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British Airways Direct Entry Pilot

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British Airways Direct Entry Pilot

Old 30th Nov 2022, 22:44
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Dear All,

Are there any updates from those who had their most recent interview with BA that took place on 25th? Any information about start dates.

Thank you in advance
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Old 3rd Dec 2022, 07:49
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Euroflyer sim ride now in 744.
Requirement 50 per month
777 Commands down to 2000 on Master Seniority List
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Old 3rd Dec 2022, 14:19
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Originally Posted by Phantom4
777 Commands down to 2000 on Master Seniority List
Which is more like mid 1500s in reality, because they have not updated the list to take account of retirements and redundancies for many years now.
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Old 3rd Dec 2022, 16:03
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1986 on the list is most junior 777
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Old 3rd Dec 2022, 17:15
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How big is the seniority list right now? (And.... can anyone explain how the roster bidding system works in a nutshell?!)
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Old 3rd Dec 2022, 18:22
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Originally Posted by swervin'mervin
How big is the seniority list right now? (And.... can anyone explain how the roster bidding system works in a nutshell?!)
estimated right now 3900 on the list.
however our current numbers go up to 4700 or so because as mentioned earlier, the numbers haven't been updated since pre covid (2019 iirc).

roster bidding in a nutshell:
you put together Your bid through a number of algorithmic commands. It gives you 8 "buckets" to put all the trips into, which you have to achieve within 40(?) commands. The top bucket is the trips you really want to do. The bottom bucket is the trips you really want to avoid. It helps to be a computer programmer to use the company system, but we have a 3rd party app that makes it much easier a small charge. So you can choose anything you like - destination, flight number, days off, region, report time, 2/3/4 pilot trips, right down to a single flight that your mate is going to be on.

The computer then crunches the numbers, and comes out with the best roster for pilot#1,. and so on down the list until the very bottom. Needless to say, by the time the system gets to the bottom pilots it only has unpopular trips on unpopular days - but it still does it's best.

Then, because the system inevitably hasn't covered 99.5% of the work, it unlocks all the rosters and messes then up again to squeeze more work in.... recently this process has been messing up the rosters right the way to the top of the list.

once these processes are all complete the rosters are published. Once that happens it's all but written in stone.

I honestly can't complain. I'm very junior on my fleet (LH, >95% off the top) and even I get some variety. I get most of the days off I need (unless they are weekends but we have 6 "golden days" a year to guarantee days off way in advance for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings etc). I never knew the old system so can't compare but it works well enough for me considering my position as a bottom feeder.

that's not really the promised nutshell... but the bidding system is a type rating all on its own!

edit to add the rosters are normally published around 7th to 10th for the following month with a sneak preview available a few days earlier.

Last edited by White Van Driver; 3rd Dec 2022 at 19:34.
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Old 3rd Dec 2022, 19:14
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Originally Posted by White Van Driver
estimated right now 3900 on the list.
however our current numbers go up to 4700 or so because as mentioned earlier, the numbers haven't been updated since pre covid (2019 iirc).

roster bidding in a nutshell:
you put together Your bid through a number of algorithmic commands. It gives you 8 "buckets" to put all the trips into, which you have to achieve within 40(?) commands. The top bucket is the trips you really want to do. The bottom bucket is the trips you really want to avoid. It helps to be a computer programmer to use the company system, but we have a 3rd party app that makes it much easier a small charge. So you can choose anything you like - destination, flight number, days off, region, report time, 2/3/4 pilot trips, right down to a single flight that your mate is going to be on.

The computer then crunches the numbers, and comes out with the best roster for pilot#1,. and so on down the list until the very bottom. Needless to say, by the time the system gets to the bottom pilots it only has unpopular trips on unpopular days - but it still does it's best.

Then, because the system inevitably hasn't covered 99.5% of the work, it unlocks all the rosters and messes then up again to squeeze more work in.... recently this process has been messing up the rosters right the way to the top of the list.

once these processes are all complete the rosters are published. Once that happens it's all but written in stone.

I honestly can't complain. I'm very junior on my fleet (LH, >95% off the top) and even I get some variety. I get most of the days off I need (unless they are weekends but we have 6 "golden days" a year to guarantee days off way in advance for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings etc). I never knew the old system so can't compare but it works well enough for me considering my position as a bottom feeder.

that's not really the promised nutshell... but the bidding system is a type rating all on its own!

Perfect thanks
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Old 4th Dec 2022, 13:17
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Interview Group and Capacity on one day.
Sim slots released for day two.
Result can be next day and allow for three months notice
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Old 4th Dec 2022, 16:38
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Originally Posted by Phantom4
Interview Group and Capacity on one day.
Sim slots released for day two.
Result can be next day and allow for three months notice
Result almost certainly will not be next day.

offer does not necessarily allow for three months notice; request can and have been made to reduce as much as possible
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Old 4th Dec 2022, 17:11
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So what join dates can candidates be expected to be offered for LHR recruitment? I’d heard on the grapevine no one would be starting before the end of summer 2023 ?
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Old 6th Dec 2022, 10:35
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Rumours of BA Cityflyer joining the BA mainline MSL to allow for a posible order of E195-E2s with over 134 seats (beyond scope agreement) and to address retention issues.
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Old 6th Dec 2022, 13:12
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Originally Posted by eagle21
Rumours of BA Cityflyer joining the BA mainline MSL to allow for a posible order of E195-E2s with over 134 seats (beyond scope agreement) and to address retention issues.
It wouldn't surprise me. It's been on BAs radar for a while, and I think there was a clause in the covid agreement to relax scope to allow CF to get Embraer or C-Series to sell them a jet (the current 195s are a special model only certified for 99 seats to comply with scope extra $$$ on the price).

With Euro Flyer on the MSL, i cant see balpa batting it away forever - expect it to be sold off for an extra 2" on the long haul pre departure sandwiches and lots of "fantastic news! Well done Balpa!" Type posts on the forum.
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Old 6th Dec 2022, 15:46
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What does the capacity test look like, any tips?

If I remember rightly last I heard it was some ATC instructions you had to retype, maybe some number calculations, and also some systems that needed monitoring..

Any advice here or on PM appreciated.

Thanks,
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Old 7th Dec 2022, 17:14
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Read the brief slowly,do not skip.
understand your responses required.
do not rush this part.
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Old 8th Dec 2022, 15:00
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Ability test is same a capacity test.You have a long list of instructions to make the correct input.
Read this carefully,the invigilator will emphasise that once you finish,to sit and wait until everyone has finished.
Someone close to me was last to finish as they had read the instructions slowly and carefully.
Result,positive
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Old 8th Dec 2022, 16:32
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People telling me they have Feb 23
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Old 14th Dec 2022, 21:24
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Hi, does anyone have any advice for the sim assessment? What to expect? Any comments are greatly appreciated
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Old 15th Dec 2022, 08:27
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Four hours,two candidates,A-B,B-C divert.
744
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Old 15th Dec 2022, 08:57
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How long did it take from the Interview day till you get an answer for sim dates?
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Old 15th Dec 2022, 11:10
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Originally Posted by CaptainCroft
How long did it take from the Interview day till you get an answer for sim dates?
Not long at all.
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