BA Direct Entry Pilot.

[GS-Alpha]

Are we saying there are currently unfrozen FOs who meet all the current requirements for the A350, being denied moves? As for the hundreds unfreezing next year; I do not believe any current offers will be for next year’s intake, so we will have to wait a while yet before worrying about that.

[GS-Alpha]

Originally Posted by MikeAlpha320

The hundreds that will be unfrozen in the next few years wont get LH courses straight away once unfrozen. Why would the company 'pay' for airbus FO to do a LH type rating and then have to replace them with another FO on the airbus. They'll just type rate one new DEP onto LH. It's about money. There will be claims of training capacity etc etc but seems fairly simple maths to me. One type rating, or two?

It does indeed cost money, but agreements cost money, as do salaries. Training will probably be a nightmare next year with lots of jumbos leaving and A350s arriving. Plenty of shorthaul FOs will be denied moves to long haul, but if I were a betting man, I would wager it will be because the vast majority of P350s will come from current 747 FOs.

[Stuart Sutcliffe]

Originally Posted by RexBanner

I’m talking about the many people ahead of me who have valid bids this year (and as Icanseeclearly and Jaffo320 have said it’s in the hundreds) and are being bypassed again by Long Haul DEP.

Sure, there are freeze periods for the various fleets, but I am not aware that anybody can automatically expect to move from SH to LH just because their freeze period has expired. If the projected calendar requires pilots in place when a new fleet is coming on line, and a soon-to-be-unfrozen pilot misses the seats available, whilst unfortunate for said pilot, there is little they can do about it. It is largely just a case of bad luck on the timing.

Originally Posted by Joe le Taxi

It beats me why a bunch of new joiners don't club together and mount a legal challenge against the application of seniority in BA -open and shut case.

I am sure that this is because it isn't an open and shut case. If it was, someone would have leapt at it long before now.

[VinRouge]

Originally Posted by GS-Alpha

It does indeed cost money, but agreements cost money, as do salaries. Training will probably be a nightmare next year with lots of jumbos leaving and A350s arriving. Plenty of shorthaul FOs will be denied moves to long haul, but if I were a betting man, I would wager it will be because the vast majority of P350s will come from current 747 FOs.

Extra crews will be required for 4x 777-300 due to crewing ratio. At some stage fleet numbers will also have to be expanded above break even to account for arrival of 777-9 in 2021 timelines. My bet is both 78 and 77 will be overcrewed at some point to allow rapid re-training due to type similarities between 77/78 and 777-9. My guess is most of this will come from 747 and DEP, with a350 moves coming from SH. Cross training has to be much cheaper than a full type rating, both in training costs and salary.

Not sure whether there is a shorter course for 320/321 to 350 but if there is, costs alone indicate it makes sense for a shorter more productive course to be allocated?

[GS-Alpha]

I believe the A320 to A350 conversion is a smaller training footprint so that could indeed result in the company preferring to send people from shorthaul to the A350 as you say. I’d also say generally, the more senior 747 SFOs prefer to stick with Boeing so that too would have them preferring the 777 courses you predict. However, the surplus 747 guys will have to go somewhere and they definitely won’t be favouring short haul. I’m sure the vast majority of those released from short haul will indeed be destined for the A350 and A380, simply because the more senior 747 guys moving will have bids in for the Boeing courses. However, the less senior 747 guys (once Boeing courses are filled) will end up on A350 and A380 ahead of short haul. I think this will all happen naturally as a result of general bidding tendencies though, and will have very little to do with training costs, even though the two drivers correlate. Basically as a generalisation, the more senior who haven’t already headed to Airbus prefer to stay Boeing, which will result in those courses filling up first.

[Buter]

Can’t be many seats available on the 380, my friend. Pretty surprised that we’ve got 2 DEP’s in training, tbh.

Cheers

Buter

[VinRouge]

Originally Posted by GS-Alpha

. Basically as a generalisation, the more senior who haven’t already headed to Airbus prefer to stay Boeing, which will result in those courses filling up first.

many of the senior FOs are actually electing for SH command... especially those a ways off LH command but with enough seniority to have a cushy lifestyle on SH, with the extra Moolah command brings.

[Fursty Ferret]

I’m talking about the many people ahead of me who have valid bids this year (and as Icanseeclearly and Jaffo320 have said it’s in the hundreds) and are being bypassed again by Long Haul DEP.

I don't think this is anything new at BA. Happened at some point to everyone who joined in the last decade.

[BitMoreRightRudder]

Yep, agree with the Ferret. I wanted LH when I joined, was A320 rated and was offered and accepted a start date for SH as “no LH places available”. The next week 4 guys from my base at ezy got offered DEP 747. Just the way it is. Get a start date, get your seniority number and after 5 years you have a lot options.

A LH DEP will be disproportionately junior for much longer than someone who does the initial freeze on SH. Whether that is a price worth paying to bypass the A320 rostering is down to personal circumstance/prior experience and, most importantly, perspective. Seniority is everything in BA. I can’t see that changing any time soon.

[Mooney_tunes]

Interview and group info

Has anyone recently attended Stage 2? Any latest info on interview and group exercise? Thanks a lot!!!

[hard_landing]

I know the recruitment cycle finished on 30th June, but any idea if recruitment will reopen later this year?

[Heisenb3rg]

Has anyone recently been for stage 3 assessment and went for a practice Sim before hand? If so, could you let me know the details of where you went? Preferably in the south east! Thanks

Also any tips on the actual Sim would be much appreciated

[bex88]

Full? Yet we have bronze command due to a shortage of flight crew. I understand if they upgrade to a silver command call that a tray of sandwiches is delivered so watch this space.

[Jumbo2]

Originally Posted by bex88

Full? Yet we have bronze command due to a shortage of flight crew. I understand if they upgrade to a silver command call that a tray of sandwiches is delivered so watch this space.

Is that Bronze command to desperately find an excuse to blame it on since they can't blame it on our bidding anymore under JSS

[737275]

Good Evening All

I've got a Day 1 Assesment coming up, in a couple of weeks. (2nd try). I’ve been reviewing with “Job Test Prep”, and was wondering if anyone who had been through Day 1 recently would be willing to share their experience or have any advice on other sources for revision material.

Thanks in advance.

[Heisenb3rg]

If you pass stage 3 sim assessment and get placed in the pool, do you get told if you on the “long haul eligible” list or is it just a generic “your I the hold pool” email?

[Heisenb3rg]

Originally Posted by flying11red

I believe if you don’t get the long haul tick the email says short haul pool. Otherwise, it’s congratulations you’ve passed and it could be any aircraft in the fleet.

Thanks for that. I figured that must be the case!

[Steve1988]

Ladies & Gents, good evening,

Just got the invitation to come over to LHR next month for the 1st stage. Any tips on a good prep? Thanks in advance!

Stephan

[BleedingOn]

Tips: broadening your question to include Ladies?

[Steve1988]

Originally Posted by BleedingOn

Tips: broadening your question to include Ladies?

better..?