BA Heathrow A320
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BA Heathrow A320
The new BA policy is to send mil FJ DEPs to A320s at Heathrow. A couple of questions:
1. Pay vs long haul?
2. No of visits to Heathrow in average month?
3. Hours in average month?
4. Time to captaincy?
5. Can you hop to long haul before 5yr point?
Cheers.
1. Pay vs long haul?
2. No of visits to Heathrow in average month?
3. Hours in average month?
4. Time to captaincy?
5. Can you hop to long haul before 5yr point?
Cheers.
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1. Believe lowest paid B744 P2 was approx £5K better off than highest paid A320 P2. You will obviously be at the lowest end of the P2 scale so make it about £10k less.
2.Cursory glance at Augusts bidline suggests it could be anywhere between 8 and 20+.
3.Bit fiddly to work this one aout as it depends on whether you get lots of cushy Lisbons or lots of MAN shuttles.
4. At LHR I think you're realistically looking at a minimum of 6 years on a short haul fleet.
5. Unlikely as you'll have a five year engagement freeze on your first type. If they really get short or P2 they may consider unfreezing you early but you'll only get to bid on in seniority order, and as a DEP you'll find yourself at the bottom of the fleet seniority list for several years as the cadets join above you from the short haul fleets.
5.
2.Cursory glance at Augusts bidline suggests it could be anywhere between 8 and 20+.
3.Bit fiddly to work this one aout as it depends on whether you get lots of cushy Lisbons or lots of MAN shuttles.
4. At LHR I think you're realistically looking at a minimum of 6 years on a short haul fleet.
5. Unlikely as you'll have a five year engagement freeze on your first type. If they really get short or P2 they may consider unfreezing you early but you'll only get to bid on in seniority order, and as a DEP you'll find yourself at the bottom of the fleet seniority list for several years as the cadets join above you from the short haul fleets.
5.
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Thanks for the good gen Matey. I wasn't expecting good news on any of the queries I raised, except maybe TTC and journeys to Heathrow. I hoped that as an experienced (3000hrs fast jet) DEP I would be considered for captaincy earlier. Guess I was wrong!
BA's info sheet gives example rosters showing a life consisting of 5 or 6 'mini tours' every month. Is this not typical? Your 20+ journeys example has me worried.
BA's info sheet gives example rosters showing a life consisting of 5 or 6 'mini tours' every month. Is this not typical? Your 20+ journeys example has me worried.
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The problem with Fast Jet experience is that it does not have as much value as the aircraft weighs less than 25 tonnes. So you will have to gain 3 years experience on BA aircraft with at least 1500 hours to be eligable for command. The 6 years may be less if you worked from LGW or BHX.
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Pete, unfortunately the only thing that matters in BA is seniority, and there's nothing that will get you anywhere faster(except becoming senior management, but dont go there!). That said, a number of ex-mil guys have told me that life at the bottom of a long haul seniority list was miserable. The A320 is a rapidly expanding fleet, and fast moving in terms of seniority. Two years seniority would see you very comfortably placed with the ability to get a preferred choice through bidline, provided you bid realistically. The A320 is not yet a touring fleet like the 757, and 5 or 6 'mini-tours' is unrealistic at the bottom, though it may be possible to minimise travelling to LHR if you're prepared to spend a few nights each month in a B&B there.
On the question of command times, LHR is very much the jewel in the crown of BA and will always have the longest time to command. If early command is important to you then I believe it can be as low as 4 years at Gatwick, and also quite low in the regions, although that may change due to contraction at MAN. Its worth bearing in mind that its best to become a BA pilot rather than an FJ pilot before gaining a command. There are a few people around who haven't seemed to shake off their single seat idiosyncracies, and they're a pain to fly with!
On the question of command times, LHR is very much the jewel in the crown of BA and will always have the longest time to command. If early command is important to you then I believe it can be as low as 4 years at Gatwick, and also quite low in the regions, although that may change due to contraction at MAN. Its worth bearing in mind that its best to become a BA pilot rather than an FJ pilot before gaining a command. There are a few people around who haven't seemed to shake off their single seat idiosyncracies, and they're a pain to fly with!
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Carnage, couldn't agree more with your comments.
Pete, occasionally you hear about ex military pilots getting early commands. What happens is that there are times when the CEP's may have had the seniority but not the hours to gain a command, usually at Gatwick. Therefore the seniority required drops so lower placed DEP's get their commands before the CEP's as they have the required hours. As said above seniority is everything so in the scenario I've described above SFO CEP will be elligible for a LHR command over Capt DEP as by the time they're both senior to become LHR captains the CEP now has the hours.
I joined the A320 fleet last July and once I'd finished line training and consolidation (totally 4.5 months) I didn't ever have to come to work more than 12 times per month. It has been as low as 7 per month for a couple of months but to be honest I enjoy getting home some evenings so I try for about 10 times per month with around 8 nights per month away (2/week). I usually have no difficulty getting this and for me this strikes a nice balance between work, money, and home life. One year in and in the top half of the P2 list. Currently no other fleet offers that sort of movement.
Regarding the reduction of 757's, by Jan 2002 the number of Airbus's will exceed the number of 757's. Somewhere around 33 to 28 with the 757 decreasing to 12 hulls over time. Also no more 319's after the end of this year, all new 320's. This naturally means the route structure will increase but in reality we usually pick a new destination each month (not necessarily a new night stop though).
Pete, occasionally you hear about ex military pilots getting early commands. What happens is that there are times when the CEP's may have had the seniority but not the hours to gain a command, usually at Gatwick. Therefore the seniority required drops so lower placed DEP's get their commands before the CEP's as they have the required hours. As said above seniority is everything so in the scenario I've described above SFO CEP will be elligible for a LHR command over Capt DEP as by the time they're both senior to become LHR captains the CEP now has the hours.
I joined the A320 fleet last July and once I'd finished line training and consolidation (totally 4.5 months) I didn't ever have to come to work more than 12 times per month. It has been as low as 7 per month for a couple of months but to be honest I enjoy getting home some evenings so I try for about 10 times per month with around 8 nights per month away (2/week). I usually have no difficulty getting this and for me this strikes a nice balance between work, money, and home life. One year in and in the top half of the P2 list. Currently no other fleet offers that sort of movement.
Regarding the reduction of 757's, by Jan 2002 the number of Airbus's will exceed the number of 757's. Somewhere around 33 to 28 with the 757 decreasing to 12 hulls over time. Also no more 319's after the end of this year, all new 320's. This naturally means the route structure will increase but in reality we usually pick a new destination each month (not necessarily a new night stop though).
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The other option is joining bmi for a quick command as someone has already mentioned. but unless like me you're chronologically challenged, then stick with BA. Having said that things are great at bmi at the moment...
Good luck anyway
Good luck anyway
