British Airways DEP Selection - THE lowdown Part 1
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As long as you meet the requirements(you wouldn't be there if you didn't) & pass ALL 4 sections on the assessment day you get a sim check. Period!
It has NOTHING to do with your flying backround..........
It has NOTHING to do with your flying backround..........
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I've deliberately refrained from posting on this topic as for many years I was directly involved with it. Even though I no longer am, I still read the thoughts of those who have been, or are about to go, to Braincrank, often with amusement or disbelief!
However, one post has just caught my eye, and make me think that at least one candidate has so obviously thought about just what it was that BA were looking for during the simulator evaluation, beyond just competent aircraft handling, that I'm going to comment just this once.
So, what did this candidate get right, that so many others have got wrong?
Well, the answers are in her post.
Correct.
Even if you don't really feel that way, remember, you are joining an airline, not a fleet. If you understand anything about seniority, you'll understand the sooner you join, the better. Some pilots, who joined the same day as me, waited another three years for a command.
Correct. It is the main reason why people pass/fail this part of selection.
BA assume you can fly (although sometimes we were surprised), what they primarily want to know is:
So, as well as your flying, BA is also looking to see if you have any spare mental capacity, if you can operate without being prompted, if you develop tunnel vision and focus only on the task at hand, if you can manage the overall operation efficiently, if you prioritise appropriately with regard to the time available, if you utilise all available resources effectively, and if you create a climate on the FD where the PNF will want/feel able to help/assist you?
All these are being assessed, as well as your basic handling skills.
Correct. Those of you yet to go to Braincrank, read, learn and inwardly digest. Virtually straight from the selectors' handbook!
Correct.
The most powerful way to mitigate any mistakes that you may have made, in the eyes of your assessor, is:
If, in debrief, without overdoing it, you quietly comment about a mistake you made, show that you know why it was a mistake and what you will do differently next time, you will probably well earn a positive comment, not a negative one, from your assessor.
All pilots make mistakes, not all pilots learn from them. BA want those who do.
Where appropriate, absolutely; however, just bear in mind that CRM is not about being nice, CRM is about being effective.
Finally, remember that your performance when PNF is also very important as well. It's no use turning in a stellar performance as PF, if you switch off when PNF. BA values teamwork and many candidates do very poorly on this aspect.
Ultimately, if your sim assessor doesn't really want you sat beside him/her for four sectors a day on shorthaul, or twelve hours a day on longhaul, your probably not going to get through!
So, to Pilotess who recently
Well Done! 
Enjoy BA, enjoy longhaul, avoid the light twin
, go for the B747 .
Good Luck
Dick
However, one post has just caught my eye, and make me think that at least one candidate has so obviously thought about just what it was that BA were looking for during the simulator evaluation, beyond just competent aircraft handling, that I'm going to comment just this once.
So, what did this candidate get right, that so many others have got wrong?
Well, the answers are in her post.
they asked if I'd be happy with short haul - yes!
Even if you don't really feel that way, remember, you are joining an airline, not a fleet. If you understand anything about seniority, you'll understand the sooner you join, the better. Some pilots, who joined the same day as me, waited another three years for a command.
the key thing about the sim is to have an awareness of CRM as your top priority
BA assume you can fly (although sometimes we were surprised), what they primarily want to know is:
- Can you do anything else whilst you are flying?
- Do you learn from your mistakes?
So, as well as your flying, BA is also looking to see if you have any spare mental capacity, if you can operate without being prompted, if you develop tunnel vision and focus only on the task at hand, if you can manage the overall operation efficiently, if you prioritise appropriately with regard to the time available, if you utilise all available resources effectively, and if you create a climate on the FD where the PNF will want/feel able to help/assist you?
All these are being assessed, as well as your basic handling skills.
My sim partner and I made sure that our CRM was good - We were supportive and proactive without prompting and removing the opportunity to let the other one get on with flying. We handed over control when appropriate for approach set up, briefing, PA's and NITS and used the a/p above transition.
We were given a debrief and had the opportunity to discuss what went well and what we did wrong. I'd suggest that owning up to everything is key - they see everything from the magic seat back there and wouldn't like to be treated as fools
The most powerful way to mitigate any mistakes that you may have made, in the eyes of your assessor, is:
- To realise that you have made a mistake.
- To realise why it was a mistake
- To know how to avoid it next time
- Not to repeat it
If, in debrief, without overdoing it, you quietly comment about a mistake you made, show that you know why it was a mistake and what you will do differently next time, you will probably well earn a positive comment, not a negative one, from your assessor.
All pilots make mistakes, not all pilots learn from them. BA want those who do.
saying positive things about your sim partner in their PM/PF role is good CRM
Finally, remember that your performance when PNF is also very important as well. It's no use turning in a stellar performance as PF, if you switch off when PNF. BA values teamwork and many candidates do very poorly on this aspect.
Ultimately, if your sim assessor doesn't really want you sat beside him/her for four sectors a day on shorthaul, or twelve hours a day on longhaul, your probably not going to get through!
So, to Pilotess who recently
Got the magic phone call saying have been successful and in pool for long haul fleet
Enjoy BA, enjoy longhaul, avoid the light twin
, go for the B747 .Good Luck
Dick
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Great post Dick, I am sure a lot of people will find both your post and pilotess' post very useful prior to bouncing around in the sim. Does anybody have any idea at all how many of us are in the hold pool?????
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Has anyone dropped out of the pool (after 11 months)?
Hi,
I'm reading the latest posts with interest as I am due to attend stage 1 on 13 August.
Is there anyone who has dropped out of the pool in the last few months? There are conflicting views (as ever) here, with some upbeat about 100+ places and others such as Shinyten, forcecasting 0.
KT
I'm reading the latest posts with interest as I am due to attend stage 1 on 13 August.
Is there anyone who has dropped out of the pool in the last few months? There are conflicting views (as ever) here, with some upbeat about 100+ places and others such as Shinyten, forcecasting 0.
KT
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I heard they are looking to extend the time allowed in the hold pool to 2 years before you have to re-apply, so that the assessment and sim days they continue to run will not be in vain.
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The fact that your assessment results expire after 11 months & you subsequently get booted out of the hold pool is plain(excuse the pun!)stupid. I completely understand why you have to wait 11 months before re-applying if unsucessful.
So if it's true that BA are considering extending the time allowed in the hold pool that is a sensible move. In times of penny pinching why spend time & resources interviewing/sim checking someone who has made the grade 15ish months earlier.
It's not as if you turn into a complete idiot in such a short space of time.....
So if it's true that BA are considering extending the time allowed in the hold pool that is a sensible move. In times of penny pinching why spend time & resources interviewing/sim checking someone who has made the grade 15ish months earlier.
It's not as if you turn into a complete idiot in such a short space of time.....
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Nothing like one of ShinyTen's posts to put you in a good mood for the long day ahead! Let's hope he/she is wrong and if he/she is not then that common sense prevails and the time is extended to 2 years.
I am of the opinion that nothing will happen this year, even though when receiving the call about being sucessful I was told it probably would! I hope that once the winter is over, things are a bit more certain (merger, fuel price etc) and that assuming they are not "shrinking" the operation permanently - the start date will come in the Spring making me all ready for the Summer!!
Anyway, here's hoping!
I am of the opinion that nothing will happen this year, even though when receiving the call about being sucessful I was told it probably would! I hope that once the winter is over, things are a bit more certain (merger, fuel price etc) and that assuming they are not "shrinking" the operation permanently - the start date will come in the Spring making me all ready for the Summer!!
Anyway, here's hoping!
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Just released on the BA Intranet as part of the profit announcement:
"In response to the industry-wide crisis, BA is also putting up its fares, cutting capital expenditure by £100 million and stopping recruitment. "
"In response to the industry-wide crisis, BA is also putting up its fares, cutting capital expenditure by £100 million and stopping recruitment. "
and stopping recruitment.
This applies mainly to ground staff. We have 4 (net 3 !!! ) T7s being delivered in 5 months time followed by 6 x W7s just announced today. The Airbus fleet is still taking new A320s and there are 2 new 318s coming next year.
Pilot recruitment may pause for a few months but there will still be a need for new faces in the future.........................
Edited in light of breaking news - pilot recruitment suspended from October.
Last edited by ETOPS; 1st Aug 2008 at 09:41.
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Hmm, don't know about that ETOPS. It has now been reliably stated that course dates will be honoured until the end of October and then that will be it. Apparently we will be in surplus on the 747, 767, 757 so will not need external recruitment to cover the limited growth on the 777 and 320. Sorry it is not good news but that is just the way it is, I have talked to a couple of guys recently who have now had there 777 conversion courses from the 320 cancelled for the foreseeable future due to the capacity reductions.
Further to my last.....................
The change in emphasis here is based on BA's alteration in the description of the new aircraft orders. The 4 B772's coming in early '09 were described as for "expansion" - they are now being called "replacements". Similarly the newly announced B773's are both "787" stopgaps and expansion/replacement - the decision about that being deferred until their delivery in 2010. This would give time for the economics to become clearer.
In terms of new pilots there will be recruitment again as by then (2010) some senior guys will be approaching 60 years old (like me ) so will be retiring.
(yes I know the max age is 65 but we all ticked the "60" box for pensions)
The change in emphasis here is based on BA's alteration in the description of the new aircraft orders. The 4 B772's coming in early '09 were described as for "expansion" - they are now being called "replacements". Similarly the newly announced B773's are both "787" stopgaps and expansion/replacement - the decision about that being deferred until their delivery in 2010. This would give time for the economics to become clearer.
In terms of new pilots there will be recruitment again as by then (2010) some senior guys will be approaching 60 years old (like me
) so will be retiring.(yes I know the max age is 65 but we all ticked the "60" box for pensions)
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Pilot recruitment freeze from October
Can anyone shed any light if this is for SSP's as well as DEP's.....? I think there are a fair few of us going through the process at the moment from the likes of OAT, Cabair, CTC. Most of us would not be at the type rating stage until end of the year or beginning 2009. Will we be allowed to continue or are we likely to get cut....?
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This I have just seen in ppjn,
http://www.pilotjobsnetwork.com/fact...j2c56pep7e9734
"Recruitment "freeze" announced on 1st August 2008. Recruitment not expected to resume until the end of the recession. "
I have an interview later this month, anyone know if this is true or not?
http://www.pilotjobsnetwork.com/fact...j2c56pep7e9734
"Recruitment "freeze" announced on 1st August 2008. Recruitment not expected to resume until the end of the recession. "
I have an interview later this month, anyone know if this is true or not?
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Hi
Risking sounding stupid (!) but does a recruitment "freeze" mean no more adding to the hold-pool as well as no more taking people out of it? Or if you are in it already, are you likely to get a start date?
If it means that a start date is unlikely to be forthcoming - do you think it is likely that your time in the hold-pool can be extended?
Cheers.
Risking sounding stupid (!) but does a recruitment "freeze" mean no more adding to the hold-pool as well as no more taking people out of it? Or if you are in it already, are you likely to get a start date?
If it means that a start date is unlikely to be forthcoming - do you think it is likely that your time in the hold-pool can be extended?
Cheers.