BA / Virgin new recruits
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: europe
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i hear you people talking about virgin atlantic recruiting ,but there is nothing "official" on their website .....anyone care to share some info ?should i just send my c.v. ,even though they are not looking for pilots?
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: europe
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BLEKE ,
i checked there website again today and there is nothing about pilot vacancies....
www.virgin-atlantic.com......is there any other website for virgin that i missed?
i checked there website again today and there is nothing about pilot vacancies....
www.virgin-atlantic.com......is there any other website for virgin that i missed?
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SSE of smoki
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Hi iqit, look at left side, select "all about us," stay left side then select "working for us". Finally select pilot recruitment. It's all there. Good luck, great company, enjoyed my time there. Rgds.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: UK
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The impression I got was that you go on whatever course is available at the time. From what I gathered most of the courses are on the the Airbus. One would imagine that if both Airbus and Boeing courses were available at the same time then I dont see why you could not be given an offer.
I think this is something for Scroggs!
I think this is something for Scroggs!
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
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With (currently) 19 A340s on strength and a further 15 to come (plus options), as opposed to 14 B744s with none further to come, it will not surprise you to learn that the vast majority of Virgin's recruiting is for the A340. There is some movement on the B744 as people move from that to the Airbus on command promotion, but it's not a lot. You will not be given a choice; you will be told what aircraft you are going to (if you are successful).
As for hours, you will find that most pilots accepted in the current recruiting drive (which has been going on 15 months or so) have in excess of 4000 hours, and most of that on jets of 25 tonnes or greater. While the company's minimum stipulations aren't so demanding, the competition is strong, and the company can pick and choose from a very experienced, high-quality group of well-motivated applicants. In other words, a lot of very good people don't get in even though they have lots of hours. Them's the breaks.
Scroggs
As for hours, you will find that most pilots accepted in the current recruiting drive (which has been going on 15 months or so) have in excess of 4000 hours, and most of that on jets of 25 tonnes or greater. While the company's minimum stipulations aren't so demanding, the competition is strong, and the company can pick and choose from a very experienced, high-quality group of well-motivated applicants. In other words, a lot of very good people don't get in even though they have lots of hours. Them's the breaks.
Scroggs
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SSE of smoki
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Boeing goes to the states, carribean and jo burg, very occasionally hong kong. Airbus does everything including china, japan australia and india. No carribean tho. Best for commuting, airbus, best for time off, airbus, best for partying, airbus, best rating, airbus. Best aircraft from a pilots point of view, well i will leave that for someone else to stew over. Rgds.
Join Date: Dec 1997
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The B744 has not been to Hong Kong for some years, and there are no plans to send it back there. The Boeing fleet is gradually moving to Gatwick and Manchester to concentrate on the beach routes - Caribbean and Orlando - though it will continue to operate some New Yorks, Los Angeles and San Francisco until the A380 arrives. The A340 operates everything else, plus some New Yorks and the late LA. Jo'burg has been shared between the Airbus and Boeing for the past few months, but that arrangement is unlikely to last too much longer with 7 new A346s arriving in 2006.
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: EGLL
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Bluesys,
If you were to join the A320 fleet at BA then you can expect to do approximately 750 hours a year, flights varying from 0:25 Manchester to 5:00 Larnaca. Some days are long, up to 12:00 planned duty, but there are union agreements so you have a good level of protection!
In an average month you can expect 270 hours away from home, 17 days at work, 135 duty hours and 75 hours flying. So as you can see there can be a lot of faffing around - two hours on duty per flying hour getting from aircraft to aircraft, terminal to terminal, etc. The 17 days at work will include around 9-10 nightstops in one of the many destinations we serve, and time there will vary from 12 hours to 55 hours, although most are around 15-16 hours.
Roster stability is great. Rarely will it change unless you want it to. The downside is that when you start you will be at the bottom of the seniority of the fleet - 312 copilots and counting. You will probably end up working most weekends, and doing a fair number of earlies - (0500-0700 starts). As you get more senior you'll have more of a choice with the bidding system, and you should be able to get the days off that you want. People say you'll get a reasonable choice once you are 10% off the bottom, but you'll find that out in due course.
One of the most annoying aspects of LHR is the delays. Usually you'll be taxiing for 20 minutes waiting to take off. Most days you will hold, often you will be waiting for a stand especially at T4. Frequently you'll be waiting for crew transport to take you home or to the next aircraft. All these factors and more will attempt to frustrate you!
So there you have it from a BA shorthauler....
Best of luck.
Sly.
Ok, I am bumping this one up and hoping there is some BA shorthauler watching.......
In an average month you can expect 270 hours away from home, 17 days at work, 135 duty hours and 75 hours flying. So as you can see there can be a lot of faffing around - two hours on duty per flying hour getting from aircraft to aircraft, terminal to terminal, etc. The 17 days at work will include around 9-10 nightstops in one of the many destinations we serve, and time there will vary from 12 hours to 55 hours, although most are around 15-16 hours.
Roster stability is great. Rarely will it change unless you want it to. The downside is that when you start you will be at the bottom of the seniority of the fleet - 312 copilots and counting. You will probably end up working most weekends, and doing a fair number of earlies - (0500-0700 starts). As you get more senior you'll have more of a choice with the bidding system, and you should be able to get the days off that you want. People say you'll get a reasonable choice once you are 10% off the bottom, but you'll find that out in due course.
One of the most annoying aspects of LHR is the delays. Usually you'll be taxiing for 20 minutes waiting to take off. Most days you will hold, often you will be waiting for a stand especially at T4. Frequently you'll be waiting for crew transport to take you home or to the next aircraft. All these factors and more will attempt to frustrate you!
So there you have it from a BA shorthauler....
Best of luck.
Sly.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Too close to the airport
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Interesting to see that BA are recruiting a large proportion of foreign pilots. Currently most are British so there is a change going on.
I wonder if they are not getting the home-grown talent through the door (poor T & C's?) or just genuinely trying to be 'European'.
Knowing how difficult the English test is/was I'm thinkng they must be making allowances for non-English 1st language candidates. No offence to Europeans but that comprehension was/is really a tester.
Any thoughts?
I wonder if they are not getting the home-grown talent through the door (poor T & C's?) or just genuinely trying to be 'European'.
Knowing how difficult the English test is/was I'm thinkng they must be making allowances for non-English 1st language candidates. No offence to Europeans but that comprehension was/is really a tester.
Any thoughts?
Join Date: Apr 1999
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BA couldn't give a stuff about being European, North Ameican, Asian or anything else. The only reason they are recruiting abroad is they can't get enough pilots from the UK to join. They're now advertising in the Gulf News and the Singapore Straits Times!
Interesting to see that BA are recruiting a large proportion of foreign pilots.
Over 90% of the pilots who started with me last month are Brits and the majority who have joined since seem to be Brits.
I think the verbal reasoning test probably contributes to this stat.
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: LONDON
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Folks,
How quickly do you get issued with your car park pass when you join BA? I'll be a commuter when I join in the coming months and need to park the heathrow runabout!
Thanks
BADEPS
How quickly do you get issued with your car park pass when you join BA? I'll be a commuter when I join in the coming months and need to park the heathrow runabout!
Thanks
BADEPS
Join Date: May 2005
Location: The land of cosmic radiation...
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Capt Sly:
Thanks for the info. I applied yesterday and am now awaiting the reply.
I understand that i will be working whats left over in the first years.
How many off days in a row do you usally get?
I have also read that take home is approx. 3000-3500£/month.
Is that an accurate figure?
I know that the verbal reasoning will be tough but I have to have a go at it.....
At least it wasn`t any problems with the sample question
.
Brgds,
Bluesys
Thanks for the info. I applied yesterday and am now awaiting the reply.
I understand that i will be working whats left over in the first years.
How many off days in a row do you usally get?
I have also read that take home is approx. 3000-3500£/month.
Is that an accurate figure?
I know that the verbal reasoning will be tough but I have to have a go at it.....
At least it wasn`t any problems with the sample question
.Brgds,
Bluesys
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: LONDON
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All,
Does anyone have any particular recommendations on where to stay when you start the course, cheap quiet and pleasant?
I have booked into a B&B on the list BA send out for the induction period and a couple of weeks after, but to be honest it's hitting the pocket!
Those that have been and done the course, did you find other people in the same predicament looking for a temporary flatshare?
BTW I'm on the airbus
Thanks
BADEPS
Does anyone have any particular recommendations on where to stay when you start the course, cheap quiet and pleasant?
I have booked into a B&B on the list BA send out for the induction period and a couple of weeks after, but to be honest it's hitting the pocket!
Those that have been and done the course, did you find other people in the same predicament looking for a temporary flatshare?
BTW I'm on the airbus
Thanks
BADEPS