioned on pprune.

Silverjet are advertising for low hour pilots BUT with a type rating for second officer positions (cruise relief pilot). Upgrade to handling pilot F/O after 2 years. More details on their website.

This has got to be a joke!
They are not only expecting the applicant to accept this pathetic package, but they also expect the successful applicant to have stumped up for their own type rating prior to application!

Thanks for pointing that you, I have already applied and would love the chance to fly for such a great airline! Thank you again.

Cabus, can I assume you already have a type rating on the B757 as per the MINIMUM requirements?
If so, can you explain what would possess you to accept this package when you could go elsewhere and command upwards of 40k basic & more importantly get to actually fly the aircraft.

I didnt post that to get into a typical pprune debate about my position, which is frankly none of your business. I just wanted to thank the other chap for the information which has allowed me to apply for an airline that I have great respect for.

CABUS: It's an interesting vacancy and one I am quite undecided upon. Despite the fact that it would be "cruise relief" work, after 2 years, then you'd be "guaranteed" (or so it says!) to hold a F/O position.

Do you have a 75/767 type rating though? That's the bit that worries me - I don't really want to spend another £30k in this current market on a generic type rating, which would mean that the way you were taught when you did, it was not the way that Silverjet wanted it. And besides, there's the golden phrase of: "No guarantees".

So in reality, I'm relunctant to do anything towards it yet. But we will see how it develops.

gator 32
 

I am quite curious about your assumption that on posession of a 75 rating you can automatically attain a more lucritave and fulfilling position.

I do possess a 75/76 rating however have unfortunately got low hours so where are all these wonderful 75/76 jobs that I can get so easily then.

ID

islasdad
 

Just don't pay them any money up front, unless you can afford to lose it. If the economy starts to struggle even more then Silverjet will be one of the hardest hit airlines. Their competitor Maxjet recently went bust. So, no guarantees to say the least.

tartan
 

I agree I have only recently done my type and have had one interview so far.

However I am extremely bored with all this dont pay for your type it makes it worse for the rest of us and why dont you just wait around and a job will eventually show up.

I have a family to support and have already spent a small fortune getting to this point. If I have to lay out a little more in order to secure my families future then that is what I will do. Anything I can do to make me more marketable and I can afford it I will do it.

Are these sanctimonious idiots advising against it going to pay my mortgage or any of my other bills I DONT THINK SO.

I will get there in the end perseverance will out eventually.

ID.

......and an empty wallet!

It amazes me that low houred pilots still do a 757 TR, do they not realise that the fleets in the UK are drastically diminishing.

Who's 757 fleets are 'drastically diminishing' ?We have loads of low hour 757 FOs who have paid for the TR and got a job, and what about :
BA
Open Skies
First choice/thomson
DHL
Titan
Astraeus
Thomas Cook
Monarch
Jet2
Globespan
Silverjet
If you are going to buy a jet rating it is still a reasonable throw of the dice,not forgetting all those contract jobs out there

Before jumping at this I would suggest doing a bit of research as to the future of Silverjet... Jan passenger loads were only 54%.... down from the 58% achieved last year. Shares fell 19% on the news. Many people questioning if the airline has a future (could it go the same way as Maxjet?)... think I read somewhere that a 65% passenger load was needed to break even (based off an assumption of much low fuel prices).... would be a shame to blow all of that cash on a type rating for the airline to be in bankruptcy when you finish!

This isn;t a new or innovative idea. VS did this when they launched HKG flights in the early/mid 90's. Admittedly, they didn't ask pilots to buy a T/R but the world has changed and self funded T/R is now a fact of life -move on and acept it; pilots have no right to demand airlines fund T/Rs in the same way that any other career can demand other voacational course costs.

VS used cruise pilots as a form of cadetship that gave many of them the opportunity to get on the career ladder - some of them are now four stripers so it has some value - even with a modest salary pakcage.

Go for it! If you do nothing you'll be left grounded and if they do go down the pan after you have the T/R then you have improved your chances but there are no guarantees.

Two years as a cruise relief pilot? What exactly does a "cruise relief pilot" do exactly? Sit there and watch the auto pilot for 10 hrs? Two years of that sounds thrilling. Mind you, you'd be getting paid £28000 a year for doing absoulotely f###k all, could be attractive to some. Would be a bit like Homer Simpson's job in sector 7G. Personally I reckon it'd piss me off after a while, 2 years without so much as one landing!
This scheme sounds to me like a bit of a scam by silverjet. They want to cut costs and avoid paying a cruise pilot a full first officer's wage, saving what, 15-20k a year per cruise pilot. How can we do that? I know! we'll get a load of desperate low hours pilots in to do the job and pay them a reduced wage. Yet more exploitation of wannabe's by an airline.

I've had a 757/767 rating for nearly 2 years and although there is a longish list of airlines that have 757s and 767s you will find that it is very difficult to get into those companies with low hours, even more so if not impossible if they only have 767s, due to their high hour requirements or their own criteria.
To run through that list above.
BA; Do not take low houred pilots that are type rated. You do not fall into the category of non rated pilot nor direct. (new pilot has strict criteria, certain schools, certain grades and only intergrated and normally you have to be referred by your school). Getting rid of 757s to Open Skiies that recruit experienced rated pilots.
My travel - No 757/767 left.
FC/thomson - Not recruiting at the moment and still a huge holding pool exists. They also tend to be very selective as to which schools they recruit from. Their have got rid of several aircraft.
DHL - About 12 months ago they did take some low houred TR pilots, previous criteria was 3500hours and currently looking for those with experience.
Titan - only apply if your Father works there are you have experience.
Astraus - they only take a select few from the bond course.
GSM - Plenty of experience required, as mainly based on 767.
Jet2 - will take low houred with a TR, but have now recruited
Thomas cook - looking a phase out 757, mainly looking at all airbus fleet.
Monarch - experience required or direct from Jezez and dont expect to get paid.
Silverjet - FOs need experience.

If i was to pay for a new TR without the prospect of a job I think that it would be wise not to look at the 757 but look seriously at only the 737.

The 73 rating is a bit of a dead rating in Europe to be honest with you, unless you want FR. When I look out of my 737 window, I mostly see Airbus 319/320 here in Europe. Certainly if you want to fly the 737 in the UK, there's not much choice of airlines to go to, even less if you are 300-500 rated.

The 757 rating is very overpriced, Bond charge GBP27K! I don't know of any other establishment with a 757 JAA rating which offers non-airline bods a go, as I think GECAT and Alteon don't accept private applications.

Following Maxjet?
 

Grass strip basher is dead right.
In today Motley Fool a report shows that Silverjet are probably not the most attractive long term option at the moment, http://www.fool.co.uk/news/investing...oowfeml0040008 ,
At least wait until the Ides of March. :confused:

Beg to Differ - Big Time
 

Saxon_Ops

!

I beg to differ - by the same token; Airlines have no right to demand pilots pay for TR's. They are their aircraft (systems) and if they want qualified commercial pilots to fly them for them, so they can make a profit, then they should pay for them to be trained on their 'systems'. END OF !

I know it's been said time and time again, but guess what people won't listen. If people stopped paying for ratings, certain airlines would have to changes their ways, rapidly. It annoyed the f*&^ out of me to hear MOL on Monday banging on about how Europe is facing a mighty recession this year and air travel will suffer, but then, using as an opportunity to put on some spin and add, "but I'm not concerned because Ryanair will survive because people will still want to travel but do it cheaply and as we are Europe's cheapest airline they will all fly with us!" C&^% !