VA May not have 200 jets but it's a happy ship with expansion and new aircraft on the cards, a great bunch of guys and girls who get on well and know how to have fun. Great place to be!

Do you think VA is doing this to have a broader experience and dynamic levels across flight crew or to reduce cost?!

It still may be a great place to work. But not as great as it was before.

No more free parties at Xmas, or getting invited to dickie's house anymore. No more valentines or Xmas pressies. Those were the sort of touches that made virgin special.

Also a new upper class product which is worse than the previous one. It's like being in a coffin. Poor cabin crew had to deal with several complaints about it on my last flight.

As for expansion? What new routes are coming up ? Atlanta was a trade off for a NY slot with delta. Sydney has gone.

New B789 aircraft were necessary as the A346 was hopeless and the B744 will cost a fortune on it's next heavy maintenance.

I stand corrected and agree that they must be lining up some sort of recruitment if they're going to be at the flyer exhibition. Suspect the bean counters have figured out it will somehow reduce their costs. MPL / Cruise pilots maybe. But for what routes? West Coast USA ? South Africa ? Far East (HK, PVG, NRT) ?

Sorry if it's been covered already but I have a few questions if anyone can answer or point me towards old posts...

What's the interview/assessment consist of?

Time to command?

Average take home for a new FO?

Typical A340/330 roster?


Many thanks :ok:

EGKK

At the moment, VA are not recruiting, so nobody here can provide you with information regarding the assessment process. It will be difficult to find answers for your other questions unless VA pilots currently rated on the A330/40 read this forum.

And if they get cruise pilots it might be all changing anyway

Typical !!
 

I say there's no sign of expansion and then I get this email from their flying club:

A fifth daily service from London Heathrow to New York JFK
A new daily service from London Heathrow to Detroit offering new connections across North and Central USA such as Cincinnati, New Orleans, Memphis and Indianapolis*
An additional daily service from London Heathrow to Los Angeles
A second daily service during the summer season from London Heathrow to Atlanta
An additional summer seasonal service from London Heathrow to San Francisco flying five times a week
A second daily service during the winter season from London Heathrow to Miami

So this now begs the question...how are they going to service the routes with their current fleet ? I see no new deliveries apart from a 789 due in autumn at some point.

Are these 78's replacement or expansion aircraft?

I also recieved that email from the flying club and it kind of made me think they will need some extra crew for this but then I'm also un aware if they have some kin of hold pool with guys waiting to be trained up.

I remember the last time they took on people was back in 2011...it's been a while. End of 2014, beginning of 2015 seems probable for a handful of people to slot in....who knows.

So that's how they're doing it
 

Virgin Atlantic drops Tokyo and Cape Town in favour of US - Telegraph

No more NRT CPT or BOM.

The 789 is replacing old or in the 346 case under performing aircraft.

EGKK, they recruited last year mate.

last year. ok, thanks.

just have to keep an ear out i guess.

cheers

I have also heard rumors (quite a while ago) about VS starting a FPP-like cadet program with some of the leading aviation schools throughout the EU (CTC, OAA, and FTE).

If this actually develops from being a rumor to becoming an actual cadet scheme, I would be very excited to apply!

Virgin Atlantic recruitment?
 

Watch their website......

Dead headed with a few Virgin A340 guys on secondment at Norwegian on the 787.

Top guys and sounds like a very nice place to work.

I really hope they give us Non Rated Boeing guys a shot again.

Ryanair are appearing at the Flyer exhibition for the first time soon as well. Almost certainly just a coincidence but, 2/3 years at FR then a guaranteed slot at VS as and when they're available?

I don't see the point of cruise pilots, it's not like they have a large number of ultra-long haul routes a la Cathay Pacific. There can't be that many routes requiring 3 pilots. Just LAX, SFO, LAS, JNB, HKG, PVG? Maybe a couple more but certainly not a lot.

I have just updated my details on the website but there doesn't seem to be a link to upload my updated CV, have I missed something?

Cadet scheme
 

My friend received good info from a current Virgin Atlantic pilot about an upcoming VA cadet scheme. Virgin are intending to launch a new scheme at the Flyer event in November, with the intention of taking on 6 new cadets. After completion of training they should start on either the A330 or the 787.

Will be done by CTC, mark my words!

Drum-roll please .....

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...-fleet-405290/

:D

The article has been deleted, what did it say?