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ERJ-145 with FlyBMI - a good first job?

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ERJ-145 with FlyBMI - a good first job?

Old 19th Dec 2018, 16:07
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ERJ-145 with FlyBMI - a good first job?

Hi all,

I'm an ab-initio pilot with a frozen ATPL in the UK and I heard that FlyBMI are currently recruiting for low hours pilots.

The offer looks decent but I'm worried that flying a jet under 30t could restrict future career options flying bigger planes, cause it looks like a lot of airlines want hours on jets over 30t for FO positions. Do most airlines count hours on smaller jets? I dont have a lot of contacts in the industry so I dont really know where else to ask.

Thanks for any advice!
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Old 19th Dec 2018, 17:19
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Well if the option is that or not flying I know I would rather have a job and gaining valuable experience operating in a multi-crew commercial environment.
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Old 19th Dec 2018, 17:46
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If you have a fATPL and no flying job then I don't even know why you're asking the question unless you have a few job offers. Take the first job that's offered because if it passes you by there may not be another opportunity.
A little tip if you get an interview? Don't call them FlyBMI, they are bmi regional. Good luck.
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Old 19th Dec 2018, 20:26
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Give me strength!

The ERJ is a bit to small for sky God's.

As a mortal I started on a Dornier 228, it actually had propellers, unbelievable. (Best flying of my career)

Last edited by Council Van; 20th Dec 2018 at 06:34.
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Old 19th Dec 2018, 21:34
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Yeah I wouldn’t bother applying. The worlds your oyster, after all, you’ve got a fATPL!! You’ll only get “stuck” flying a small plane. If I were you I’d wait for that big shiny jet. That’s where we all started.
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Old 19th Dec 2018, 22:51
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You are probably in for a bit of a ribbing here, but to answer the question, yes the hours will all count. My personal opinion is that you should apply for every job you can and take the first decent opportunity you get offered. If you end up with two options, you can weigh up the pros and cons. In the recent and current market, the type you fly (sub whatever notional weight) has not restricted people from moving on to larger aeroplanes (if that's what your goal is).

Good luck in your job hunt.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 00:22
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It is called "climbing the ladder", and actually it will help you in an interview. Iit shows character, determination, and a fighting spirit. Not because you have 320 in the license all the doors are opened.

Besides, you will actually learn to fly, no VNAV, no MANAGED mode, no A/THR... After that airplane a 320 will be a piece of cake.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 07:08
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At this stage in your career, flying an E145 may actually be beneficial. You have more sectors per day, and less automation than the larger planes will have. This gives you a chance to develop skills and confidence that will take much longer (if at all) on a bigger plane. It's also more forgiving than a larger jet. Go for it!
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 08:55
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It really depends on the terms though, I know a few years back it was still a "pay your own rating" kinda thing with them. No way in hell should you be paying your own rating for an E135/145, it's not very likely you'll use it anywhere else after BMI if you know how many are flying around Europe.

If they offer it with a bond and the terms are decent, go for it. I honestly think everyone should still go through the ladder from small to big. The experience will pay off later.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 09:00
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Originally Posted by stades
Hi all,

I'm an ab-initio pilot with a frozen ATPL in the UK and I heard that FlyBMI are currently recruiting for low hours pilots.

The offer looks decent but I'm worried that flying a jet under 30t could restrict future career options flying bigger planes, cause it looks like a lot of airlines want hours on jets over 30t for FO positions. Do most airlines count hours on smaller jets? I dont have a lot of contacts in the industry so I dont really know where else to ask.

Thanks for any advice!
Go for it. It's a job, in commercial aviation, you will be paid to fly and gain experience that other pilots will never have. You will end up telling your stories about this in 10-15 years in front of a beer with your First Officer (probably a shaved guy who will have seen A320 NEO only in his life) in a larger airline.
Not every airline ask for hours above a certain weight. It's a jet aircraft and some opportunities exists for Non-Type Rated pilots all over the world. A friend of mine moved from small executive jets to the B747. I have colleagues (we fly B737) who came from the military helicopters with no experience on an airliner.

PS: think about skipping this opportunity and failing the one you are waiting for. You will be slapping yourself with your Pilot Logbook.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 09:24
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The offer looks decent but I'm worried that flying a jet under 30t could restrict future career options flying bigger planes, cause it looks like a lot of airlines want hours on jets over 30t for FO positions. Do most airlines count hours on smaller jets? I dont have a lot of contacts in the industry so I dont really know where else to ask.
Just how condescending is this statement. You're asking whether a jet job as your first job is worthy because it's only a small jet. I suggest you leave that ego well behind you, take the job, learn to fly then look to move onwards and upwards. I bet you haven't even applied to turbo-prop operators given your comments, I suppose they are far too far beneath you and your zero experience fATPL. There are far too many like this these days, I agree with Intrance
I honestly think everyone should still go through the ladder from small to big.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 09:25
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Originally Posted by Intrance
It really depends on the terms though, I know a few years back it was still a "pay your own rating" kinda thing with them. No way in hell should you be paying your own rating for an E135/145, it's not very likely you'll use it anywhere else after BMI if you know how many are flying around Europe.

If they offer it with a bond and the terms are decent, go for it. I honestly think everyone should still go through the ladder from small to big. The experience will pay off later.
See, this is kind of my worry - if it were a bonded type rating I wouldn't even have to think about it, but I am expected to drop £20k on a type rating (which is industry standard for a first job). If I then have to drop another £25k on a 737 or A320 type rating a few years down the line, when a lot of my friends are going direct to those jets, and only paying up once, that's a worry.

I realise i came across a bit 'too cool 4 small jets' I would love to fly the 145; I was just worried that doing so would pidgeonhole me (which has been mentioned a few times on other forum posts).

Thanks to everyone for the advice, including the guys who gave me a bit of flak ;-) My main fear was that there was some industry standard that experienced FOs need time on jets over 30t, but that doesn't seem to be a thing, which is a relief!
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 14:49
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It's not necessarily his attitude, it's what some major players in the industry ask. A quick search and Emirates ask for an extra 1000 hours if <20t. BA give "preference" to experience on aircraft >25t. It's all very well climbing the ladder but if the hours don't count, which was his question, there's no way to climb it.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 14:57
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There's always a way to climb it. Why does he have to limit himself to climbing to BA or Emirates? One thing's for certain, he won't climb anything if he or she is sat at home fiddling with MS Flight Sim X.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 08:37
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Thumbs up

The embraer 135/145 and bmi regional are the best start you could ask for in aviation... ( unless you can start on a TP of course )

Awesome jet, simple enough to enjoy, complex enough to learn about the systems. Great route network, a lot of fantastic people and good standards.

Proper flying, visual approaches, NPA, as already mentioned no AT, no VNAV and you WILL miss it when you look back one day.

Go for it and be thankful, look around at what's happening, airlines are not going like they were even a few months ago, Norwegian stopping courses, WOW downsizing, I would grab it with both hands.

Best of luck!

p.s.
I personally know of a number of guys who got DEC on 320's directly from bmi on the embraer so nothing is impossible if the market is good.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 11:09
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Additionally, I'd worry more about actually getting BMI regional to offer you a position. I've often flown with people in the recent past who talk about the other options they have at the moment, when actually none of them have even applied for other positions. There's definitely a misconception our there, that because their friends are leaving, it'll be easy for them to do the same.

Just be mindful that until you have an offer, you've no decision to make. It might be slightly better to ask this type of question after you've passed.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 14:56
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Maybe this it the sort of research that you should have done before starting your fATPL?

You've got an entire career ahead of you. Learn to walk before trying to run, Get a job on turbo-props. You will end up so much more of a real pilot that those 'friends' going straight onto shiney jets.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 15:56
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Originally Posted by Trossie
You've got an entire career ahead of you. Learn to walk before trying to run, Get a job on turbo-props. You will end up so much more of a real pilot that those 'friends' going straight onto shiney jets.
I do think that one should keep an open mind and not say no to TPs or smaller jets, just because one doesn't want to spend their whole lives on one.

But doesn't really matter who's the real pilot, when you can't get a decent job in the future just because your plane wasn't heavy enough or cruised a bit too low too slow, while all your 'friends' enjoy their comfy seats "supervising" 777s...
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 16:07
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Until you start a job, you have no job.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 16:30
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No you should hold out for Qantas and accept nothing less than the 787...
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