PPRuNe Forums - EK : Command Upgrade

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I am so glad that I left this region months ago!!!

Had my experience there, don't miss my life in ME at all!!! This is one reason, read the questions from the guy who opened this discussion and you see, which direction these companies are drifting..
Spoiled kid got the money for their pilot training and is dreaming from shiny jet operation and the big money.
Beeing a pilot and managing a normal ops day could be so easy, but people in ME tend to make it so difficult and horrible for someone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aiza (Post 10494304)

Good Afternoon,

I have read the past the threads of EK, sadly the current airline I work for doesn't treat their FO well. Sadly, it's become a race to the bottom.

I grew up reading pprune and before i took this flying career. My current airline has a AED 150 k bond.

I meet the minimum requirements of EK FO, probably have more hours too, never failed a lpc, opc, lc written test etc. No letters/verbals/ incident, etc from the company either.

My current company is luring the FO's that the command course is starting at 3000 hours.

Flying with so many dec's and upgraded Fo's, the captains here fly too stressed( New Fo's) , are paid less and do just so many engineering stuff for free. Well that's how low cos work.

I never felt myself wanting to be a narrow body captain or fly single aisle tubes.

I fly one now because i presumed they pay more but sadly they don't. Average FO salary here is 25000 AED or maybe 35000 AED if you have 3000 hours plus, all inclusive. Uniform, loss of license premium, bag, Emirates id, Security tag for Parking etc etc is paid from pocket.

All this ignoring flying with over controlling legendary veterans who Have their own personalized SOPs, micro -manage anything and everything, even the very little brightness knob of the FO SIDE PFD!!!!.

I wouldn't blame them too much either cause we have just too many trainees.

And its always the FO'S fault here.

Then There are those nice guys that i would hats off cause they are the best . That's an odd 10 percent of 250 line Captains here.

And then there are the company negatives .

I Still the pay the loan that my dad took for my training and I'm still in my early twenties.

Looking at Ek command minimum age is 30 and the odds of me being accepted and surviving till the end of my career in EK, is holding me back from submitting my application.

I'm from the sub -continent, made dubai my home ( Not) i have no home in my country either.

Ek looks like paradise to me from here. The 777/ 380s are too shiny. Come on, It HAS to be better than sharjah airlines.

I have spoken to a lot of people about this, my would be wifey is a bit worried too. She would as well bite me if i lose my current job.

I understand this a rumor network, but still, i wish to get advice from EK Pilots.

Should i apply? Would i be accepted? Is the wait to command worth it?. Is it better?.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your time.

Aiza,

You remind a mate of mine, who told me the same thing before leaving to EK from your airline. I advised him not to leave. He didn’t bother.

After 2 years at EK, with a warning letter, he just couldn’t take it at EK, he is back to your airline and probably released as captain now.

Whichever airline you go, you’ll find captains like that. Probably you’ll be one, when you become a capt, who knows.

So take it easy. With that kind of bond, If I were you, I would wait till command.

PS: You got to seriously improve on your English.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy_SG (Post 10507336)

This is some of the best irony i've seen on here in a long time

Quote:

Originally Posted by A320LGW (Post 10507355)

This is some of the best irony i've seen on here in a long time

Typing mistake. Thanks for pointing out.

Ek time to command .

Hey guys ,
joining shortly on the T7 , wanted to know what’s the average time to command at the outfit . A low time capt on the 73, airline got bankrupt, all other outfits in the region has pathetic T&C’s.
Many thanks .

Flyboy 73NG

Pretty pathetically written comments / question from you.

Maybe you should have asked your questions at the interview, and not here, as this is a rumour site.

Still, EK will sort you out.

Bit of joke asking that now ! But typical of the" new" EK

Quote:

Originally Posted by gehenna (Post 10521659)

Thanks for your wonderful reply & sharing your experience, I assume it’s been bad 😬 . And yeah I do look forward to the sorting out .
Happy landings

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatbus (Post 10521716)

Bit of joke asking that now ! But typical of the" new" EK

well fatbus , glad I am not the only one asking this question and I see nothing wrong in asking it .
Happy landings

I reckon on 7-10 yrs for new joiner upgrades.

Upgrading around 150 per year and there’s 2000 in the queue in front of you. Less those who don't wait around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Barfy (Post 10521974)

I reckon on 7-10 yrs for new joiner upgrades.

Upgrading around 150 per year and there’s 2000 in the queue in front of you. Less those who don't wait around.

Thank you Adam .
happy landings

Adam is probably about right. No expansion on the 777 for the foreseeable future but plenty of people leaving. 7-10 sounds about right. The days of fast commands in less than 5 years are well and truly over.

Adam/Big Geordie

Not sure who has provided those figures for you but you're both well out regarding numbers.

Upgrades for the year are running around the 350+ mark. There are slightly more on the B777 due to experience level requirements for the 380, hence the need for B777 Captains to come across. Last I heard was around 15 per month upgrading on the 380, 20 on the B777. The latter fleet is currently over crewed but will stay that way to cover the delayed introduction of the 777X and possible early arrival of the 787. Pass rates are around 93% or thereabouts. Recruitment is about 45 per month with a bias towards recruiting more onto the 380. Pass rates for conversion courses is around 95%. If you delay joining by a year, 12 months later you'll have 450 pilots above you!

Obviously, these figures and plans change. They often do in EK, the only constant here being change itself! If you were to ask my realistic guess for upgrade time....I'd say 5-6 years tops. Remember, about 50% of the pilots are due to retire in the next 10 years anyway. This may be the calm before the storm in regards to upgrades and recruitment.

Harry

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry the cod (Post 10522600)

Thank you for your insight Harry .

Harry may well be right and as he says, nobody really knows. I would add that the 380 fleet will start shrinking after 2021, partly offset by the delivery of 330neo/350 but who knows how many of those will turn up and how quickly.
I'm not sure that 50% of us are due to retire in the next decade though, it is quite a young workforce.
The take home message is that this is no longer the place to come for a sure-fire quick command. You have been warned.

Way too many variables involved and why should a new hire be concerned about it on this forum , after the interveriw and job offer. Judging from his previous employer he sounds like he's not committed to EK and wants a LHS more then the EK job . Was involved in the recruitment years ago and it was obvious and get rejected but now EK is desperate they will basically hire anyone !