Flybe to contract in E145 Captains and FOs

[emb-145]

Can anyone shed any light on this. As an FO with 800-odd hours on the E145 with Flybe I have been looking around for future employment and the ad in Flight at the moment caught my eye. According to the girl I spoke to at the agency Flybe are looking to contract in Captains and FOs to fly their 145s. How come my roster is near empty every month and I am crying out for some more flying time and yet they want to get in more from outside? Is the E145 set to be around for longer than we think??

Any comments/info appreciated....

Thanks,
EMB-145

[fatboy slim]

comments/info...

Sadly my friend it looks like you will shortly be out of a job, unless you want to contract. Nice of them to tell you!

I left the fleet just before the Flybe takeover after more than 7 years on the 145 - you will be happier and more secure working for a different firm. Polish your CV and get out would be my advice.

edited for spelling

[excrab]

emb 145

Most likely the next thing you will hear is a course date for the Q400 (if you want to fly it) or the 195 (if you have the seniority). Although they are replacing the 145 they have to keep them flying in the mean time so for a short period they need extra crew whilst retraining happens.

They could of course keep you on the 145 right to the end but then they would need contract pilots for the Q400/195, and there are probably less of those in the job market.

They did this before with the 146 a few years ago, and whilst at the time it annoyed turboprop pilots who were bidding for the jet it is logical from a business sense.

You could polish your cv, or get balpa on the case assuming you are a member. This is a total guess, so maybe they are just trying to stitch you up.

[emb-145]

Thanks for the replies chaps, unfortunately it seems like I am at the mercy of those down in EXT - as an FO in the South East with 800-odd hrs on type and no one recruiting at the moment (EZY and BMI all quiet) and not quite enough hours to talk to BA, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place!

145

[oapilot]

Quite a bit on the BALPA site about this one, so if you are in Balpa, have a look.

Is the E145 set to be around for longer than we think??

No, but the company has lots of Q400 seats waiting for bums to fill them, and as that is their weapon of choice, the barbie will go as soon as they can get shot of it. Contractors just mean that when the last 145 sector is flown, we will be poised to do those sectors the next day on a Q4. On the positive side, think of all the extra hours you will log doing the routes in a Dash, rather than at M0.76, FL370

Word is we are on for a busy summer, whatever the fleet, so if you want out, you should rattle up the hours pretty quickly. Word of caution though, before you do jump, ask yourself if now is the best time to be sitting at the bottom of someone elses seniority list