GB Airways
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: U.K
GB Airways
What is it like to work for GB Airways as a pilot?
Most interested in typical roster patterns, days off per month including how many consecutive days off you get at a time?
Are your rosters generally stable etc?
What are the company's long-term plans?
Morale good and everyone happy etc? (In general terms that is)
Most interested in typical roster patterns, days off per month including how many consecutive days off you get at a time?
Are your rosters generally stable etc?
What are the company's long-term plans?
Morale good and everyone happy etc? (In general terms that is)
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: South of North
Ok here goes
We currently have 3 pilot bases at GB...LGW being the main base with LHR having a couple of aircraft based there and also MAN which has 2 A320's also.
The current plan is that LGW will predominately become an A321 base and currently there are 6 A321 orders to replace the older (4 yr old) A320's. The plan may chnage and these new orders may become extra airframes.
The fleet is currently at 10 A320's and 4 A321's.
The max hours per year is 775 for all pilots. This total starts from April 1st and runs till April 1st the following year.
The roster patterns vary, usually follow 4 on 3 off or 5 on 3 off but often start as lates and spin onto earlies during the week which can be hard. Usually no split days off - at least 2 off per time.
Level 2 FDP is used for the new Egypt trips and on paper looks good with days off before and after the trip.
You will get a mininum of 10 days off per month. This will increase should you fly more than 80hrs per month.
Manchester seems to be the place to be at the minute, usually 12 days work and 12 days guaranteed off and a few standbys or assignable days.
Roster disruption occurs mainly in the summer and crewing do try their best but it aint worse than anywhere else. The winter is quiet and with extra ski charters it is becoming busier.
Long term plans are unknown -- looks like they will drop routes with lo-co competition and become a medium haul outfit flying to niche markets but the rumours always are being kicked around about long-haul and A330's on the horizon.
Morale is generally good -- good days out with good cabin crew and good flying into tricky little places like Gibraltar, Funchal, Heraklion and most of the places we fly to have some sort of interesting approach.
Command time is also unknown - at the minute there have been lots of spaces but this may dry up depending on what happens with the new aircraft, if they are additional or not.
All-in-all there are worse places to work !
We currently have 3 pilot bases at GB...LGW being the main base with LHR having a couple of aircraft based there and also MAN which has 2 A320's also.
The current plan is that LGW will predominately become an A321 base and currently there are 6 A321 orders to replace the older (4 yr old) A320's. The plan may chnage and these new orders may become extra airframes.
The fleet is currently at 10 A320's and 4 A321's.
The max hours per year is 775 for all pilots. This total starts from April 1st and runs till April 1st the following year.
The roster patterns vary, usually follow 4 on 3 off or 5 on 3 off but often start as lates and spin onto earlies during the week which can be hard. Usually no split days off - at least 2 off per time.
Level 2 FDP is used for the new Egypt trips and on paper looks good with days off before and after the trip.
You will get a mininum of 10 days off per month. This will increase should you fly more than 80hrs per month.
Manchester seems to be the place to be at the minute, usually 12 days work and 12 days guaranteed off and a few standbys or assignable days.
Roster disruption occurs mainly in the summer and crewing do try their best but it aint worse than anywhere else. The winter is quiet and with extra ski charters it is becoming busier.
Long term plans are unknown -- looks like they will drop routes with lo-co competition and become a medium haul outfit flying to niche markets but the rumours always are being kicked around about long-haul and A330's on the horizon.
Morale is generally good -- good days out with good cabin crew and good flying into tricky little places like Gibraltar, Funchal, Heraklion and most of the places we fly to have some sort of interesting approach.
Command time is also unknown - at the minute there have been lots of spaces but this may dry up depending on what happens with the new aircraft, if they are additional or not.
All-in-all there are worse places to work !
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 361
Likes: 0
From: uk
BP Bob has summed it all up. I've been there about 4 months and am loving it.
Rosters are great. Have had no reason to complain. Routes are great - good variety with some great approaches.
Had the (mis)fortune of going to SSH yesterday. Very long day out, but with enough magazines/newspapers and a good book to get you through it, it's not too bad.
BPM - Can't wait for you to get here. Will put in my request to be your Safety FO soon!
Rosters are great. Have had no reason to complain. Routes are great - good variety with some great approaches.
Had the (mis)fortune of going to SSH yesterday. Very long day out, but with enough magazines/newspapers and a good book to get you through it, it's not too bad.
BPM - Can't wait for you to get here. Will put in my request to be your Safety FO soon!
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 928
Likes: 0
From: ex-DXB
Gosh the internet search facility is an amazing thing....
Flight deck vacancies
GB Airways currently employs 184 Flight Crew. Our pilots are based at London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Manchester, operating a fleet of A320’s and A321’s.
We would like to invite applications from pilots that meet the following criteria:
A minimum of 2000 hours total time to include 1500 commercial jet time.
JAA ATPL
MCC Qualified
Right of abode in the EU
To apply please forward your CV to: [email protected]. Please do not call with enquiries regarding your application. We will confirm receipt of this by letter.
Thank you for applying.
Flight deck vacancies
GB Airways currently employs 184 Flight Crew. Our pilots are based at London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Manchester, operating a fleet of A320’s and A321’s.
We would like to invite applications from pilots that meet the following criteria:
A minimum of 2000 hours total time to include 1500 commercial jet time.
JAA ATPL
MCC Qualified
Right of abode in the EU
To apply please forward your CV to: [email protected]. Please do not call with enquiries regarding your application. We will confirm receipt of this by letter.
Thank you for applying.
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: uk
Technically speaking LHR is not a base. Pilots can opt for an LHR report but they are then NOT paid travelling expenses for reporting at LGW! Whereas LGW pilots required to report at LHR ARE paid!! Not to mention the fact that no London weighting is paid - as it would be if LHR were to be made an official base. A strange situation and I'm surprised BALPA / IPA don't have something to say about it.
Sorry!
Apart from this very minor technicality, GB is a great place to work! Good routes, the odd nightstop (esp at LHR) and good crews. Nice new planes, and people with the right experience are getting quick commands with the expansion.
But what does Willi Walsh think of franchises??? I dunno!! Do you??
Sorry!
Apart from this very minor technicality, GB is a great place to work! Good routes, the odd nightstop (esp at LHR) and good crews. Nice new planes, and people with the right experience are getting quick commands with the expansion.
But what does Willi Walsh think of franchises??? I dunno!! Do you??
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: U K
er82
'Had the (mis)fortune of going to SSH yesterday. Very long day out, but with enough magazines/newspapers and a good book to get you through it, it's not too bad.'
Isn't the reading of periodicals, newspapers or any material not connected with the flight expressly forbidden by Operations manual part A: Flying Staff Orders?
You did the BA6860 SSH on the 15th of November - not to hard for little Willy W. to work out who you and your Captain are then!!
Be careful wot you post!! You can't beat a good culture of blame and fear.
'Had the (mis)fortune of going to SSH yesterday. Very long day out, but with enough magazines/newspapers and a good book to get you through it, it's not too bad.'
Isn't the reading of periodicals, newspapers or any material not connected with the flight expressly forbidden by Operations manual part A: Flying Staff Orders?
You did the BA6860 SSH on the 15th of November - not to hard for little Willy W. to work out who you and your Captain are then!!
Be careful wot you post!! You can't beat a good culture of blame and fear.
