Virgin recruiting soon...
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Virgin have always asked simply for Boeing/ Airbus time, but are now asking for type specific. BA has moved in a similar direction over the last few years.
Is it just me sensing a worrying move towards a further narrowing of career progression? It's become an established wisdom that the traditional jump from TP to jet is far more difficult than it was, now it appears specific type ratings are becoming more important than just generic jet time.
Is it just me sensing a worrying move towards a further narrowing of career progression? It's become an established wisdom that the traditional jump from TP to jet is far more difficult than it was, now it appears specific type ratings are becoming more important than just generic jet time.
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I know several -400 rated guys flying in dubious parts of the planet looking to get back to Europe. GSS in STN will offer up a few too. As for the 330/340 there must be quite a few Emirates/Qatar/Etihad folks looking to get out of the sandpit.
Who knows, in a few years time you'll be in BA anyway, once Delta/AF screw up their big share of Virgin (with lots of protected commands too!)
Who knows, in a few years time you'll be in BA anyway, once Delta/AF screw up their big share of Virgin (with lots of protected commands too!)
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Perhaps they want to avoid having to put new guys through a type rating.
The point is both BA and Virgin, traditionally seen as top of the UK aviation job pyramid, used to ask for 500 hours total time (BA) or X thousand hours in a Boeing/Airbus (Virgin) for DEPs. Now we see type rated only at Virgin, and in the last round of recruitment at BA it was only those with the right type rating that actually got in.
With the "top of the pyramid" employers significantly narrowing the opportunities to get in, what does this do for a traditional career path? How will this ripple down to other less salubrious employers? Are we seeing another small but significant step in errosion of our career aspirations?
All this talk of Virgin pilots ending up in BA - surely the very last thing to expect. If/when Virgin finally goes under, I'm sure Branson will ensure the carcass is sold on to anybody-but-BA. An asset strip (slots) to Delta looks the most likely outcome.
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All this talk of Virgin pilots ending up in BA - surely the very last thing to expect. If/when Virgin finally goes under, I'm sure Branson will ensure the carcass is sold on to anybody-but-BA.
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Just to counter the doom and gloom, BA and Virgin both recruited non-TR'd guys in last year's recruitment. BA onto the 74, 76 and Airbus and Virgin onto the 74 and Airbus. I know TR based recruitment eases the burden on the trg depts and the bottom line but BA have a strong track record of recruiting non-TR guys and with all the new metal they'll be receiving in the next few years I don't think they'll change. Some big numbers being bandied around by management re increase in the size of the pilot workforce will also help. Good luck.
Last edited by Cattivo; 12th Aug 2013 at 06:40.
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Nothing stopping you...
But I wouldn't, the requirements are clearly stated if they don't get enough people with the min requirements (which I highly doubt) then they will lower the requirements.
If you apply I'm 100% certain your application will be rejected and you will prob be asked not to apply for 6 months, so if they do lower the requirements or ask for non - typed guys etc you might not be able to apply
Disclaimer - I'm not involved in the recruitment dept or have any knowledge of their workings
But I wouldn't, the requirements are clearly stated if they don't get enough people with the min requirements (which I highly doubt) then they will lower the requirements.
If you apply I'm 100% certain your application will be rejected and you will prob be asked not to apply for 6 months, so if they do lower the requirements or ask for non - typed guys etc you might not be able to apply
Disclaimer - I'm not involved in the recruitment dept or have any knowledge of their workings
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In relation to BA DEP recruitment from 2010 to the early stages of 2012, the MAJORITY were type streamed. Yes, a few non rated went to the 744, but most transferred their ratings. There was certainly a slower uptake of guys with 737 ratings from within the holdpool, with the highest demand placed on those flying the 757/767. A number of non rated DEPs made it through selection however most if not all drowned in the pool alongside the rated guys when requirements diminished as the bmi acquisition was finalised. There was also the question
of the 90 odd FPP cadets that would prioritise any further SH requirements. So besides the few ex-mil guys that were recruited and the non rated 744 intake, most if not all had the necessary rating to my understanding. I was in the last pool, pretty certain everyone has reached their 18 month tenure by now?
Going forward, I would expect future campaigns to hold similar requirements. Saves money and training time. Also may explain why BA have been non committal when asked if they would prioritise previous holdpoolers applications
of the 90 odd FPP cadets that would prioritise any further SH requirements. So besides the few ex-mil guys that were recruited and the non rated 744 intake, most if not all had the necessary rating to my understanding. I was in the last pool, pretty certain everyone has reached their 18 month tenure by now?
Going forward, I would expect future campaigns to hold similar requirements. Saves money and training time. Also may explain why BA have been non committal when asked if they would prioritise previous holdpoolers applications
Last edited by Callsign Kilo; 13th Aug 2013 at 13:47.
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I totally disagree, the cadets are joining on the 320, the 767 is on the way out, so who has a 380/777/787 rating these days? Future recruitment will be onto these fleets, they don't have any pilots with long haul Airbus expeirence so concievably Direct entry A380 might be an option?
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Sorry to detract from the topic, however BA will ask for A330/A340 time if its for the A350 and 777 time if its for the 777/787. Same way they did when hiring for the 744 in 2011. They started taking non rated guys because they couldnt get appropriate 744 candidates.
BA have a large pool of internal bids awaiting long haul positions. My assumption is these guys will move up the list and the lower part of the list will be filled by type streamed DEPs and FPPs - just how it worked last time. I am told there may be a possibility of some LH recruitment, but it won't be vast.
I know a fecking truck load of guys with A330 and 777 experience who will happily trade their lives at Qatar and Emirates for one in BA.
BA have a large pool of internal bids awaiting long haul positions. My assumption is these guys will move up the list and the lower part of the list will be filled by type streamed DEPs and FPPs - just how it worked last time. I am told there may be a possibility of some LH recruitment, but it won't be vast.
I know a fecking truck load of guys with A330 and 777 experience who will happily trade their lives at Qatar and Emirates for one in BA.
Last edited by Callsign Kilo; 13th Aug 2013 at 13:37.
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So people are going to trade £6k (as an FO) a month after tax and living costs and being a couple of years from a command with industry leading job security for roughly £3700 after tax (I know it can be up to £4200 as I have mates in both BA and Virgin) before living costs and 17+ years to command in companies haemorrhaging money? It's objectively nonsense. Emotion clouds judgement. BA is a great job, my gut and my head says Virgin isn't a good move - though friends there are relatively happy (however they were stuck abroad with a loco prior to Virgin). We will see how they feel if they're made redundant/ are still an FO on £4500 a month (for Virgin) 17 years later whilst their previous colleagues are captains earning £7000 a month and have been for the last 12 years+. There are however no guarantees in life!
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Yeah like setting the tone of the day as a commander and not having the worry of redundancy looming. If you have your life in order then money helps - it's a bonus. If you're morally bankrupt or trying to keep a wife that only wants things her way happy then forget the money and forget life. If your wife won't follow you or is going to leave you for being abroad then 'mag to grid' - get rid! Nothing worse than a partner that's a hangar on, dependent, unmotivated drip that can't organise their own time and life. And this issue is a major problem for pilots all over the world - magnified because we're away a bit.
