BA recruiting - DIRECT ENTRY PILOT SCHEME
 

Just heard that BA are recruiting for their DIRECT ENTRY PILOT SCHEME

Take a look at

BA's website

Shame I cant apply!!:ugh:

From the BA website

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:
Full UK issued JAA/CAA ATPL or Frozen ATPL.
You will need a first class flying record and a good level of physical fitness.
Demonstrable evidence of leadership, intellect, determination, reliability, high personal standards, motivation, flexibility, well developed customer service skills and teamwork.


My JAA ATPL was not issued in the UK, does this mean I cannot apply?

AD

You also need to be type rated on the A320, 744 or 777.

You will need a first class flying record and a good level of physical fitness.
Demonstrable evidence of leadership, intellect, determination, reliability, high personal standards, motivation, flexibility, well developed customer service skills and teamwork.

What utter tosh. We're just ordinary people flying an airplane for a living for Christ's Sake. Any of the above is total hyped up cr@ptaincy!
This is so very indicative of the bullsh*t this industry has sunk into, dragging along with it the fun and cheer this job has ever had.
Today's aviation is just a chore precisely due to statements like that.
I've been flying long enough to know that none of the above is necessary, just be "normal", predictable, pleasant to your crew, fun loving, charming, accomodating - and you're just perfect for the job!

Their statement isn't even grammatically correct. Why can't BA even "demonstrate" that they can communicate properly in their own language?

This babble comes from every airlines' recruiting department. More scribblies trying to show how intellectually superior they are to pilots, I suspect.

Bet a case of poor grammar and ********* doesn't stop hoards of people applying though :suspect:

So you have to be experienced on type and intelligent but you are willing to go the bottom of a long seniority list!

The intelligence bit rules me out!

Anyone who is thinking about it needs to think very, very hard. The Airbus fleet is 'maxed' out....everyone working all the hours God sends. Promotional prospects are virtually NIL. ( not an exageration). Moral is low. Pension ain't what it used to be. Junior pilots get shafted by the bidding system, and end up working ALL the weekends. ( got children ? ). I'll say that bit again....ALL the weekends....except those that come with your leave.
As a BA pilot be prepared to take stick from all quarters....BA themselves, the press, the cabin crew, other airline crews, etc etc. Do not expect any status to come with the package. Be ready for the face to face confrontation with crew transport drivers. Do not expect any response to your end of day voyage reports, explaining delays due to other depts failures.
BA pilot management are dealing with many part time applications, unpaid leave requests, and employment references from other carriers. All from current BA pilots, looking to find a way back to normality.
Many recently joined DEP's are depressed, feeling that they have made a big mistake. Some have been and gone...all in a year...back from where they came.

Understand this...BA is not what it was. You will be expected to work very hard, at the expense of any private life you have. There are hundreds in the queue for a command, all qualified, able, suitable...and with years to wait. You will be many years behind.

Otherwise....well we're getting a nice shiny new uniform soon !! And I have a lot of time and respect for our dispatchers and engineers. All great people.

I am just making sure you are all aware. Find a BA pilot and ask!!

Best of luck to you all.:suspect: :suspect:

I forgot to mention the long, long days. Reorts at 5.30am onwards..10 hour duty day, getting to the hotel at 4pm ish. , up next day at 4.30 am ish and do it again..for a 3 or 4 day tour. Followed by another back to back, and if you're lucky get 3 days off...but sometimes only 2 or even 1. It's cumulative fatigue. I spend my days yawning on the flight deck, pushing away the most vile and disgusting offerings called crew meals.

cib - a very accurate posting.

The only plus side is roster stability, however, as previously mentioned you'll be working every weekend.

Also, 15 years to command!

Oh and no Final Salary Scheme pension. Just a minor thing!

But even after all that....people will apply, lots of people!.....Thats the way it will be. 'The Worlds Favourite Airline' :p

Expedite :ok:

15 years to short-haul command. Probably c.20 for a long-haul command. If you get the 777 it will be much like cib's posting but with jet lag.

I'll second the excellent advice: find a BA pilot and ask.

So why are you BA pilots still there then, if its so awful?

I've seen your rosters and your pay packets.

Lets compare....
I'm a relatively senior FO working for a charter airline.
I get no bid lines.
I get a guaranteed 2 weekends off a year.
I get 37 days off per year (7 days = 1 weeks leave), this includes allowance for bank holidays.
Our early starts start at 03:30z, which is actually a night flight.
We can start at 06:00z after days off.
We only get 8 days off per month, not the 11-13 you guys get.
My work pattern doesn't improve with seniority.
This month I have 15 flying days, which will be anything from 8 to 12 hour days, 7 days away from home and (so far) 14 roster changes this month alone. We don't get a hotel after the 12 hour shifts. If delayed we might work 16 hours and still we have to drive home.
I'm on the command list but time to command is looking like another 5-10 years at least.
I take home £1000 LESS per month than a 3 year BA ex-cadet, who presumably is on reduced salary anyway.

So, I have an idea. You think BA offer a rubbish deal and other airlines are better.

So let's say we swap jobs eh???

1) Mainly for the pension, which the new guys won't get (not entirely sure I will).

2) Because I worked bloody hard to get here and I don't want to go to the bottom of someone else's seniority list unless I have to.

Airbus Girl...

I don't think people are saying it's "awful". It's just not what some think it is....

When you fly with someone who has joined BA, and after <1 year is totally disillusioned, and wants to return from whence they came, it sums up to a seriously disadvantaged career. Earnings, seniority, domestic upheavals etc. Others give up a Command to do the same job in BA but in the RHS (i.e. P1 BMI A320 to P2 BA A320), and are as happy as Larry with the change.

Just research it properly - some don't. Sounds like you have...

From a non Flying section of BA can any of the pilots explain why on earth BA is reducing its manning levels by offering part time working then recruiting extra staff.

Is this just bad business or what?

Don't forget that as there will be no FSS for new guys this equates to 22.5% decrease in your overall package - the effect of the massive reduction of company contributions to your pension pot of gold. To new DEPs in the Charter business this may be an important factor in your thinking. Comparing what a current BA pilot gets to what you guys will get is not comparing apples with apples.:uhoh:

Airbus Girl

I just KNEW someone would take my post the wrong way. Today it was you. I certainly do not intend to compare and see who has it worse. Understand this.. my post was NOT a whinge.

It is a fact...everyone coming into BA from the charter companies has had a shock. Some have left again, and gone back to doing what you are. They didn't nesessarily find it harder or easier, but their previous employment gave better prospects and much more time with families.

Try to look at things from a different stand point for once.


Well that's me.

BA has to comply with EU employment directives. Look them up if you don't know what I mean.
The cost to BA if it didn't offer the part time contract would be to possibly lose the pilot. The cost implications to BA of replacing a capt are SEVERE. (10 years ago it was unheard of to see a BA capt. considering a move. Nowadays is different. Some have left already, others are looking at Easy Jet, Emirates, Ryan, etc etc. ).

Please everybody. My post is a heads up. Nothing more.
:ugh:

WtM,

I may be wrong but I think under current employment law, all large companies are required to offer part-time working to their employees. Whether or not they make it easy is a different matter.

HF

PS: Edited to say cib just beat me to it... ;)

My God, its not all that bad!...and I'm a junior Airbus FO.

Fair enough, it may not be as good a deal as ten years ago and okay as a cadet I don't have another airline to compare BA with in terms of working as flight crew - but this job is a damn sight more fun and pays a damn sight better than sitting behind a desk (after one year I now earn more than many BA line managers).

Yes the weekends (or lack of) is a pain in the arse and yes Heathrow can be a nightmare but the the variety of destinations, roster stability, masses of leave, 12-13 days off a month and a decent wage...with the prospect of an improving lifestyle with seniority kind of make up for the downsides. Please, please apply so I can get further up the seniority list!