BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 898
Likes: 74
From: UK
I have always thought it kind of sad that anyone thinks they are somebody just because they have been lucky enough to get the opportunity to fly for a living, but you are probably right that some of it is a fear of losing that feeling for many.
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: united kingdom
You only have to look at the number of private plated cars, (and I am not talking about cc) to see that they do care what people think about them.
its all about status with some of them. But hey it's a free country and they are free to spend their cash as they please.
its all about status with some of them. But hey it's a free country and they are free to spend their cash as they please.
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 283
Likes: 1
From: somewhere hot and sticky
To be fair, how many of these cringeworthy personalised plates were gifts from well meaning family that the person doesn't have the heart to discard? I know if my family got me JNRTRSH or similar I'd have to pretend to like it 😂
sorry for the thread creep!
sorry for the thread creep!
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 74
Likes: 7
From: Within 3 hours of a suitable alternate
Oh this is good.....
I have personalised regs on my truck (off an old Range Rover I bought at auction) and car (off an old airline Vauxhall).
When at work I also consider myself a somebody who's responsible for the crew, pax, airframe and the rest.
Should be a good conversation in the cruise.
I have personalised regs on my truck (off an old Range Rover I bought at auction) and car (off an old airline Vauxhall).
When at work I also consider myself a somebody who's responsible for the crew, pax, airframe and the rest.
Should be a good conversation in the cruise.
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 132
Likes: 41
From: 370
Alright then Right Engine. You give me the number of how many unfrozen pilots that have actually been denied moves to Long Haul from Short Haul as a result of Long Haul DEP. The number is miniscule in the greater scheme of things.
More or less everybody in recent years has been getting their move after 5 years, if not a little bit less than that, one Airbus pilot I know moved in the final year of her freeze to the 777 after only 3 and a bit years due to joining in December of the first training year.
I’m only trying to point this out because some people are posting some very overly negative and misleading stuff about joining on the airbus and the risks associated with that. I’ve crunched the numbers and right now everything is pointing to me being on a Long Haul course in early 2021 having joined early 2016 (and possibly next year if enough people above me decide to stay as senior P2 on the Airbus due JSS). That’s exactly as advertised when I joined the company.
(And MikeAlpha320 I take your point about courses not necessarily being available but, even with a slowdown that’s unlikely right now due to the large retirement numbers due in 2020/21).
More or less everybody in recent years has been getting their move after 5 years, if not a little bit less than that, one Airbus pilot I know moved in the final year of her freeze to the 777 after only 3 and a bit years due to joining in December of the first training year.
I’m only trying to point this out because some people are posting some very overly negative and misleading stuff about joining on the airbus and the risks associated with that. I’ve crunched the numbers and right now everything is pointing to me being on a Long Haul course in early 2021 having joined early 2016 (and possibly next year if enough people above me decide to stay as senior P2 on the Airbus due JSS). That’s exactly as advertised when I joined the company.
(And MikeAlpha320 I take your point about courses not necessarily being available but, even with a slowdown that’s unlikely right now due to the large retirement numbers due in 2020/21).
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: uk
I joined just before you wonderbus, early 2015 and am unfrozen next year, like you I am weighing up the pros and cons of a fleet move - I’m just inside the top 25% shorthaul and the rosters I am getting are more than satisfactory, in fact they are pretty much what I want.
have a look on IBId and change your fleet, it will show you where you would be seniority wise if you change fleets, I would be at 66% on the 747, 72% on the 777, 74% on the 787 and 85% on the 380, this should prevent us getting the very poor rosters the very junior joes get (although the numbers don’t look great on the 380 let’s face it there are no bad trips on that fleet). It’s the huge advantage of doing shorthaul first, we jump all the junior guys when we change fleets, I do feel sorry for those joining the longhaul fleets now as a DEP as they will be at the bottom for years and years as all those shorthaul guys slot in above them as they move fleets.
Big decisions for us senior shorthaul guys though, good luck making it .
have a look on IBId and change your fleet, it will show you where you would be seniority wise if you change fleets, I would be at 66% on the 747, 72% on the 777, 74% on the 787 and 85% on the 380, this should prevent us getting the very poor rosters the very junior joes get (although the numbers don’t look great on the 380 let’s face it there are no bad trips on that fleet). It’s the huge advantage of doing shorthaul first, we jump all the junior guys when we change fleets, I do feel sorry for those joining the longhaul fleets now as a DEP as they will be at the bottom for years and years as all those shorthaul guys slot in above them as they move fleets.
Big decisions for us senior shorthaul guys though, good luck making it .
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: UK
I’ve been in the pool about the same time now. I heard from a source that they have stopped SH training for Aug & Sep as they can’t afford to release the trainers off the line over the busy summer schedule. Not sure how true it is but hopefully courses will start again in the Autumn.
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 283
Likes: 1
From: somewhere hot and sticky
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: UK
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 103
From: Botswana
Just as bit of news for potential new joiners today, a Chief Pilot video has been delivered to our inboxes (mostly about ongoing industrial negotiations) in which he says he wants to share with us some exciting ideas for flight ops to benefit both us and the company. The cynic in me is guessing he’s referring to Klaus’ 24 hour Long Haul slips downroute 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 103
From: Botswana
Heisenb3rg I’m guessing it’s got to be the destinations where there are regular and daily flights, Heathrow stuff like Nashville, Durban, Charleston and Gatwick trips like Mauritius and the Maldives etc would stay safe because the schedule simply wouldn’t allow it. For destinations like Los Angeles and San Fran though it’s an utter game changer and I agree with you, there’s literally no point in doing long haul if all you’re doing is slipping 24 hours an an airport hotel downroute. The sickening thing though is they’re (read Klaus is) trying to sell it like it’s in our interests because we’d have more “time at home”. It’s in reality their wet dream to reduce costs even further at the expense of flight safety.
This is why we cannot back down now in these industrial negotiations because once BA/IAG management see weakness they’ll be like a cat with its prey, being cruel and vindictive until the life force of the workforce has disappeared.
This is why we cannot back down now in these industrial negotiations because once BA/IAG management see weakness they’ll be like a cat with its prey, being cruel and vindictive until the life force of the workforce has disappeared.
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 813
Likes: 13
From: UK
Are 24 layovers really on the cards? Would any destination be safe or is that network wide? Because I can’t help but feel if that’s the case there’s surely no point in being long haul? By the time you’ve had a sleep and something to eat, you’ve run out of time to go and do anything other than sit by the pool for a few hours. If the airport hotel even has a pool.
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 103
From: Botswana
Not sure of the actual hour requirement Percula however as a junior pilot you’ll be nowhere near the seniority required for the fleet, especially now it’s down to one aircraft. To the best of my recollection it’s actually more senior than the 787 and the rest of the long haul fleets so the required Airbus hours would be a given by the time you achieved that level of seniority. (Unless you joined in Gatwick on the Max 
but that’s another story!)
but that’s another story!) 
