BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: UK
Hi all,
Out of interest does anyone know:
1. if based at LHR, how many nights per month on average would you expect to spend at the hotel away from your base? I understand it depends on your biddings and seniority, but how would it typically look like for a new joiner on the 320?
2. how many legs per day do you fly as a junior on SH with almost no control on your roster?
how busy can you expect to be? how many hours/y.?
Thanks a lot
Out of interest does anyone know:
1. if based at LHR, how many nights per month on average would you expect to spend at the hotel away from your base? I understand it depends on your biddings and seniority, but how would it typically look like for a new joiner on the 320?
2. how many legs per day do you fly as a junior on SH with almost no control on your roster?
how busy can you expect to be? how many hours/y.?
Thanks a lot
Last edited by cessna152; 11th February 2015 at 11:48.
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
From: Uk
Lead.
This month
5 on 2 off, 6 on 3 off, 6 on 4 off. All working days. 17 days in a shorter month. In the summer it was similar but 19-20 days work. TASS or grey days as you call them evaporated with the shortage of 320 guys.
Generally three day tours made up of 3 sectors (hotel) day 2, 2 sectors (hotel) day 3, 3 sectors (home). Two day tours are 3 sectors day one and two. There are some long two sector day trips which tend to be senior and 4 sector days which tend to be junior.
This month
5 on 2 off, 6 on 3 off, 6 on 4 off. All working days. 17 days in a shorter month. In the summer it was similar but 19-20 days work. TASS or grey days as you call them evaporated with the shortage of 320 guys.
Generally three day tours made up of 3 sectors (hotel) day 2, 2 sectors (hotel) day 3, 3 sectors (home). Two day tours are 3 sectors day one and two. There are some long two sector day trips which tend to be senior and 4 sector days which tend to be junior.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 724
Likes: 24
From: UK
How long can a new joiner on the a320 expect to wait before going long haul preferably on 777 fleet?
If you join on SH you will work hard - my figures for days off are similar to Bex. I'm working as hard as I did at ezy, if not harder if you count total hours at work. Nightstops vary with seniority. New joiners will be on blind lines, often these will comprise 3-4 day trips working weekends, with a few day trips thrown in. SH is no picnic and gets worse by the year, once EASA FTLs arrive things will get really fun.
All that said, still a good contract, still a decent career to be had. There isn't much better out there, as long as you count patience as a virtue and don't mind wearing a silly hat
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
Over the years (747,777) single nights are increasingly the norm unless:
Either of the sectors demands two local nights (i.e.long range stuff..and who knows how that will work once EASA is implemented on long haul)
...or there's a grandfather agreement still in place (the almost legendary west coast agreement that covers LAX and SFO but not SEA...and again ditto regarding EASA),
..or if there isn't a daily service - often happens when a new route is introduced.
Worse case I personally experienced a long time back as a junior captain and trip line holder on the 747 was 5 single night stop eastern seaboards in a calendar month....(4 of which were JFK. I actually like New York but even I have my limits.) I'm not suggesting that's the norm or even frequent but I'd suggest junior guys onto the 747 are going to be doing a lot of single nighters unless they can pick up a long range trip in a seeded blind line or are prepared to go places where you don't want to spend more than 24 hours!!
Either of the sectors demands two local nights (i.e.long range stuff..and who knows how that will work once EASA is implemented on long haul)
...or there's a grandfather agreement still in place (the almost legendary west coast agreement that covers LAX and SFO but not SEA...and again ditto regarding EASA),
..or if there isn't a daily service - often happens when a new route is introduced.
Worse case I personally experienced a long time back as a junior captain and trip line holder on the 747 was 5 single night stop eastern seaboards in a calendar month....(4 of which were JFK. I actually like New York but even I have my limits.) I'm not suggesting that's the norm or even frequent but I'd suggest junior guys onto the 747 are going to be doing a lot of single nighters unless they can pick up a long range trip in a seeded blind line or are prepared to go places where you don't want to spend more than 24 hours!!
Last edited by wiggy; 13th February 2015 at 09:40.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 6
From: York
Hi wiggy.
Have you given much thought to how the proposed new Bidline system will affect the allocation of trips? It could see a very significant change to the system we know?
I'd suggest junior guys onto the 747 are going to be doing a lot of single nighters unless they can pick up a long range trip in a seeded blind line or are prepared to go places where you don't want to spend more than 24 hours!!
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: UK
I am lucky enough to have just landed in the holding pool. Does anyone have any idea when the June courses are being released? I believe most the May courses have been allocated with lots of guys going A320.
Does anyone know how far through the '300 pilots required for 2015' we are?
Does anyone know how far through the '300 pilots required for 2015' we are?
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
From: Uk
If the rumours are right then I think we are a way off finding the 311 that Crystal says we need. Third hand info but Iberia pilots have said there could be an option for them to join BA with the option of a return to IB. As I said though third hand and unverified source. The crux would be that recruiting 300 is going to take a long time and certainly all year to get online. CAP is at 92hrs in March so we are short
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 0
From: UK
once EASA FTLs arrive things will get really fun
Maybe not for the guys that stack their work to one side, ignore FRM and enjoy nice runs of days off however...Works both ways surely?
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 280
Likes: 22
From: The wrong timezone
The small number of candidates attending every day mean that you're highly likely to be identifiable. The people who run the assessment programme read this website. Do you want them to know that you are trying to discuss the sim before you meet on the day? That could be viewed as distorting the result I guess. It's up to you but I don't think it's the best idea in the world.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: Not far from the airport
If people successful enough to get to the sim stage are looking to try and buddy up beforehand with their prospective sim partner via this forum then that can only be a good thing.
Getting to the sim stage means the job is there for you to lose. A couple of PM's and a meet up prior to the sim might make the difference between getting the job and not.
The worst idea in the world is knowing who your sim partner is on this forum and not doing anything about it.
Getting to the sim stage means the job is there for you to lose. A couple of PM's and a meet up prior to the sim might make the difference between getting the job and not.
The worst idea in the world is knowing who your sim partner is on this forum and not doing anything about it.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 104
From: The Winchester
I have been known to be wrong 
but TBH guys given the workload most are under at BA at the moment I suspect very few of the assessors or those in management are going to be spending time data mining/cross referencing posts on this forum in an attempt to identify individuals....
That said there's nothing wrong with being a little discrete....
but TBH guys given the workload most are under at BA at the moment I suspect very few of the assessors or those in management are going to be spending time data mining/cross referencing posts on this forum in an attempt to identify individuals.... That said there's nothing wrong with being a little discrete....
