Virgin hold pool
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Virgin hold pool
I'm due to leave the military soon, have no airbus/boeing rating and know of guys waiting a v. long time in the Virgin hold pool. Comments following Big Wings question back in Oct and Scroggs' link, seem to be saying that even non airbus/boeing guys are jumping ahead and getting courses after 6 months but I know guys similarly qualified who been waiting a year!!!!
Is there some other selection process within the holding pool other than airbus/boeing experience?
BA take 3-4 months, interview to start date for non-rated guys (fact), but is the Virgin queue likely to reduce in the next 6 months? When will their recruitment stop? Will it still leave guys in the holding pool after a year?!!!
Any info from long serving swimmers appreciated.
KYT
Is there some other selection process within the holding pool other than airbus/boeing experience?
BA take 3-4 months, interview to start date for non-rated guys (fact), but is the Virgin queue likely to reduce in the next 6 months? When will their recruitment stop? Will it still leave guys in the holding pool after a year?!!!
Any info from long serving swimmers appreciated.
KYT
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KYT,
Not long serving I'm afraid; but at a recent interview day (read in the last week) it was said hold pool time could be expected to be 6-7 months. Of course, you will then be given 3 months notice of a start........... Recruitment is mostly for A340, but of six people one was current 320 and one 330. The others non airbus.
Not long serving I'm afraid; but at a recent interview day (read in the last week) it was said hold pool time could be expected to be 6-7 months. Of course, you will then be given 3 months notice of a start........... Recruitment is mostly for A340, but of six people one was current 320 and one 330. The others non airbus.
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I can't give you numbers, but we have taken non-Airbus and non-Boeing pilots in the last few months - including a few direct ex-military blokes. E-C's hold times are about right, though there have probably been occasions when a cancellation has allowed an immediately-available person to get an early course. The hold time is dictated by the fact that we started interviewing about 6-7 months before we could offer courses, in order that there would be no delays (for the company) once training began. I don't know whether the rate of entry into training is greater than the rate of success at interview, which is the only factor likely to reduce the hold time.
As you probably aware from the aviation press, and other threads in this very forum, Virgin has 25 A340-600s on firm order (with another 13 options), plus 6 A380s (and 6 options). Seven A346s have been delivered so far, and the delivery dates continue for the next 5 years or so. In other words, recruiting is not likely to stop any time soon!
Sorry I can't be more helpful. I should say at this point that I am not involved in the recruiting process, and that my statements are based on my own observations and deductions rather than any official Virgin utterances! But I do talk to a lot of people...
As you probably aware from the aviation press, and other threads in this very forum, Virgin has 25 A340-600s on firm order (with another 13 options), plus 6 A380s (and 6 options). Seven A346s have been delivered so far, and the delivery dates continue for the next 5 years or so. In other words, recruiting is not likely to stop any time soon!
Sorry I can't be more helpful. I should say at this point that I am not involved in the recruiting process, and that my statements are based on my own observations and deductions rather than any official Virgin utterances! But I do talk to a lot of people...
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Thanks Sroggs
At least it would appear that non airbus/boeing guys are still moving thru'. That gives us Herc mates a chance, I feared our likes would never getting off the holding pool with the more 'desirables' jumping in front, ad infinitum.
KYT
At least it would appear that non airbus/boeing guys are still moving thru'. That gives us Herc mates a chance, I feared our likes would never getting off the holding pool with the more 'desirables' jumping in front, ad infinitum.
KYT
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If we didn't value your experience, we wouldn't waste the resources to interview you! If you're in the pool you have presumably passed the selection procedure; it's then a case of waiting for a slot on an appropriate* course.
*For obvious reasons, most of the courses are shortened versions for those with Airbus experience already. They would not be suitable for non-Airbus rated pilots. I don't know what the ratio of full courses to short courses is, but it may be a factor in the waiting time - especially if we needed to get a large number of people in quickly!
*For obvious reasons, most of the courses are shortened versions for those with Airbus experience already. They would not be suitable for non-Airbus rated pilots. I don't know what the ratio of full courses to short courses is, but it may be a factor in the waiting time - especially if we needed to get a large number of people in quickly!
