New 'ab-initio' vacancy with Gulf Air
 

Gulf Air have reintroduced a vacancy for low hours, non type rated pilots. They call it their "Abintio vacancy"

Gulf Air - Vacancy Description

They seem to have laxed some of their requirements. The most notable one being that non-Bahrainis it seems are eligible to apply and be type rated by the company! That's a first! This programme used to be under their nationalization scheme for many years and there was a clear stipulation that it was only open to Omani/Bahraini nationals (recently only Bahrainis).

They've also increased the maximum age from 35 to 40 years of age and they have dropped a specified minimum age too - used to be 19.

In exchange for the type rating, you'll be bonded to the airline for two years which sounds pretty good to be honest.. (on reduced pay ofcourse).

Sounds like United Airlines' minimums a few years ago. Why not get as many applicants as possible and look at the whole picture? Doesn't mean thought that they will be hiring guys with 200 hours necessarily-- they might get a guy with 800 hours total time with the last 500 on Boeing 737's-- still a good applicant IMHO.

GF ab initio scheme - open to all?
 

True, but we won't know until later on. Most significant thing is that they have opened the scheme to everyone. Traditionally they used to be quite discriminatory with their low hours "ab initio" vacancies. They made it very clear in bold red writing that only Bahraini nationals were eligible to apply.

Anybody know if thier cadet program (for candidates starting from zero hours zero training etc) will ever go online again?

Thanks.

i think its for Bahraini Nationals because it is in National program section.

abinitio
 

Think again! It's not. It's open to everyone. The nationality requirement was REMOVED!

I'm doubtful they will after their royal mess up with their last public/official sponsorship scheme - however I have heard rumours (yes only rumours) that they have sponsored individuals "unofficialy" behind closed doors.

ok lets think what it is but hopefully they hire all the 15 Bahraini nationals who are waiting for more than a year. Good luck to everyone who applies.

Well, before this goes down the nasty route of a nationality pissing match, allow me to say good luck to all, and may those who deserve the job (due to aptitude and skills) get it. With the amount of recruiting forecast, should be plenty of oportunity.

This is from the website:

"Ab-Initio Pilots
The programme covers type rating training for owner state nationals who already have a Pilot's licence. When the course is complete the Pilots enter employment as Second Officers.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply, the following criteria must be met:

• Be a national of Kingdom Of Bahrain
• Be between 19 and 35 years of age
• Be a high school graduate (science stream)

Additional requirements exist. For more details, refer to current positions."

ab-intio open to all
 

n92ec,

Thats a STATIC page from their 'Our Process' links... but like it says on the bottom of that very same page you pasted - For more details, refer to current positions. Once you do so - low and behold, you'll find a list of current vacancies, one of which is ab-initio pilot . It is the prerequisites on THAT page that need to be met.

I am just curious, whay in section "Pilot Training Programmes" and "Direct Entry" as well, stated::ugh:
=================
Current Positions

(There are no vacancies at the moment)

tsk tsk
 

Didn't know navigating through GF's careers website would be so much of a struggle!

well, this job is listed under their national programme. Under that you find Ab-initio, inwhich it is mentioned about being a Bahrain National. When click on the link at bottom for further details, it doesnt say anything about the nationality. But i do have feeling that it is for nationals only. Anyways I have applied in it and waiting for any response. Lets keep up the hopes.
TC

Usually the ab-initio program runs for nationals etc. Direct entry F/Os require a fair bit more experience.

Chao

its for nationals and first degree relative of Gulf air staff, this is whats mentioned when applying. Good luck guys

GF ab-intio scheme open to all
 

TZZ, It's open to everyone.

As you can see from the new vacancy page , the nationality requirement (which used to always be there by default) was manually removed.

:ok:

Well .AERO, I am not criticising anything and I really do hope and pray that the nationality restriction is removed, but do you have any confirmed inside info on this issue, besides no nationality mentioned on the link that you have provided.
BTW thanks for letting us know about it anyways.

.Aero I think you may be missing the point slightly. In the far left you have to click the link for National Programme and then click the link that takes you to the ab-initio section.

So it would be fairly logical that you have be a national. Even if it doesn't say it on the page that you refer to you still have to refer to the first part which says it in big ass red lettering.

Sorry to burst the bubble boys! Keep plugging away though!

ab-intio open to all
 

Yes I'm quite aware of that. Like I said, historically the scheme was only available to the nationals of the UAE/Oman/Bahrain... which later dwindled down to Bahrainis only.

On their sniperhire ATS system, once a profile is created it remains the same unless it it manually changed. This means when they want to start recruiting Cabin Crew for example, they don't need to create a new profile from scratch.

The 'ab initio' vacancy page (when it does become a vacancy) used to have bold text at the bottom saying it was open to Bahraini nationals only - and it would not accept your application if you selected another country. This has been removed manually!

A friend of mine in the USA has just applied and his application went through with no problems. The system never rejected it based on the nationality field! :ok:

ab-initio
 

i got a rejection letter from gulf air for the ab-initio and dont even know why?

ive got masters degree and a canadian cpl.

any body have thier phone number?

thanks

john