Speedbird Pilot Academy - Funded
Join Date: Aug 2023
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"You'll be significantly disappointed if you think academia gets you any significant advantage in a flying career. It is nearly all about aptitude and soft skills. Something that academia does not provide a guarantee for. ATPL Theory is all about volume of content rather than difficulty." Is this also wrong?
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"You'll be significantly disappointed if you think academia gets you any significant advantage in a flying career. It is nearly all about aptitude and soft skills. Something that academia does not provide a guarantee for. ATPL Theory is all about volume of content rather than difficulty." Is this also wrong?
Join Date: Feb 2023
Location: UAE
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Yes, I'm happy he made it through. Unfortunately, I didn't. I identify as Asian-others, straight man. He identifies as white-British, straight man. That's the information we provided.
And doing 60 hours a week (and more) staring at a computer screen in an office cubicle in London, couldn’t pay enough to do it. Seems absolutely soul destroying.
Join Date: Aug 2023
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No, but having A levels or a degree isn’t a necessary test of someone’s ability to pass ATPL Theory. The depth of knowledge and difficulty is significant - but BA have clearly got their own way of testing someone’s ability to pass including the flight school assessment. And with good enough instruction at the schools you don’t need to be a top performer to do well.
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Bristol
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Air traffic controllers only need GCSE, do you think that isnt demanding either? Academic requirements only prove knowledge, when you are going into a career of mostly skills and new knowledge previous knowledge is irrelevent. Thats not to say it couldnt help, nor could the skills obtained by the qualifications but it is not an indicator of how good you are at those skills.
Join Date: Sep 2023
Location: England
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Speedbird email
So did the first assessment for speedbird clicked submit page crashes so logged back in and says was completed but haven’t received another assessment or rejection email so emailed the speedbird help email provided 8 days letter nothing emailed every single day and CC in recruitment nothing.
rang BA said they couldn’t help and had to wait on recruitment to get back to me.
Very angry that 99% sure won’t get in not due to my fault but due to a technical problem.
rang BA said they couldn’t help and had to wait on recruitment to get back to me.
Very angry that 99% sure won’t get in not due to my fault but due to a technical problem.
Join Date: Jul 2023
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Not everyone has had the opportunity to do a degree. Perhaps they had to work to support their family after school, or had to care for others. Setting the _minimum_ entry requirements at this level is fine, and will broaden the pool of applicants encouraging people who might not otherwise have this opportunity - which is the primary objective of this scheme.
As you say, doing a degree demonstrates ability and focus, which are fantastic and I have no doubt they will take that into account during the process.
I certainly don't feel that my degree has been 'de-valued', but rather is another string to my bow.
As you say, doing a degree demonstrates ability and focus, which are fantastic and I have no doubt they will take that into account during the process.
I certainly don't feel that my degree has been 'de-valued', but rather is another string to my bow.
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I agree with what you're saying about the skills required for the job but you're totally ignoring the fact all companies need ways of differentiating between people in what is a big and competitive world.
Having some decent qualifications from school shows that somebody had some intelligence, drive, focus and discipline, they've also had to perform in exams under pressure; everybody has been to school so everybody has the opportunity to demonstrate this. It's a useful marker which practically every other profession uses to set a standard and to restrict the number of people applying for jobs. I have friends with PHds who do jobs that I'm sure somebody with GCSEs could also do but that's not the point, they worked hard to get where they are and deserve their positions. Setting the bar so low (especially when it used to be much higher) indicates that the company doesn't take any of the above seriously and sends the message to people not to bother as you only need a handful of GCSEs to get in anyway. All pretty unaspirational stuff from a company which seems to hold itself in such high regard.
Having some decent qualifications from school shows that somebody had some intelligence, drive, focus and discipline, they've also had to perform in exams under pressure; everybody has been to school so everybody has the opportunity to demonstrate this. It's a useful marker which practically every other profession uses to set a standard and to restrict the number of people applying for jobs. I have friends with PHds who do jobs that I'm sure somebody with GCSEs could also do but that's not the point, they worked hard to get where they are and deserve their positions. Setting the bar so low (especially when it used to be much higher) indicates that the company doesn't take any of the above seriously and sends the message to people not to bother as you only need a handful of GCSEs to get in anyway. All pretty unaspirational stuff from a company which seems to hold itself in such high regard.
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And for what it’s worth on the motivation for the job I had about 6 paragraphs to begin with and had to cut it down. So the people on here who didn’t pass need to own it and improve for next time. I also had the same lagging on the maths test and finished with minutes to spare. If I haven’t passed the interview I will learn from it, and take it away for the next time I apply to a scheme. The kind of individuals who can’t own the fact they failed something and blame others don’t deserves a career in flying and will very quickly be found out. Owning mistakes is essential in aviation to promote a safe flying culture.
Far too many sour people on here.
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: United Kingdom
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I did an Aero Engineering Degree at a top UK university, and am mid way through my ATPLs. Although I am now studying for my ATPLs alongside a full time job - it is no walk in the park. Don’t be fooled. There are maths heavy subjects, and knowledge heavy subjects - but you need to pass all!
So although it is not necessary as per the entry criteria to be a wizz kid, when you have to calculate a flight plan under time constraints, remember Gen Nav formulae under exam conditions, if you don’t have a sound basic background in Maths - you will fail. I am surprised airlines like BA are willing to take that gamble, providing they have pride in all pilots to have ATPL results of greater than 85% overall.
That’s not to say the ATPLs are impossible. You just can’t go about them with the opinion that you’ll wing it by learning the banks. After all, who wants to board an aircraft with someone in the nose who doesn’t have a scooby.
So although it is not necessary as per the entry criteria to be a wizz kid, when you have to calculate a flight plan under time constraints, remember Gen Nav formulae under exam conditions, if you don’t have a sound basic background in Maths - you will fail. I am surprised airlines like BA are willing to take that gamble, providing they have pride in all pilots to have ATPL results of greater than 85% overall.
That’s not to say the ATPLs are impossible. You just can’t go about them with the opinion that you’ll wing it by learning the banks. After all, who wants to board an aircraft with someone in the nose who doesn’t have a scooby.
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I did an Aero Engineering Degree at a top UK university, and am mid way through my ATPLs. Although I am now studying for my ATPLs alongside a full time job - it is no walk in the park. Don’t be fooled. There are maths heavy subjects, and knowledge heavy subjects - but you need to pass all!
So although it is not necessary as per the entry criteria to be a wizz kid, when you have to calculate a flight plan under time constraints, remember Gen Nav formulae under exam conditions, if you don’t have a strong background in Maths - you will fail. I am surprised airlines like BA are willing to take that gamble, providing they have pride in all pilots to have ATPL result of greater than 85% overall.
That’s not to say the ATPLs are impossible. You just can’t go about them with the opinion that you’ll wing it by learning the banks. After all, who wants to board an aircraft with someone in the nose who doesn’t have a scooby.
So although it is not necessary as per the entry criteria to be a wizz kid, when you have to calculate a flight plan under time constraints, remember Gen Nav formulae under exam conditions, if you don’t have a strong background in Maths - you will fail. I am surprised airlines like BA are willing to take that gamble, providing they have pride in all pilots to have ATPL result of greater than 85% overall.
That’s not to say the ATPLs are impossible. You just can’t go about them with the opinion that you’ll wing it by learning the banks. After all, who wants to board an aircraft with someone in the nose who doesn’t have a scooby.
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: United Kingdom
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They aren’t taking a gamble though, they’re doing a fairly stringent selection process to make sure they find the right people. They will then have 6 months instruction to make sure they can pass the exams. I agree they’re really difficult but there’s a huge difference between classroom based and distance learning ATPL theory. BA won’t allow someone in the flight deck unless they meet the standard it’s that simple. The employment offers will all be conditional based on meeting criteria through training.
Join Date: Sep 2023
Location: London
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Got an email last night saying i've passed through to the video interview, Dont expect people to be telling questions or anything but is there any advice to give? are there re-dos if you mess up, time period?
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: UK
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Im surprised to say I’ve made it to video interview. I didn’t finish the maths questions so assumed I’d be out.
Whoever it is posting here about diversity is a cynic who doesn’t deserve to be in the process. I do not fit the mould of the type of person you think they’re seeking. I’m a married white guy in my late 30’s - I think the process is fair and transparent. I put effort into my 250 words talking about loving flying since I was a kid but circumstances meant it was never financially achievable. I made sure my CV & the paragraph reflected both BA values and the types of experience and qualities they’d want in an applicant.
I’ll either be successful or I won’t. If I’m not, it’ll be because I’m not good enough compared to others, not because of a quota.
Whoever it is posting here about diversity is a cynic who doesn’t deserve to be in the process. I do not fit the mould of the type of person you think they’re seeking. I’m a married white guy in my late 30’s - I think the process is fair and transparent. I put effort into my 250 words talking about loving flying since I was a kid but circumstances meant it was never financially achievable. I made sure my CV & the paragraph reflected both BA values and the types of experience and qualities they’d want in an applicant.
I’ll either be successful or I won’t. If I’m not, it’ll be because I’m not good enough compared to others, not because of a quota.