Virgin Interviews in Jan/Feb

[oldhasbeen]

Anywhere from 6 months to 5 years, depending how brown you want yu tongue!

[footloose]

Not true old hb.
Command upgrades now appear to be chosen on start date provided they have kept their nose clean. Not so good news for the many well experienced (previous jet and jet command time) FOs out there who have joined more recently. Would be interested to hear from these guys re what was said to them at interview with regard time to left seat.

[The Bullwinkle]

Why would you want to fly for Virgin if Qantas are recruiting?

1. Don't like Longhaul

2. Don't like the idea of being a 2 striped passenger for years

3. Don't like the bull**** that goes with being part of QANTAS

4. Do like flying several sectors per day

5. Do like being brisbane based

There's a few reasons off the top of my head.

[turbantime]

6. The Hosties!!!!

[Transition Layer]

7. The leather jacket

[Skypatrol]

Bullwinkle,
Are you mad?

8. Pay for endorsement
9. Fly a maggot for 5 sectors a day
10. Get paid less than a QF 2 striper as a DJ 3 striper
11. Fly nothing bigger than a maggot
12. Fly nowhere further than the flat earth of Oz

[The Bullwinkle]

Bullwinkle, Are you mad?

Very possibly.

8. Pay for endorsement

A one off outlay, recouped easily within first year of employment. Compared to the amount most of us paid without any guarantee of employment of any sort, I would just call this a wise investment.

9. Fly a maggot for 5 sectors a day

Compared to flying 12 to 15 sectors a day in a Twin-Otter (which I might also add was very enjoyable), no big deal. Not every day is a 5 sector day, but on the same token it's also not one 12 hour boring single sector

10. Get paid less than a QF 2 striper as a DJ 3 striper

You couldn't pay me enough money to just sit there and be the captains sexual adviser (when he wants your Fu...ng opinion, he'll ask you). Tom Andrews from 7C could sit in the right seat once the aircraft is at cruising level. That prospect doesn't thrill me at all

11. Fly nothing bigger than a maggot

I was once told by someone far wiser than you, that the size of the aircraft does not determine the ability of the pilot. I just love flying, and the opportunity to take a jet aircraft into places where your BIG machines can't go adds to the appeal.

12. Fly nowhere further than the flat earth of Oz

I pretty much agreed with this one when I said I don't like longhaul, hence flying around OZ suits me perfectly.

I find it quite remarkable that QANTAS pilots can't comprehend that not everybody wants to fly for QANTAS, or that they must be flying for Virgin because they couldn't get into QANTAS.

Everybody has their reasons for doing what they do. I fly for Virgin and I am happy. If you are happy flying for QANTAS, then good for you too.

I was just giving my response to the question Why would you want to fly for Virgin if Qantas are recruiting? that was asked earlier.

[18-Wheeler]

11. Fly nothing bigger than a maggot
12. Fly nowhere further than the flat earth of Oz

Luxury.
Where do I sign up?

I couldn't care less what size Boeing I fly, as long as it's in Aus.

[Iron Bar]

Bully you are mad !!!

A one off outlay to be repaid plus the interest. In addition to the amount most of us paid without any guarentee of employment of any sort. I would just call this a right royal rip off.


- Max hours, insufficient establishment
(other airlines have similar issues)

BUT

- Reduced wages

AND

- No overtime ??


You pay the 20k for the Micky Mouse 8 sim endorsment to slave for bugger all and contribute to the erosion of pay and conditions everywhere else.

This applies equally to the likes of J*, JC etal.

This issue has been done to death, but paying ridiculous amounts of money to buy a job in a substandard airline is becoming the norm and should be resisted not encouraged.

You lot should be saying. Yeah this was my only choice. I had to bend over, take it from RB (or whoever) and fork out the dollars for my jet job and I'm pissed off about it. Then fight like hell to bring your conditions up and stop the rort. Not try and justify a blatent ripoff with "this is a wise investment" or any other such crap.

[Home Brew]

Enema Bandit's Dad Quote
"Why would you want to fly for Virgin if Qantas are recruiting?"

Because what future do you have with the red rat - all this flying being given to jet*, domestic & across the Tasman, Australian airlines? Will there be anything left of QF in the future???

[The Bullwinkle]

to slave for bugger all

You've got to be joking, right????

I have done plenty of other jobs before flying, and I can tell you that a) this is not slaving and b) it's hardly bugger all.

In fact none of my previous jobs paid this much . Why must it always be about the money?

[Iron Bar]

Granted Bully perhaps I exaggerate slightly.

Delete

"slave for bugger all"

Insert

"Work well above avarage industry hours for well below average industry conditions"

Not quite as dramatic but amounts to the same thing...... It's all relative.

To you the money may not be an issue and good luck to you. But I value my qualifications very highly and object to those who would have them and therefore the lifestyle of myself and my family devalued.

[Macrohard]

Iron Bar says;

Work well above avarage industry hours for well below average industry conditions

Can you confirm what "well above average industry hours" means ? How many hours are the "average industry hours"? Are we talking duty or flight hours?
Personally 650-700 stick p.a. doesn't seem too overworked.

What are the "average industry conditions"?
Would you consider EK are in the same boat if you are looking at take home pay?
Have you been to many job sites lately and seen what "the average" B737 pilot gets paid? I think not!

[Walrus]

I have had insiders enquire about my application and learnt they have an internal age limit policy on new recruits. Story is they aren't growing and they don't have enough natural attrition of the older pilots.

[Global TM]

Love the make me feel better/bitter comments expressed, for example ’’just because you have thousands of hours’’-‘’you need to know someone on the inside’’-‘’I’ve been waiting for 2 years’’ – ‘’mate of mine knew 2 contacts before he’’- to get a look at with VB.

Guys/Gals wake up-Current licence, type rating, international experience, would put one way ahead of someone with thousands of turbine hours. One is rated and experienced, the other isn’t. The guy with turbine domestic experience does not even know what a CAT III Landing would look like-no offence- as supposed to some that flies the same approach 4 times a day for 6 months of the year to a zillion different airports.

Guess at who would an experienced HR person/Chief pilot will look at first-regardless if one has to pay for their type rating(endorsement).Paying for a type and not being able to cope has far greater risk and cost associated with it than someone with proven experience. And with proven experience that candidate might just as well have all the non technical credentials (otherwise they would not be in that position had they not)

But hey that’s Australian Aviation- just like what Hilary Clinton’s interpretation of a penis is – It’s a rumour that is passed around from mouth to mouth.
Like all professionals???? Try to apply logic.

[FYC]

Can anyone please tell me the name of the VB new CP?

Also, where can one find VB company info, as the VB website is lacking?

TA

[T3000]

so what is the internal age limit? Is 38 too old?

[Fly Jimmy]

Hay Guys,

Is it possible to be based in Sydney when flying for Virgin???????

[PCFlyer]

Age limit? what the ... ?

I thought the whole point of an age limit was to provide for a minimum return of service to recover costs the company has spent training you.

With a LCC like VB or Jet* you are paying your training costs ... what does it matter to them?

[tinpis]

I know of one pilot hired by VB would have been a cuppla years off 60.
If you got something they want they will hire you.