Quote: It's a neat aeroplane. A bit flimsy feeling perhaps with how it's finished out (trim etc) but great fun to be on. It's bloody fast for a TP. Also a bit of a cheeky little dancer to land so it provides hours of fun during a winters day flying into Windy Leeds or a Snowy Glasgow.



It is a blighter to land at the best of times. Add a 10-15kt crosswind and a bit of chop on the approach and it becomes challenging and entertaining at the same time. But all in all, good fun to fly.

Any FO recruitment going on at all?

Is there a base at ABZ now?... According to PPJN there is

Check their website,

No FO recruitment untill end of 08 for 09 TR courses

You can still do the application, I have

N

No recruitment till Feb, and yes there's a base at ABZ

I think the powers that be are still waiting to see if all the 145 crew's are going to stay before or after they are converted onto the Q400.

Like several have already said, Q400 is a great aircraft to cut your teeth on after limping around in some 30 year old senecas. Good flying as well. As a new joiner don't be afraid of the Northern bases as they have some fun routes. I'm GLA based and we do Paris and Frankfurt runs. The Belfast route is a nice challenge for a newbie as it's all over rather quickly. Much like the Exeter-Guernsey-Jersey love triangle.

Rumour has it that we may have got the contract for Aberdeen-Skatsta for the oilys that Flightline lost recently. We will have to see about that. The prospect of whistling past the lighthouse in a Q400 doesn't fill some of our experienced captains with delight though!

All in all a great bunch for a first job. Hope FO recruitment opens up soon.

As an aside for the last 3 months my roster has been in the region of 40-50 block hours per month. Although I have had blocks of 28 days where it has been 80ish, but then followed with lots of standby. Welcome to the winter I guess!

Hello to all, i have just under 2200hrs of which 1900hrs are on citations(900hrs command) both are less than 10tonnes, i know i am 300hrs shy of there DEC but was wondering would it be worth putting in for the DEC position as i am looking or a change of scenery....

If you're shy of the hours then no, I can't imagine they'd make exception for you, but then aviation is a funny ol' game, you have to be in it to win it, so there is no harm in trying. I am not sure how their online application system works, it may "throw you out" of applying for DEC due to your lack of hours. Again, what have you got to lose?
My opinion is I guess you would have to join as an F/O, do the obligatory 500hrs on type with flybe before being considered.

CC