Air Baltic information
... own base stations in Tampere, Tallinn and Vilnius. Many of our pilots choose to commute directly to these stations from their homes across Europe. I was just flying as a safety pilot for a new SFO's first line training flights - a very experienced captain from Finland, he said he will not even consider renting in Riga - he will commute to outstations. So it’s really up to you to pick your lifestyle and roster
The captain from Finland you mentioned can have the Tampere base which is in Finland. Easy to get it, is worse than Riga but home to him
btw do you have your beers in Stabu Iela?
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I've been flying at airBaltic for more than a year and I really enjoy a lot of parts of it, so here's a bit of an extended version of my experience:
In the realm of crew planning, BT has a diverse range of destinations, from nearby cities to far-flung gems like Dubai and the Canary Islands. It's like picking from a buffet every month when bidding for flight, but of course - you will not fly all of your favourite flights every day. The rule is to satisfy 60-70% of each pilots wishes, and for me works out pretty well. The more contentious thing our wet lease-out operations in Oslo, Düsseldorf, Zurich, and our very own base stations in Tampere, Tallinn and Vilnius. Many of our pilots choose to commute directly to these stations from their homes across Europe. I was just flying as a safety pilot for a new SFO's first line training flights - a very experienced captain from Finland, he said he will not even consider renting in Riga - he will commute to outstations. So it’s really up to you to pick your lifestyle and roster
Treatment colleagues, general mood:
Regardless of anything, those who are dissatisfied tend to be more vocal, while those who genuinely enjoy their experiences often prefer the tranquility of cruising at FL360, while sipping their coffee
Which is a good thing, I guess, hence the reason this forum might lean toward negative opinions as a result. However, when it comes to life at our airline, BT, I'd like to emphasize that for me it's, in fact, quite pleasant. Communication here is transparent and flows both vertically and horizontally. The Chief Pilot's office is always open, encouraging an open dialogue. Adhering to standardised procedures, training, and simulator sessions is like a must in the company, so basically all are treated equally, and to be honest, for me this consistency makes it very transparent and comprehensible. In the mean time you ahve to know your stuff, be prepared, study, etc. Then again, any form of rude or aggressive behavior, whether directed towards cabin crew, operations, or colleagues is totally rejected. In my experience, I've seen cases where a few pilots were exceptionally rude or disrespectful, and the airline responded (in my opinion) appropriately. We have a lot of young captains who’ve been at airBaltic for several years, so the mood in the cockpit is the mood you choose to set
The CP upgrade is not just a claim, if you apply as an SFO you will have a chance to upgrade soon. Just do the math yourself - BT will have 50 aircraft soon, that means roughly around 250 captains, now we maybe have around 190 (+/- 10), AND they are working summer schedules of 80-90BH already. The other thing is - the Chief pilots have been very open about not wanting “Direct entry” Captains on the A220. So going through the SFO option basically is the fast track.
Apologies for the lengthy essay, but I wanted to provide a more balanced perspective amidst the prevailing negative sentiments, because I really like airBaltic from a lot pf perspective, and I think a lot of colleagues would agree.
Ad good luck with your assessment!
In the realm of crew planning, BT has a diverse range of destinations, from nearby cities to far-flung gems like Dubai and the Canary Islands. It's like picking from a buffet every month when bidding for flight, but of course - you will not fly all of your favourite flights every day. The rule is to satisfy 60-70% of each pilots wishes, and for me works out pretty well. The more contentious thing our wet lease-out operations in Oslo, Düsseldorf, Zurich, and our very own base stations in Tampere, Tallinn and Vilnius. Many of our pilots choose to commute directly to these stations from their homes across Europe. I was just flying as a safety pilot for a new SFO's first line training flights - a very experienced captain from Finland, he said he will not even consider renting in Riga - he will commute to outstations. So it’s really up to you to pick your lifestyle and roster
Treatment colleagues, general mood:
Regardless of anything, those who are dissatisfied tend to be more vocal, while those who genuinely enjoy their experiences often prefer the tranquility of cruising at FL360, while sipping their coffee
Which is a good thing, I guess, hence the reason this forum might lean toward negative opinions as a result. However, when it comes to life at our airline, BT, I'd like to emphasize that for me it's, in fact, quite pleasant. Communication here is transparent and flows both vertically and horizontally. The Chief Pilot's office is always open, encouraging an open dialogue. Adhering to standardised procedures, training, and simulator sessions is like a must in the company, so basically all are treated equally, and to be honest, for me this consistency makes it very transparent and comprehensible. In the mean time you ahve to know your stuff, be prepared, study, etc. Then again, any form of rude or aggressive behavior, whether directed towards cabin crew, operations, or colleagues is totally rejected. In my experience, I've seen cases where a few pilots were exceptionally rude or disrespectful, and the airline responded (in my opinion) appropriately. We have a lot of young captains who’ve been at airBaltic for several years, so the mood in the cockpit is the mood you choose to set The CP upgrade is not just a claim, if you apply as an SFO you will have a chance to upgrade soon. Just do the math yourself - BT will have 50 aircraft soon, that means roughly around 250 captains, now we maybe have around 190 (+/- 10), AND they are working summer schedules of 80-90BH already. The other thing is - the Chief pilots have been very open about not wanting “Direct entry” Captains on the A220. So going through the SFO option basically is the fast track.
Apologies for the lengthy essay, but I wanted to provide a more balanced perspective amidst the prevailing negative sentiments, because I really like airBaltic from a lot pf perspective, and I think a lot of colleagues would agree.
Ad good luck with your assessment!
Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a comprehensive feedback- that is actually what i was looking for.
Join Date: Dec 2022
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Baltics are not just Eastern Europe, were a part of Soviet Union like Belarus or Ukraine till 90's. 30% of the population are formally Russians
Basic salary for captains is around 4600 euros. A lot of FOs with more than 5 years in company not promoted yet
You quoted me and @twentyfivehundred220. FYI is a troll, his other accounts are @WaylanderShade and @OKSUP
Every time he gets busted he creates a new account but he keeps writing long quotes with stupid smilies
You quoted me and @twentyfivehundred220. FYI is a troll, his other accounts are @WaylanderShade and @OKSUP
Every time he gets busted he creates a new account but he keeps writing long quotes with stupid smilies
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Location: UK
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You quoted me and @twentyfivehundred220. FYI is a troll, his other accounts are @WaylanderShade and @OKSUP
Every time he gets busted he creates a new account but he keeps writing long quotes with stupid smilies
Every time he gets busted he creates a new account but he keeps writing long quotes with stupid smilies
What to expect when anyone can take a pilot license payed by mom and is happy to fly for peanuts
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Add to this that they hire clowns like @WaylanderShade , @OKSUP , @2991, @twentyfivehundred220 (it's the same person) who don't meet the entry requirements. He/she confirmed it in my thread.
As result they have four runway excursions, one AOG after hard landing in Schiphol and the most serious when almost crashed in Brussels
Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Brussels on Apr 19th 2023, started final descent too early
An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300 on behalf of Swiss International Airlines, registration YL-ABM performing flight LX-780 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Brussels (Belgium), was cleared for a VOR Approach to runway 07L when the crew initiated the final descent before the final approach fix. Descending through about 800 feet MSL about 6.5nm before the runway threshold the crew noticed the error and initiated a missed approach, climbed back to 4000 feet MSL, positioned for another approach to runway 07L and landed without further incident about 12 minutes later.
Belgium's Air Accident Investigation Unit have opened an investigation into the occurrence adding that the occurrence happened in VMC.
As result they have four runway excursions, one AOG after hard landing in Schiphol and the most serious when almost crashed in Brussels
Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Brussels on Apr 19th 2023, started final descent too early
An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300 on behalf of Swiss International Airlines, registration YL-ABM performing flight LX-780 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Brussels (Belgium), was cleared for a VOR Approach to runway 07L when the crew initiated the final descent before the final approach fix. Descending through about 800 feet MSL about 6.5nm before the runway threshold the crew noticed the error and initiated a missed approach, climbed back to 4000 feet MSL, positioned for another approach to runway 07L and landed without further incident about 12 minutes later.
Belgium's Air Accident Investigation Unit have opened an investigation into the occurrence adding that the occurrence happened in VMC.
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I think you are wrong.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) in Northern winter 2023/24 season continues to schedule leased airBaltic Airbus A220-300 service on various routes to/from Zurich. From 29OCT23 to 30MAR24, following routes to see airBaltic A220 operating on selected flights.
Zurich – Alicante
Zurich – Barcelona
Zurich – Belgrade
Zurich – Berlin
Zurich – Bologna
Zurich – Bordeaux
Zurich – Brussels
Zurich – Budapest
Zurich – Copenhagen
Zurich – Dresden
Zurich – Dusseldorf
Zurich – Frankfurt
Zurich – Gothenburg
Zurich – Hamburg
Zurich – Hannover
Zurich – Krakow
Zurich – Ljubljana
Zurich – London Heathrow
Zurich – Luxembourg
Zurich – Madrid
Zurich – Malaga
Zurich – Malta
Zurich – Manchester
Zurich – Munich
Zurich – Naples
Zurich – Nice
Zurich – Palma de Mallorca
Zurich – Paris CDG
Zurich – Porto
Zurich – Rome Fiumicino
Zurich – Sofia
Zurich – Stuttgart
Zurich – Tallinn
Zurich – Thessaloniki
Zurich – Tirana
Zurich – Valencia
Zurich – Venice Marco Polo
Zurich – Warsaw
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) in Northern winter 2023/24 season continues to schedule leased airBaltic Airbus A220-300 service on various routes to/from Zurich. From 29OCT23 to 30MAR24, following routes to see airBaltic A220 operating on selected flights.
Zurich – Alicante
Zurich – Barcelona
Zurich – Belgrade
Zurich – Berlin
Zurich – Bologna
Zurich – Bordeaux
Zurich – Brussels
Zurich – Budapest
Zurich – Copenhagen
Zurich – Dresden
Zurich – Dusseldorf
Zurich – Frankfurt
Zurich – Gothenburg
Zurich – Hamburg
Zurich – Hannover
Zurich – Krakow
Zurich – Ljubljana
Zurich – London Heathrow
Zurich – Luxembourg
Zurich – Madrid
Zurich – Malaga
Zurich – Malta
Zurich – Manchester
Zurich – Munich
Zurich – Naples
Zurich – Nice
Zurich – Palma de Mallorca
Zurich – Paris CDG
Zurich – Porto
Zurich – Rome Fiumicino
Zurich – Sofia
Zurich – Stuttgart
Zurich – Tallinn
Zurich – Thessaloniki
Zurich – Tirana
Zurich – Valencia
Zurich – Venice Marco Polo
Zurich – Warsaw
hey Guys,
Currently on jet (corporate) , I try to figure out the pros and cons.
My main concern is that the A220 is not a TR so common and need to get a new TR if I want to move onto the A320 for example.
What about the bond ? 3 years ? for 36000 euros, is it correct ? (it is what I heard).
For me the positive points is the possibility to build hours quicker.
The cons : moving to Riga with a little family...
feel to share more informations and some points I may have missed.
Thanks a lot!
Currently on jet (corporate) , I try to figure out the pros and cons.
My main concern is that the A220 is not a TR so common and need to get a new TR if I want to move onto the A320 for example.
What about the bond ? 3 years ? for 36000 euros, is it correct ? (it is what I heard).
For me the positive points is the possibility to build hours quicker.
The cons : moving to Riga with a little family...
feel to share more informations and some points I may have missed.
Thanks a lot!
Join Date: Sep 2023
Location: Italy
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Pilot academy online assessment
Hi guys,
Any feedback about the online assessment?
is it tripod or not?
if not are there two different physics and math exam?
are the calculation difficult and quite long since it's not allowed to use the calculator?
What's the content of the syllabus for math and physics?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ciao guys
Any feedback about the online assessment?
is it tripod or not?
if not are there two different physics and math exam?
are the calculation difficult and quite long since it's not allowed to use the calculator?
What's the content of the syllabus for math and physics?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ciao guys
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: Italy
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AB Pilot Academy
Hi guys,
Any feedback about the online assessment?
is it tripod or not?
if not are there two different physics and math exam?
are the calculation difficult and quite long since it's not allowed to use the calculator?
What's the content of the syllabus for math and physics?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ciao guys
Any feedback about the online assessment?
is it tripod or not?
if not are there two different physics and math exam?
are the calculation difficult and quite long since it's not allowed to use the calculator?
What's the content of the syllabus for math and physics?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ciao guys
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Germany
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Hi guys,
Any feedback about the online assessment?
is it tripod or not?
if not are there two different physics and math exam?
are the calculation difficult and quite long since it's not allowed to use the calculator?
What's the content of the syllabus for math and physics?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ciao guys
Any feedback about the online assessment?
is it tripod or not?
if not are there two different physics and math exam?
are the calculation difficult and quite long since it's not allowed to use the calculator?
What's the content of the syllabus for math and physics?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ciao guys
Join Date: Jul 2023
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If you count back 5 years to Covid time, it could be true, but as far as I know, most SFO's with requirements are updated, of course, if they pass the upgrade course, skill tests etc.
Join Date: Dec 2022
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McDonald's is a full legal contract and gets more or less the same. I haven't seen any illegalities on Avion Heston etc contracts, you pay your taxes wherever you want. It seems that you got catch and now you don't want to recognise the sh*thole you got in. A220 type rating bonded getting 2k at Latvia and.. A PENSION, insane package also, I want the coke without ice please and a big mac.
Everything is expensive here, Latvians are boycotting R*mi supermarket cause off the prices
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At least on Avion or Heston is commuting roster and you don't need to pay rent or bills. With airbaltic you spend most of the salary on the basics. Pilots in uniform under a jacket take the bus from the airport. No chance to put money aside. No way to pay the bond if you find something better.
Everything is expensive here, Latvians are boycotting R*mi supermarket cause off the prices
Everything is expensive here, Latvians are boycotting R*mi supermarket cause off the prices
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Yes and Avion, Heston pilots stay in the tent during their free days which is usually 8 to 10 days per 20-21 days (not to mention unpaid leaves during winter) or they don’t have families that are in need of accommodation in their home country. Unless your are young single guy who is staying at parents or friend for free what you say is not valid for those pilots.
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