BA Future Pilot Programme (FPP)(Merged)
 

This new sponsored initiative was announced internally last week and will replace the current SSP scheme. Full details will be released in August with an initial requirement for 80-100 pilots.

Details released so far are that BA will use three training providers- CTC, Oxford and FTE. The candidate will pay the FULL cost of the course, which will be via an unsecured loan through BBVA. The loan will be transferred to BA on course completion and the student will pay back the costs over seven years.

As I say details are very limited at the moment, but keep an eye on national press and BA.com careers.

Interesting if the loan is indeed unsecured.

The loan is planned to be secured by BA, and will be paid back pre-tax on salaries through ROTE.

I think the course will cost c.£84k.

for dreamers!!!!

Would be great if anyone knew a specific date of the announcement!

Very exciting!

What is ROTE might I ask?

In terms of educational requirements, which standard might be expected?

I suppose they'll be rather demanding?

"ROTE" = I suspect King of Kabul means Return of Training Expense. A mechanism previously employed on some cadet schemes (Netjets for example) by which the hiring company can re-imburse you some/all of the training costs you've incurred to get the job with them. Normally would be paid on some basis of a reduced salary and then a tax free repayment that tops you up to the "normal" level

for example:
If the cadet F/O salary (this is only an example, not reality!) = £40k
The Cadet would get something like:
Salary £30k which will be taxed
Repayment of training expense £10k ....tax free.

Net effect is that you get more take home pay for the same salary over the period it's in effect. Downside is you may struggle to get car/house/personal loans based on your actual income, as the £10k is not considered "pay". At the end of the period, you'd revert to a full £40k salary, which is all taxed.

Academic standards - MOST of the cadet schemes that have run in recent years were minimum of 2 A levels or higher. BA are likely to set the bar VERY high as they will have thousands of applicants - they're likely to dwarf the number other cadet schemes have had. I would think probably 3 A levels minimum grade C to even apply. but - and read this carefully - ALL of the above is JUST MY OPINION...I don't "know" anything.

Will there be an upper age limit for applications?

Do you think it'll be the same or different? Wonder what input the schools will have? Whether it'll be done at the schools or BA? Love to hear some info, the wait is killing haha

I very much doubt there'll be a published age limit, in line with Aer Lingus (?), but the reality may be different and hence I don't expect many successful 50 year olds.

Fair play to BA for reintroducing this scheme, despite what seems to be a huge number of newly qualifieds around. I wonder if they're having problems with getting people of the right fit?

I heard that was the case. Despite the hordes of people with the tickets they said they were struggling to find candidates who meet their standards. Take it for what it's worth.

could believe it - as it can be very difficult to manage pilots out of BA, as the retention rate's the best in the business and hence the recruitment process is key. Albeit with 3,000 pilots, there'll always be a fair few difficult ones..

Ready up for a seriously competitive fast paced recruitment process then guys!

Yep. I'm glad! Should be no less for an opportunity like this.

Forgive me if i have misinterpreted this, but by future what are we talking about here? Uni grads? A-levels?
Assuming it is what i think, the minimum age for entry will be 18 ( CPL min. age) or is there hope for a 17 year old doing A-levels and a PPL? :E

this is great news!!!!!

And no less it will be! I can't wait!

Without doubt the biggest confidence boost for pilots since pre-9/11.

Fantastic news not just for all those wishing to apply, but for the whole industry. If BA are hiring from scratch, then who knows what will happen with the rest of these airlines?!

Amen to what MUFC said, but can anyone provide a link to some actual information?

For education requirements I would expect something on the line of "degree preferred" as there are always a few exceptional 18 year-olds. Most cadet/mentored schemes do tend to favour university grads though.

This scheme probably won't launch till September or very late in August.

All eyes to August 11th is all I'm saying! ;p



It'll stop Ryanair and EZY's pay-to-fly schemes in its tracks hopefully - with the biggest international airlines starting to offer courses where you end up in a full contracted employment, people have another financial option instead of signing up to the summer contracts in desperation for a job, hopefully now that BA are doing this, they'll change for the better to compete and make their schemes much more appealing!

IF that's true, whatever that may be..I'll be very happy :)

Although, all that could mean is that it'll rain, I'll see :E

You're right. Maybe an industry changer!

This is great news. I cannot wait for the official information to come up.

No chance. With the numbers involved in this scheme there will still be hundreds of others who will still be willing to got PTF.

"No chance. With the numbers involved in this scheme there will still be hundreds of others who will still be willing to got PTF."

You are right I guess! Although, let's just be glad this isn't one of those schemes and that the job at the end is still a proper job!

More details
 

The bond is paid upfront by the cadet but can be in the form of a BA guaranteed BBVA loan. The bond is then returned to the cadet over 7 years. APL, a subsidiary of CTC Aviation will be handling the bond.

Interesting quote by the director running this programme "it will come as no surprise that I'm a supporter of selection on merit and not ability to pay".

Good luck guys and gals!

I don't want to pour cold water on this, BUT, speedbird13 and kingofkabul have not started any training yet, let alone work for BA.

Skyrocket10 ,may know something, but at the end of the day, there are lots of experienced F/O's in hot parts of the world, with thousands of hours looking to work for BA. I'm not, but then, I don't fancy the BA lifestyle.

Looks like nothing more than speculation.

Far from speculation. Couldn't be further from the truth...:E


Okay okay you're right, at the moment it's pure speculation :uhoh:

This course is not for guys with thousands of hours though?. Head to BA.com Careers for DEP. This is for probably zero hours guys to start out on. Just happens to be with BA. They're not the only ones speculating however!

With the greatest of respect, you yourself have stated a few posts ago 'if that's true....'
I have no axe to grind, I am not after a job with BA, I don't fancy relocating, or the hours BA crew work....
There has been NO official links, just idle talk.
Anyway as you are so sure, I will let you all be.

Well you're right! It is speculation but it's coming from the right places! :)

Its sepeculation that the intergrated schools won't like.

I can see quite a few that will wait until this scheme plays its self out before committing to a course now.

Also as well you should hope that BA does do its own recruiting as before.

It isn't speculation. Initial details are already circulating within BA Flight Ops. Public launch is expected during August.

Thanks for shedding a little more light onto the situation!

Thought you might be interested to learn the entry requirements in the good old days when BA's College of Air Training at Hamble was still churning out pilots.

The following is taken from an advert in the back of Aeroplane Monthly, January 1974:

If your dreams of becoming a pilot with the world's best airlines are to come true, you've got to be good. Very good.

You've got to be very good all round; academically, physically and as a leader. British Airways, among the world's most famous airlines, runs a tough, two-year Airline Pilot Training Scheme for young men who can produce these essential requirements.

You have to be aged between 18-24 (26 for graduates) when you commence your initial training course. You must have at least five GCE passes which include two 'A' levels preferably with a science bias. Essential subjects are English Langauge and Mathematics with Physics or Chemistry, or General Science. Scottish and Northern Ireland equivalents are acceptable. You must enjoy complete physical fitness too including good eyesight, reactions, and hearing. You've got to be a leader in every sense of the word.

If you match up to our demands you're certainly of university calibre. Pilot training will put you well on the road to getting a degree. You pass out of Hamble with two Open University credits, and may acquire more during further training. This places you half way along the road to graduate status.

Take your first step towards a truly rewarding flying career now! Write giving full details to: The Principal...

Not so much has changed then re pre-entry requirements, although it is interesting to note that the advert refers to 'young men' only. Can anyone recall when the first women pilots joined BA? Perhaps this was a Hamble specific thing?

All sounding very good from what I'm hearing from contacts..

Definately not speculation. I've just read about it in BA's 'flight op's news'. So it's certainly no secret.

It is EXACTLY the same as the CTC wings cadet scheme of old. Where at the end you get a type rating, permanent contract and a tax free top up on your salary to pay the loan off.

It has arisen because BA now want to be in control of which low-houred guys they recruit, from the very beginning. It will ensure the very best quality achievable, without actually paying for the training.

In the early days of the CTC scheme (pre 2007), only 2% of applicants were successful. That was for a job with Easyjet or Thomas Cook.

I would expect an even bigger failure rate for this BA scheme.

Good luck.

Thanks jez_d for posting that. It's an interesting insight! Yeh Mooney I agree with you, the competition will be huge!

If these standards would be used would that exclude foreigners from lets say in my case The Netherlands ? With other words, back in the days did any non scot brit or irish man/women do the training/cadet scheme for BA ?

The only residency requirement would be to have the legal right to live and work in the UK (so EU member states are fine).

I would imagine A levels in maths and/or science subjects would be a basic requirement.