British Airways Two Stripers.
 

I think its a great idea that DEP's automatically get a third stripe on joining the company. Let's not stop there though. How about a pair of white gloves and a swagger stick. Perhaps if they were customarily piped aboard and garbed in a uniform that is so covered in lanyards and scrambled egg that it would cause an Albanian Rear Admiral to blush...perhaps then they'd get the respect that some of them perceive themselves to be missing out on.
I've just picked up on this through reading some of the other threads... I had no idea that some people's egos could be that fragile. Sorry to say this fellas, but the reason you may not be getting the respect you feel you deserve is because you probably act like the sort of small minded tosser who will NEVER get the level of respect you feel you are entitled to etc etc.
I can't imagine that many DEP's care much how many stripes they've got on their arm when they join. If they do...see the above.
Three stripes, in BA, is your reward for four years of undiscoverd crime. Four years loyalty to the company, and a little pay rise. It's not more than that, honestly.

Ooh, I can hear you sharpening up your pencils even now...

[This message has been edited by Waldo Pepper (edited 30 March 2001).]

Crap

Beautifully put exeng

Waldo

Nice one. If it annoyed exeng its got to be a good posting.How about we just give them 4 stripes when they join to protect the "I was an Air Force Vice Marshall/greatest fighter pilot ever/Red Arrows/Navy seal drop pilot/best 757 captain ever seen in the UK charter market" ego.

NN

normal-nigel,

I disagree. I think there should be some disparity between DEPs and CEPs simply to reflect the different experience levels between the 2 types. It's not about egos (for the majority) but just an acknowledgement of experience. I also think they should get paid more than the paltry 33K starting salary but that is another issue.

Why are people getting so hot under the collar about this?

I would think that someone who joins as a DEP having had maybe 10 years and a few thousand hours elswhere in aviation should be entitled to have that experience recognised by the form of a third stripe.

Why should someone straight out of CAP509 with the ink scarcely dry on a frozen ATPL get snotty because he's only got two? Because all he needs to do to get one is manage to keep hidden for four years...

Waldo,

Either
A) You have returned from a trip as the most senior co-pilot yet have been treated by your venerable 2 striped colleague as though you were a tea boy.
OR
B) You are one of those 'managers on board' who like to bait us F/O's due to the occasional aforesaid 2 striper speaking down to you.

"4 years of undiscovered crime?"
Is that your interpretation of pilots?
I write with a blunt pencil to say that 3 stripes says this.

"I am more entitled to be cynical"

Wlado,
Couldn't agree more. Don't forget however that BA does owe a lot of pilots a living. [I'm pretty sure that's right - so many folks seem to think so, it must be true]. Don't forget that it's also a miserable crappy job that nobody realy wants to do. BA obviously have to hold guns to many pilots heads just to get them to stay.
And 'B Calm', you may notice, if you paid attention to what's going on around you, that DEPs earn "some disparity" of nearly £11,000 compared with their CEP counterparts. (Greater if you include the CEPs £250pcm payback). If anyone wants my third strip, it's yours for the aforementiond £11,000.
See ya.
PS Lord Flasheart - please tell me your out there and about to join in.

I don't care how many stripes are on my arm, just give me MORE MONEY!!!!

(3 year DEP, 2 stripes, joined with 10,000hrs - 6500 in command)

If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined!!!

Hey Normal Nigel

This is just your kind of thread. You always take any opportunity to display that chip on your shoulder against ex military pilots. What’s the matter Nigel, didn’t Mummy show you enough love as a child, or were you bullied at school for being short and spotty.

NN you are a complete T**T!

I have to say my experience of flying with DEP's on heavy trips has been nothing but good...which is why I find it hard to believe that some are small minded enough to make a big deal about this,

The pay...now that is another matter. I do think everyone deserves a pay rise, and I agree that the starting salaries for DEP's are risible.

However, as I have said elsewhere, most of us have been shafted at some stage by the company...recent DEP's are not the only ones, though they appear to be the most vocal.

One further point...I am slightly alarmed to see myself unintentionally allied with Normal(?) Nigel on this one...I would like to take the opportunity to distance myself from his rantings. I'm sure he means it all in fun, but his extreme views don't exactly help the cause of unity in the ranks.

BTL LO - what are the missing letters?

AR or WA (after and before the T's)

Can't see the big deal here guys. BA has a rank structure based not on experience but on time served. There are no direct entry Capts. and there should be no direct entry SFOs either. We all start at the bottom and work up. DEPs already get an extra £11000pa to reflect their experience level. Seems to me that's already very generous. If you don't like the setup then don't join.

Hey Diesel, you are so right--I recently passed the clone tests, and have zero intention of joining a retrograde outfit like BA. Arrogant and self-seeking attitudes prevail, and the derisory DEP salaries just reinforce the situation.

Diesel, I just don't understand why you feel you have the right to make such pronouncements to fellow professionals. Take a course in humility, old chap.

All of the above bolloc*s demonstrates totally why I could never work for Big Airways..............

http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

------------------
'Keep the Stress Down'

If all you guys have got to moan about is a couple of stripes you want to open your eyes to the big outside world.

Perhaps Taining Captains should have five stripes and Fleet Managers six? When would all end?

Quidnunc

I think you have missed my point regarding thr pay issue. What I am saying is that 33K for the average DEPs experience level is appalling, my intention wasn't to compare it with CEP salary. Again, another issue.

If I could have a dollar for all the times I have been in full uniform, with four stripes btw, and have been asked by a little old lady to carry her bags, since she mistook me for a curbside check in attendant, I would be a rich man. (I carry their bags, but refuse the tip.)

There must be larger things in life to waste the few remaining braincells on.

The Girl Guides seem to have the answer to this problem.

Lets promote a "I have 1/2/3...thousand hour" merit badges to be placed firmly on the forehead of those who feel they need the accolade....