thomsonfly queries

[Fat Dog]

Hi

Few questions wrt thomsonfly that I couldn't find answers to elsewhere...

Do all new joiners start on the 737? I'm 737 and 757 rated.

Do you get any kind of choice wrt bases? I would be after LGW - what are the chances? Is this a popular base?

Average take home pay for F/O's?

Time to command?

Thanks

[calypso]

Hello,

You can be offered either fleet depending on their requirements at the time. It may be possible to delay your joining in order to go to your prefered fleet.

On the 737 the initial base has been Doncaster of late. Plenty of growth means you may get rebased quite quickly. LGW or MAN is quite likely on the 757.

Lowest pay to date £2800ish highest £3800 ish (year 1 FO)

Time to command, jury is still out on this one. I would say a couple of years if you have the hours, a suitable training record and the expansion continues; otherwise it may be a fair bit longer.

In anycase a great outfit where they really look after you.

I hope it helps.

[shortcut_approved]

Sorry to cut in chaps,

Calypso, or anyone else who knows:

What makes you think LGW is likely for the 757? I'm joining in March, and have got LGW as my first choice bid, but I've been told the current vacancies are CWL, MAN and NCL. So was just wondering how long you think a wait for LGW might be?

Cheers,
Shortcut

[Fat Dog]

What fleet are you joining on shortcut? 757 then?

[shortcut_approved]

Sorry, should've made it more clear...yes I'm joining on the 757. Non-Boeing rated, 1200-ish hours with about 900 EMB-145, before anyone asks, heh heh!

Cheers,
Shortcut

[Xumat]

Calypso, what fleet are you on? That appears to be good pay, does the 3800 figure include day off payments?

[calypso]

Re: thomsonfly queries

I am on the 737. The higher figure includes some flexible working. The basing needs changes with the aircraft plan and it is quite dinamic. From the seniority list most of recent 757 guys have joined into LGW and MAN but that may be about to change. I do not know what the latest plan is.

Good Luck

[shortcut_approved]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Hi again Calypso,

Thanks for that info, looks like I'm joining one course too late, cos at the moment I've been allocated NCL, which I'm pretty gutted about as it was my second to last choice (second to GLA!). I'm currently at LBA but home is down in Surrey... NCL is another move in the wrong direction! Hopefully things will improve by the time I finish line-training though.

Cheers,
Shortcut

[Pilot Pete]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Shortcut Approved

Firstly, welcome and well done on passing selection! Don't be too disappointed with NCL, it is merely a matter of time before you get (your) more desirable option. Enjoy your time discovering the reality about life north of Watford; you never know you might do as I did and never go back to Surrey!!! Remember you get the same pay based in NCL or LGW and I know where it goes further.......

Also bear in mind that during type rating training you will probably be elsewhere and during line training you will be rostered where the trainers are, which may well be NCL, but will probably include plenty of more time away from base.

On that note, keep looking at the positives such as all the time you are away from base you will be getting duty pay 24hrs a day and B&B in a half decent hotel, so all you have to spend on is a Hilton Burger in the evenings and a few jars of the amber juice. Life could be seriously much worse and just wait until you meet a certain CC member from the North East who(se) charms (you will see) on a turnaround!!!!!

Enjoy.

PP

[757manipulator]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Pete how dare you slate the darling home counties ...Its grim oop nurrth

[Pilot Pete]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Not as grim as Peckham I assure you!!!

[757manipulator]

Re: thomsonfly queries

"why do only fools and horses work" ..na na nana nana nana naa

[Pilot Pete]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Because they passed all the psychobabble tests?

PP

[757manipulator]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Is that anything like passing wind?

[Jonty]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Originally Posted by Pilot Pete

you never know you might do as I did and never go back to Surrey!!!

Thats because they wouldnt have you!

Happy New Year Mate

[Pilot Pete]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Ahh, and Kingston Uni breathed a sigh of relief when you eventually remembered what a Karst landscape was and got your degree........!!

I heard all the residents stopped protesting once you saw the light and moved North Jonty!!

PP

[shortcut_approved]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the welcome! Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely delighted at getting in to Thomson. From a career point of view, it's the best thing that could've happened! However the main motivation was to try and get back home though, as I've been driving Leeds-Surrey-Leeds practically every week for the last 18 months or so. It's nothing against "life north of Watford" but more a case of family, friends and girlfriend all being back home! The problem with Newcastle of course is that its even more of a mammoth drive...and I doubt that even I could do it! Do you think the 757 rosters would make it feasible to actually commute up to Newcastle using BA flights, making use of the occasional B&B up there?

Cheers,
Shortcut

[Banzai Eagle]

Re: thomsonfly queries

why o why won't Pilot Managers and HR Departments switch onto the fact that when recruiting Pilots they need to look at home addresses to base offered as well as types of aircraft / pilots hours / how they did at interview etc.
The best, happiest, most motivated Pilots are those that want to live near the base they fly from. Anything else is going to cause a problem no matter how keen you are shortcut. Just think in the summer, lates, 2 days off earlies.
What you going to do??

[Pilot Pete]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Originally Posted by Banzai Eagle

why o why won't Pilot Managers and HR Departments switch onto the fact that when recruiting Pilots they need to look at home addresses to base offered as well as types of aircraft / pilots hours / how they did at interview etc.

What you are suggesting is the ideal. Nobody is obliged to accept a job offer at a base that is not their first choice. By nature the 'less desirable' bases are going to have fewer applicants to move there. The company offers the job at the base where the vacancy exists. If someone does not wish to accept that offer, they could turn it down. Trouble is this tells the company you want the base more than you want them, so if perhaps a rival company was to offer you that base you would probably accept it. It is a two way street in a company like Thomsonfly; The vacancy is at xxx base and you are offered it. You make an informed choice to accept the offer, get a start date, draw a salary, contribute to a pension, get the permanent health insurance and loss of licence insurance, free uniform , drinks and meals, top quality training and experience, knowing that there is a system in place for you to request your base of choice and that place is allocated in seniority and vacancy order. Nothing could be fairer, remember, the job is only being offered because the vacancy exists at that particular base. The system is the same for everyone. A point worth noting is that if LGW or MAN are your preferred choice you will probably have a shorter wait to get that position due to their size and hence turnover of pilots. Smaller bases tend to be manned by pilots who indeed do want to be there, so there is less movement once the music has stopped and everyone has grabbed their seat.

Shortcut,

Do you think the 757 rosters would make it feasible to actually commute up to Newcastle using BA flights, making use of the occasional B&B up there?

You will find that you will be contractually bound to live within 75mins of your base. This is for stanby duties etc, which incidently are allocated through a bid system (a week at a time), so you can bid in advance and know some time ahead when you are going to have that week. Most F/Os don't actually bid for them and just take what is allocated (it's not many), so if you were to bid you would pretty much be guaranteed to get what you ask for.

This doesn't mean you can't commute, merely you need an address where you can stay to fulfil your contractual obligation. Many guys have in the past lived further away and then driven to a service station within 75mins for the start of their standby; certainly not something I would ever consider, but shows what a bit of lateral thinking and flexibility can achieve. IMHO th ebest thing to do would be to get a room for rent; plenty of crew rent them out, and stomach the cost to have it always available when you are in NCL. If you are going to be there say 3 nights a week the cost would not be much more than a B&B.

Good luck.

PP

[notdavegorman]

Re: thomsonfly queries

Midjet, you're demonstrating a certain ignorance as to how pilots are rewarded for their efforts...

To basic salary (as quoted on PPJN), add duty pay, sector pay, FWS pay (overtime), then subtract pension contributions, training bond payments, NI & tax. This calculation gives you your take home pay.