BA Direct Entry Pilot.
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South East UK
Age: 35
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Is there an indication as to the prospect of further long haul courses in Q1 2016, as it's been stated that 2015 will be 320 courses only? Or has the steady flow on to the Airbus in 2015 freed up 5yr FOs wanting to move, negating the need for any more direct entry long haul stuff?
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Uk
Age: 42
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Internal movement from SH to LH is happening. The 2016 bids close at the end of the month and then by the end of October results will be announced. After that I think the recruitment plan will shape up regards DEP LH.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: England
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Well, it took me 13 years to reach Stage 2 and on the day it would appear I'm still not BA material. That's the BA chasing over and done with. Upwards and onwards with a job I actually love doing at a base that's more convenient than a local flying club 
All the best folks.
All the best folks.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: southeast
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Super pilot - sincere commiserations, I suspect it will be the company's loss...
If it is any consolation whatsoever, I would respectfully suggest that the way things are going, it may well prove to be in the longer term, a blessing that it hasn't worked out for you. I've just come back from a really enjoyable trip but the attritional nature of it all, cannot be disguised. Most of us are completely knackered and I for one am being forced down the part time route in attempt to regain some balance in the work/life equation.....
I bumped into a SH skipper the other day who had hit 900hrs on SH!!! Think about that for a moment....when you think of all the domestic sectors plus CDG, BRU, AMS etc etc that is a shed load of flying. In my first year on the bus c10 yrs ago I did 750 and that felt like hard work. I'm LH now and recently exceeded 100 in 28 and my annual total is rolling along at about 850....
Just my observations. Good luck and safe flying. Rgds Sid
If it is any consolation whatsoever, I would respectfully suggest that the way things are going, it may well prove to be in the longer term, a blessing that it hasn't worked out for you. I've just come back from a really enjoyable trip but the attritional nature of it all, cannot be disguised. Most of us are completely knackered and I for one am being forced down the part time route in attempt to regain some balance in the work/life equation.....
I bumped into a SH skipper the other day who had hit 900hrs on SH!!! Think about that for a moment....when you think of all the domestic sectors plus CDG, BRU, AMS etc etc that is a shed load of flying. In my first year on the bus c10 yrs ago I did 750 and that felt like hard work. I'm LH now and recently exceeded 100 in 28 and my annual total is rolling along at about 850....
Just my observations. Good luck and safe flying. Rgds Sid
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: On the side of the pitch!
Age: 47
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Sorry to hear that superpilot, having worked for two other airlines myself, BA is just another airline. As the saying goes, 'same circus, different tent'.
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Room 506
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Has anyone moved from the Gulf recently?
Looking at the expansion numbers planned for next year, I'm considering applying if BA re-open the application process.
Im currently flying in the Middle East, wide body FO, approx 1-1.5 years away from CMD. Has anyone made the move recently? If so, was it worth it?
Im not unhappy here, and earning good money with pretty good career prospects. But Im concerned about what happens after 10 years here. Being mid-30's I still have a while to go. Which is my main reason for considering applying. I see BA as a job for 20+ years. But if its not significantly better, I would be hesitant about going.
Just hoping to get some input from others before I apply. Thats of course if it opens back up.
Thank you!
Im currently flying in the Middle East, wide body FO, approx 1-1.5 years away from CMD. Has anyone made the move recently? If so, was it worth it?
Im not unhappy here, and earning good money with pretty good career prospects. But Im concerned about what happens after 10 years here. Being mid-30's I still have a while to go. Which is my main reason for considering applying. I see BA as a job for 20+ years. But if its not significantly better, I would be hesitant about going.
Just hoping to get some input from others before I apply. Thats of course if it opens back up.
Thank you!
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: UK
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Did my sim assessment around 2 weeks ago now and still no answer from BA as of yet.... does anyone have an idea as to how usual a wait of this long is?
Thanks and good luck to the others going through selection at the moment!
Thanks and good luck to the others going through selection at the moment!
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Botswana
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Harry I'm doing the Sim Assessment in September (they are totally booked up ie nothing available before then), a friend of mine is soon to do his interview at Waterside and another about to resit day one. Given that anyone sitting the sim in September is going to have to provide three months notice and take care of the referencing etc I would doubt that any of them will receive a start date before the end of the year. I'm also led to believe that they are more or less finalised with numbers for the remainder of 2015.
Therefore I would hazard a guess that any positions from this point on will be hold pool for 2016. How that affects the next window of opportunity for applications will obviously depend on how many that are being churned through right now manage to pass. However they did say during my presentation that the numbers estimated for next year are in the region of 300 again.
Therefore I would hazard a guess that any positions from this point on will be hold pool for 2016. How that affects the next window of opportunity for applications will obviously depend on how many that are being churned through right now manage to pass. However they did say during my presentation that the numbers estimated for next year are in the region of 300 again.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: FL370
Age: 38
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shabon - A longer wait generally seems to indicate good news. It took them 19 days to get back to me when I got in. I know of two or three other guys who experienced the same. It seems that bad news seems to come is about 7-10 days after the sim at most.
Regarding course dates and hiring for this year; they've just about filled the remaining spots for 2015, although there may be one or two left at the very end of the year. The remaining courses for 2015 are all going to be for LGW Airbus apparently. For 2016 the company is expecting to take on another 350+ guys.
Regarding course dates and hiring for this year; they've just about filled the remaining spots for 2015, although there may be one or two left at the very end of the year. The remaining courses for 2015 are all going to be for LGW Airbus apparently. For 2016 the company is expecting to take on another 350+ guys.
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: south east UK
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bear in mind that most of the sim assessors are line pilots and everyone is working like a one-armed walpaper hangar at the moment, so it may well take them a few weeks to actually be back in the country to sit down with the training department and go through everything. Mine took a good 2-3 weeks when i joined 4 years ago and that was without the manic crewing going on at the moment
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: uk
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Non-rated DEP
Hi all,
I am non-rated and I passed selection last month so in the hold pool awaiting a position. Have heard the news that BA are now prioritising 320 rated and FPP pilots and it will probably be next year before they take non-rated again.
Does anyone know if/when they will start taking non-rated pilots again? I know a friend who was in the hold pool a few years ago and got kicked out after 12 months so had to go through all the selection again! I am really looking forward to joining BA, wanted to all my life and just praying that does not happen!
Any thoughts?
I am non-rated and I passed selection last month so in the hold pool awaiting a position. Have heard the news that BA are now prioritising 320 rated and FPP pilots and it will probably be next year before they take non-rated again.
Does anyone know if/when they will start taking non-rated pilots again? I know a friend who was in the hold pool a few years ago and got kicked out after 12 months so had to go through all the selection again! I am really looking forward to joining BA, wanted to all my life and just praying that does not happen!
Any thoughts?
Join Date: May 2011
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PRACTICE SIM - STICK BUDDY WANTED
Anyone here with a BA sim assessment coming up fancy a practice session? I'm looking for a sim buddy.
I have the BA sim this month. A mate who was recently successful recommended a sim company that runs sessions tailored to the BA process. it'll be not far from Gatwick, 4 hours-ish in the box, and ASAP.
PM me if you're interested.
I have the BA sim this month. A mate who was recently successful recommended a sim company that runs sessions tailored to the BA process. it'll be not far from Gatwick, 4 hours-ish in the box, and ASAP.
PM me if you're interested.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Button Moon
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FRFO
If you don't manage to buddy up with someone, Cardiff Aviation are good at that sort of thing for a solo session. Not unreasonably priced (£600 for just over 2 hours 744 with the motion on). They've got some good intel on the type of format you'll face on the day. Certainly helped me anyway.
Best of luck.
If you don't manage to buddy up with someone, Cardiff Aviation are good at that sort of thing for a solo session. Not unreasonably priced (£600 for just over 2 hours 744 with the motion on). They've got some good intel on the type of format you'll face on the day. Certainly helped me anyway.
Best of luck.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: UK
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Figures for LGW for years 1-5 (your engagement freeze) will be pretty much the same as LHR as the pay points are identical and the allowances are pretty similar. There are less nightstops and therefore duty pay will be a little less but the figures for SH will be similar. If you work on the LHR figures then take £200 per month off I doubt you would be disappointed. The issue is that unless the few £ per month difference is a deal breaker for you, I would not wait for LHR if you can get in earlier and get your seniority number sooner.
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: UK
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Application timeline
For anyone interested in a timeline for the BA application:
Initial application was spring '15
Invite day 1: + 3 days
Day 1: 4 weeks later
Invite day 2: + 1 day
Day 2: 3 weeks later
Invite to sim: + 1 day
Sim: 4 weeks later
Hold pool (email): + ~ 3.5 weeks
In total start to hold pool was just over 3.5 months
Good luck to everyone applying
Initial application was spring '15
Invite day 1: + 3 days
Day 1: 4 weeks later
Invite day 2: + 1 day
Day 2: 3 weeks later
Invite to sim: + 1 day
Sim: 4 weeks later
Hold pool (email): + ~ 3.5 weeks
In total start to hold pool was just over 3.5 months
Good luck to everyone applying
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: UK
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I forgot to mention that within the engagement freeze you can bid for a same seat/same aircraft , i.e. FO on the Airbus at LGW to FO on the Airbus at LHR, transfer to LHR which should be processed in seniority order on the annual bid and attracts no further freeze. So, given that recruitment is to both bases you should be able to move to LHR is you desperate to be be there, certainly within a couple of years.
