Gulf Air Developments
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: London
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The ex RAF and non military Brits of the 60's to 70's ruled with an iron fist and created misery for the newly established cadet scheme. Many were failures in their own time and became the bully boys. I did ask one Kiwi fruitcake at a BBQ why he was "failing" so many people. He replied " I like people to be scared of me" ! The "Legacy" was that many victims learned nothing as juniors & became equally murderous in the sim, and on the line, in years to come. Thanks to Aussie, RJ, there was a breath of fresh air in the Training Dept. "Train to excellence" was his motto but not followed by the "old School". There are some, who delight in "testing" and have no idea what "Training" means. Stuck with this until more of us, get into training for the right reasons. I asked one guy why he had applied for a Training position, he replied, "well, it looks good on the ole CV" !!!!!
In GF, you still have the hard core bully guys who just enjoy failing people rather than training them. Old school, grandfather rights, and rotten to the core. Aaaahhh, but they......."know people " !!
THE LEGACY. Good name for my book blowing the lid on the rotters. Watch this space .
In GF, you still have the hard core bully guys who just enjoy failing people rather than training them. Old school, grandfather rights, and rotten to the core. Aaaahhh, but they......."know people " !!
THE LEGACY. Good name for my book blowing the lid on the rotters. Watch this space .
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Havana
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Thanks for your thoughts, however you missed out on the second part of the quote which mentions being 'unprepared' or 'lack of preparation'. Is this also attributed to the so called 'Legacy' system that you refer?
Cheers
Cheers
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: bahrain
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I have not met one senior first officer that did not "prepare" for the upgrade interview. Myself included. Some had very tight time contraints- from learning the new aircraft to assessment and interview. Most of the senior fo's have been flying for the company for six years and the company should know the command capabilities of the fo's by now. Instead they hired 6 DECs on the Embraer ... solves the problem of getting left seat guys and keeps guys with experience in the right seat (hire left seat DECs for less than our Capts and have experience in the RHS without using the training resources that we are lacking). This kicks the **** out of morale when the hiring market is statirng to picking up. They might have to drop the captain minimums to keep guys around.
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Che,yes, part of a legacy of course. Create a climate of fear & people respond. Overpreparation is something we all do, for any exam. I too, like rumrunner, have never heard of "underpreparation". Of course there are a few, laid back guys, who think that the upgrade is a walk in the park & not even worth digging the books out for. For some really talented chaps, this is true. However, the perception from the Command Selection Board is that you appear uninterested or that the upgrade is just a seat swop. In a selective environment, you cannot afford to be THAT laid back.
All airlines differ. Some really do swop seats.It appears that way but, as RR says, after five or ten years in the RHS, companies already know if you are LHS material or not. GF adopted this awful obstacle course for all (even previous Captains who served GF in the RHS, initially,) and, I think RH & PM went too far in devising a selection procedure similar to the one they probably failed !
In my first Company, RHS was always coaching for the LHS. It was a long time to command, 12-15 years and those who really did not show Command potential were told that, many times in the lead up to upgrade. Some chaps were not interested in LHS. GF has a few.But, after 12 years, the Company provided a Command Preparation Course.One week of Tech review, classroom discussions & even a few sessions in the LHS, all fun, just to get used to the perspective. The Company really was focused upon "Training" and interested in getting loyal company First Officers into the LHS.
Once the "legacy" of the rotten old school have gone, GF has a big chance, with the young, enthusiastic Trainers to "Train to excellance".
Keep up the high standards guys. Always delighted in flying with the most talented bunch of people I have ever known.
All airlines differ. Some really do swop seats.It appears that way but, as RR says, after five or ten years in the RHS, companies already know if you are LHS material or not. GF adopted this awful obstacle course for all (even previous Captains who served GF in the RHS, initially,) and, I think RH & PM went too far in devising a selection procedure similar to the one they probably failed !
In my first Company, RHS was always coaching for the LHS. It was a long time to command, 12-15 years and those who really did not show Command potential were told that, many times in the lead up to upgrade. Some chaps were not interested in LHS. GF has a few.But, after 12 years, the Company provided a Command Preparation Course.One week of Tech review, classroom discussions & even a few sessions in the LHS, all fun, just to get used to the perspective. The Company really was focused upon "Training" and interested in getting loyal company First Officers into the LHS.
Once the "legacy" of the rotten old school have gone, GF has a big chance, with the young, enthusiastic Trainers to "Train to excellance".
Keep up the high standards guys. Always delighted in flying with the most talented bunch of people I have ever known.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Asia
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Just heard the other day that they are seriously running out of f/o's with the time for upgrade. The unofficial number is 25 (excluding the ones who will be eligible for their 2nd try). If they continue to upgrade 2/month, and the failure continue to be 80%, ...., well, that means that by the end of 2011 they will have run out of guys and perhaps, just perhaps DEC! Of course, this rumor is only worth what I payed for ... = 0bd. However, you know what they say, the best things in life are free! 
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Yeah that rumor has been around for the last 2 years, yet, where are they these guys who are leaving? In the last year we've lost what, maybe 40 guys, not counting the over 60 they have forced out. The more guys leave, the more they'll replace them with SO's, so there is no problem, it's the natural attrition oh skilled labour for bahrainisation. On the other hand, nobody can blame them for wanting an airline to be 100% bahraini, it's and utopian idea for a "national" airline. Trouble is, even the bahraini labour is getting out! But to come back to the rumor, so far, can't say i'm impressed with the exits, surely it won't have the effect of all the guys who have put in their resignation 3 years ago in order to get the pay package up. 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: USA
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Are newhires going to the E170 or E190 fleet, or are they going to the A320? What do the Gulf Air pilots think of the new EMBs? What are the rosters like on that fleet and bus? Cheers.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dans ma bulle
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Boeing = Cadillac (solid, powerful, confortable and reliable)
Airbus = Renault (economical and french engineered (not very simple) )
Embraer = Lada (cheap (made for poor people), unreliable, underpower and ugly)
But I am home every night, rarely do 4 sectors and still get the same salary.
Airbus = Renault (economical and french engineered (not very simple) )
Embraer = Lada (cheap (made for poor people), unreliable, underpower and ugly)
But I am home every night, rarely do 4 sectors and still get the same salary.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Surrounded by aluminum, and the great outdoors
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Have to agree with Yo, I enjoy the life that my job allows me to have, not worth it to get all caught up in shiny widebody, etc....etc....at the expense of a good lifestyle...mmm my boat and my Seoul-mate is waiting..later boys!!
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Yo 767
First we had the Tuk Tuk (320s) and now the Lada! Brilliant, much better than the Embryer I think, so much more descriptive!
The Lada she shall be then....cheap, cheerful and .....well, you know.
Somewhere in the middle of Spain, a Lada is driving along and meets a donkey.
The donkey, never having seen a Lada before, asks:"What are you?"
The Lada: "I am a car. What are you?"
The donkey: "Hahahaha... I'm a horse..."
No offense to any Lada pilots here but I fear if things keep going the way they are, we could all be riding donkeys.....at least they'll be horses one day if we imagine it!
Cheers all
The Lada she shall be then....cheap, cheerful and .....well, you know.
Somewhere in the middle of Spain, a Lada is driving along and meets a donkey.
The donkey, never having seen a Lada before, asks:"What are you?"
The Lada: "I am a car. What are you?"
The donkey: "Hahahaha... I'm a horse..."
No offense to any Lada pilots here but I fear if things keep going the way they are, we could all be riding donkeys.....at least they'll be horses one day if we imagine it!
Cheers all
