Air Baltic information
Join Date: Sep 2023
Location: Poland
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Hello Friends,
Can you please share some information what to expect on the online assessment for the Academy?
I saw a few people passed and would appreciate any extra details.
Thank you!
Can you please share some information what to expect on the online assessment for the Academy?
I saw a few people passed and would appreciate any extra details.
Thank you!
Join Date: Jan 2024
Location: EU
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If you don't live far from Riga, there is an open day at the air Baltic academy tomorrow (1-2pm). You might get information about the academy assessment
Northern Scandinavia weather with Eastern Europe salaries. Salary barely enough to pay rent and utilities, if you don't already have a car, expect to commute with the bus
Join Date: Jan 2024
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Yeah salaries haven't followed inflation and are on the low side. Especially for captains who get sent to Zurich ACMI all the time, away from families and for no salary incentive. That's the main driver of the low moral in the company. That and the management always pushing back, saying that if we're not happy we can leave, instead of trying to find some solutions. But colleagues are nice, most people are chill and fun to fly with, at least you have that.
But the salaries are enough to pay rent and utilities. That depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle.
I pay 580 for a one bedroom apartment in Agenskalns, in a modern residence, and pay around 70 of utilities in summer and 150 in winter, living alone. The lowest FO salary in BTI (2800 net) can afford that. Even if you add the cost of groceries, fuel and some night outs, there should be some money left.
If you want to live in the city center, in a fancy apartment, party every day and already have debts from before, then yes the salary may be tight. But you're still not a homeless.
And what's wrong with taking the bus?
But the salaries are enough to pay rent and utilities. That depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle.
I pay 580 for a one bedroom apartment in Agenskalns, in a modern residence, and pay around 70 of utilities in summer and 150 in winter, living alone. The lowest FO salary in BTI (2800 net) can afford that. Even if you add the cost of groceries, fuel and some night outs, there should be some money left.
If you want to live in the city center, in a fancy apartment, party every day and already have debts from before, then yes the salary may be tight. But you're still not a homeless.
And what's wrong with taking the bus?
Yeah salaries haven't followed inflation and are on the low side. Especially for captains who get sent to Zurich ACMI all the time, away from families and for no salary incentive. That's the main driver of the low moral in the company. That and the management always pushing back, saying that if we're not happy we can leave, instead of trying to find some solutions. But colleagues are nice, most people are chill and fun to fly with, at least you have that.
But the salaries are enough to pay rent and utilities. That depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle.
I pay 580 for a one bedroom apartment in Agenskalns, in a modern residence, and pay around 70 of utilities in summer and 150 in winter, living alone. The lowest FO salary in BTI (2800 net) can afford that. Even if you add the cost of groceries, fuel and some night outs, there should be some money left.
If you want to live in the city center, in a fancy apartment, party every day and already have debts from before, then yes the salary may be tight. But you're still not a homeless.
And what's wrong with taking the bus?
But the salaries are enough to pay rent and utilities. That depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle.
I pay 580 for a one bedroom apartment in Agenskalns, in a modern residence, and pay around 70 of utilities in summer and 150 in winter, living alone. The lowest FO salary in BTI (2800 net) can afford that. Even if you add the cost of groceries, fuel and some night outs, there should be some money left.
If you want to live in the city center, in a fancy apartment, party every day and already have debts from before, then yes the salary may be tight. But you're still not a homeless.
And what's wrong with taking the bus?
It's not that nice waiting at the bus stop at minus 20. Bus last stop is at Stockmann then you need to walk in the snow (snow in Riga lasts from November to early April)
If it fine to live in a small apartment with the basics, commuting with public bus, you could have that by working in McDonalds in any Western European country and you could afford a car without relocating to a country bordering with Russia with 6 hours of daylight and freezing cold.
You could ask why I took the contract at the first place... That time market was much worse and I was desperate
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: EU
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Yeah salaries haven't followed inflation and are on the low side. Especially for captains who get sent to Zurich ACMI all the time, away from families and for no salary incentive. That's the main driver of the low moral in the company. That and the management always pushing back, saying that if we're not happy we can leave, instead of trying to find some solutions. But colleagues are nice, most people are chill and fun to fly with, at least you have that.
But the salaries are enough to pay rent and utilities. That depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle.
I pay 580 for a one bedroom apartment in Agenskalns, in a modern residence, and pay around 70 of utilities in summer and 150 in winter, living alone. The lowest FO salary in BTI (2800 net) can afford that. Even if you add the cost of groceries, fuel and some night outs, there should be some money left.
If you want to live in the city center, in a fancy apartment, party every day and already have debts from before, then yes the salary may be tight. But you're still not a homeless.
And what's wrong with taking the bus?
But the salaries are enough to pay rent and utilities. That depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle.
I pay 580 for a one bedroom apartment in Agenskalns, in a modern residence, and pay around 70 of utilities in summer and 150 in winter, living alone. The lowest FO salary in BTI (2800 net) can afford that. Even if you add the cost of groceries, fuel and some night outs, there should be some money left.
If you want to live in the city center, in a fancy apartment, party every day and already have debts from before, then yes the salary may be tight. But you're still not a homeless.
And what's wrong with taking the bus?
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: Latvia
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@ Pilot 123, you nailed it, working conditions are worst and its only a matter of time when a tired pilot will cause an accident, I left for the same reasons as you did but as long as they find people to accept the conditions they will not change anything.
My favorite answer of this finance guy was " do not complain and be happy to have a job at all"
My favorite answer of this finance guy was " do not complain and be happy to have a job at all"
On the other hand, A220 pilots with years in the company are still first officers. No wonder why all these incidents and why some pilots prefer to pay the bond to leave before the 3 years
Join Date: Sep 2022
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I left them long ago and I see that nothing changes. Only that they can find worse and worse quality of pilots. Just before I leave I met a recently hired ''senior F/O with more 2750 hours'' that supposed to have fast command. Only that the hours were on a Beechcraft 1900 which doesn't fit their entry requirements for CS25, FMS aircrafts
On the other hand, A220 pilots with years in the company are still first officers. No wonder why all these incidents and why some pilots prefer to pay the bond to leave before the 3 years
On the other hand, A220 pilots with years in the company are still first officers. No wonder why all these incidents and why some pilots prefer to pay the bond to leave before the 3 years
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: Latvia
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Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: UK
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Just saw this incident on avherarld and remembered of you
What a surprise, another incident caused by AB inadequate pilots, at least according to Latvian accident/incident investigation unit which blamed pilot selection for another AB incident.
Again, AB pilots gave a roller coaster experience to the passengers with massive speed changes, pitch oscillations and violent maneuvering.Not conducting a missed approach is clearly a gross negligence. There was no loss of situational awareness. They climbed during the ils approach so they knew very well they weren't where they should be.
Luckily we won't watch it on that popular tv series
Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Palanga on Jul 1st 2023, high rate of descent below minimum safe height, approach continued
By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Nov 24th 2023 19:00Z, last updated Friday, Nov 24th 2023 19:00Z
An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration YL-CSA performing flight BT-375 from Riga (Latvia) to Palanga (Lithuania), was on approach to Palanga's runway 19 about to perform an ILS approach. About 11.5nm before the runway at 2000 feet the crew activated the APP autopilot mode, the descent rate increased to 2950 feet per minute below 1600 feet. The crew disconnected the autopilot at 1465 feet AGL (according to RADALT), the rate of descent decreased to 500 fpm before increasing again below 1200 feet AGL. 9nm before the runway threshold, while extending the landing gear, the aircraft descended below 1000 feet AGL at 133 KIAS, at 860 feet AGL the gear was completely extended. 8nm before the runway threshold, at 216 KIAS, flaps 1 were selected, the descent rate stabilized at 700 fpm for about 25 seconds followed by a climb of about 1500 fpm up to 1300 feet, which the aircraft maintained for about 40 seconds. At 5nm before the runway threshold the aircraft began to descend again still being more than 2 dots below the glidepath. The aircraft descended through 1000 feet AGL again at 900 fpm sink rate and 2.1 dots below the glideslope at 135 KIAS. A TAWS warning sounded, the aircraft levelled off at about 880 feet, the trajectory was corrected at 2.5nm before the runway threshold and the aircraft continued for a safe landing in the runway's touch down zone.
According to information The Aviation Herald received the crew was aware of possibly false localizer signals at Palanga according to NOTAMs, however, did not discuss this possibility during their approach briefing. When the crew activated the APP mode, the aircraft captured a false localizer signal immediately followed by capturing a false glideslope signal sending the aircraft into a steep dive. The crew disconnected the autopilot at about 3000 fpm sinkrate and initiated recovery, the aircraft reached a minimum height of 800 feet and 2nm offset from the extended runway centerline about 9nm before the runway threshold. Due to loss of situational awareness the crew did not initiate a go around but continued the approach. Due to terrain there are constraints to the approach procedure designs.
What a surprise, another incident caused by AB inadequate pilots, at least according to Latvian accident/incident investigation unit which blamed pilot selection for another AB incident.
Again, AB pilots gave a roller coaster experience to the passengers with massive speed changes, pitch oscillations and violent maneuvering.Not conducting a missed approach is clearly a gross negligence. There was no loss of situational awareness. They climbed during the ils approach so they knew very well they weren't where they should be.
Luckily we won't watch it on that popular tv series
Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Palanga on Jul 1st 2023, high rate of descent below minimum safe height, approach continued
By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Nov 24th 2023 19:00Z, last updated Friday, Nov 24th 2023 19:00Z
An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration YL-CSA performing flight BT-375 from Riga (Latvia) to Palanga (Lithuania), was on approach to Palanga's runway 19 about to perform an ILS approach. About 11.5nm before the runway at 2000 feet the crew activated the APP autopilot mode, the descent rate increased to 2950 feet per minute below 1600 feet. The crew disconnected the autopilot at 1465 feet AGL (according to RADALT), the rate of descent decreased to 500 fpm before increasing again below 1200 feet AGL. 9nm before the runway threshold, while extending the landing gear, the aircraft descended below 1000 feet AGL at 133 KIAS, at 860 feet AGL the gear was completely extended. 8nm before the runway threshold, at 216 KIAS, flaps 1 were selected, the descent rate stabilized at 700 fpm for about 25 seconds followed by a climb of about 1500 fpm up to 1300 feet, which the aircraft maintained for about 40 seconds. At 5nm before the runway threshold the aircraft began to descend again still being more than 2 dots below the glidepath. The aircraft descended through 1000 feet AGL again at 900 fpm sink rate and 2.1 dots below the glideslope at 135 KIAS. A TAWS warning sounded, the aircraft levelled off at about 880 feet, the trajectory was corrected at 2.5nm before the runway threshold and the aircraft continued for a safe landing in the runway's touch down zone.
According to information The Aviation Herald received the crew was aware of possibly false localizer signals at Palanga according to NOTAMs, however, did not discuss this possibility during their approach briefing. When the crew activated the APP mode, the aircraft captured a false localizer signal immediately followed by capturing a false glideslope signal sending the aircraft into a steep dive. The crew disconnected the autopilot at about 3000 fpm sinkrate and initiated recovery, the aircraft reached a minimum height of 800 feet and 2nm offset from the extended runway centerline about 9nm before the runway threshold. Due to loss of situational awareness the crew did not initiate a go around but continued the approach. Due to terrain there are constraints to the approach procedure designs.
There are a lot of First Officers with more than 5 years in the company, with thousand of hours on the A220 and still not upgraded
Join Date: Dec 2022
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