I had heard rumors of non-rated recruitment in the autumn. Anyone else heard anything?

Tandemrotor:

What makes you so sure that BA will be 'desperate' for 777 drivers. When the 787 comes online in 2013, there will be at least, at a guess, 50-100 unfrozen bids for the 777. As I have said above, it is highly unlikely that BA will recruit directly onto the 777 in the short-medium term.

As for the new 767 campaign, I can't see many applicants coming forward as surely most would have applied at the end of last year? Some have been offered the 744, too. I'm guessing these new slots could be for 2012 when some more 767 FOs leave for 744/777.

Cheers

gliding

777, and 787 are so closely linked in BA that they are 'almost' the same fleet. (Though we know they won't be a joint fleet) 777 training capacity is already severely restricted, causing delays to this years courses. As we know, nobody can bid for 787 unless they are current on 777.

With the inevitable transfer of training capacity to the new 787, this situation is unlikely to improve any time soon.

I'm not actually sure BA even has a commitment to train our unfrozen pilots onto their choice of fleet if those vacancies have already been filled (NV) by external recruits...

I think I know what outcome the beancounters and network planning would prefer!

Does anyone know roughly how many people are in the hold pool?

Or when they are gonna start taking people out of it?

Just under 50 "fished out" and now under training - remainder being contacted over the following few months........

Age Limits
 

Whilst BA are legally unable to put age limits in their latest advertisement, would anyone have any information regarding shall we say "The recruitment of older applicants", or to cut to the chase I'm 48 yrs old but meet all of the other requirements, would an application from someone of that age be considered?

Cheers

CB

CB,
if you joined today, presuming age legislation doesn't change, you'd have 17 years before you had to retire at 65.

If legislation does change (and some speculate it will) you may be able to carry on even longer.

You should have nothing to worry about.

AGE DISCRIMINATION

It appear there is a lot of age discrimation going on at BA in the recent recruitment drives. Although pilots of all ages seem to be getting selected for interview and simulator assesment, no one over mid thirties seem to be getting through and many have complained over more difficult simulator assesments than their younger colleagues.

It appears BA have the profile of their ideal candidate but cannot be seen to state that at the time of completing the application, otherwise they breeak the Human Rights Act.

Do you have evidence to back up this accusation?

Just a question....

Does anyone know anything about the reason behind the height restrictions for BA? I'm 2cm over their max height and as such would be required to undergo a functionality test. Does anyone know what this is?

I always assumed it was a limit on trouser length, and they didn't want pilots walking around with half mast trousers.

I haven't applied to BA, I'm just curious. It's always struck me as slightly odd.

Kickingkatie
 

BA bend over backwards :ooh: to be an "equal opportunity/diverse etc etc employer" and unlike some other airlines would be on a hiding to nothing from the national press if ageism was proven to be at work here. Furthermore from a financial point of view if BA were biased, why bias towards younger pilots who may well go on to rack up 30 years in the company on high payscales (assuming longevity pay continues)? From BA POV it would make sense to recruit older pilots - less time on the higher payscales before they fall off their perch.

Could it just be that the assessments seem more difficult as you get older, rather than the older pilots being given more difficult assessments?

Hi everyone,

Just been called with an early October start date on the 747 (I'm 767-rated and been in the pool since mid-April).

Now that it's become a reality, can anyone give an example of a typical month, or speculate as to what sort of roster a junior F/O could expect on the fleet? I have asked a general question before, and was told that the ultra-long haul stuff tends to go to the senior guys, but if anyone could give me some helpful info, that'd be much appreciated. Specific examples would also be great. Please PM me if you'd prefer!

Absolute cr*p about age discrimination. Wiggy is entirely correct. I think BA want to avoid in the future what is coming to fruition now thanks to many hundreds of same age cadets who are going to be on the top pay scale for decades, and then causing a retirement bulge which is difficult to manage. I think they would prefer a wider spread of ages to avoid this. BA has absolutely no reason to prefer younger candidates. If you make the grade, you're in. Simples.

I think older candidates need realistic career goals and need to be happy that they may never get a command or at least it will be a long time.

Let us be absolutely blunt here.

If I am giving a sim assessment to a 10,000 hour professional who wants to join my company and he gives a pretty average performance then I would not be very impressed. I would have imagined that he would have been able to do much better with his experience.

On the other hand, if I have a young chap with about 1,500 hours who does a pretty good job despite a few mistakes and who has good CRM skills etc and shows promise, then I know who I am going to recommend.

It is the so-called experienced guys who really have to shine nowadays.

As one of my old bosses kept telling me "there is no such thing as a free lunch". You simply cannot dine-out on the contents of your logbook anymore.

JW411, very good point. Same goes for the interview. If an experienced airline Captain gives weak evidence of leadership it would reflect worse than a guy with 1 years experience in the RHS after flight school, who may well have lots of potential but hasn't had as many opportunities to demonstrate it. Perhaps that is partly where the misconceptioon is coming from? However, having said that there is a minimum (very high) standard and if you meet that then you're in.

But you're not recruiting them for their future potential (not directly), so surely you should apply a level playing field. Once you get on the line - and indeed during training - there doesn't seem to be a culture of bench-marking you against your previous experience; there's a bar, you pass (or exceed) or you don't. Why should it be different at the recruiting stage? If HR wish to apply demographics, that's their perogative, not the sim assessors.

I totally agree Brit Bus Driver, BA keep on saying that there is a standard and if you pass you are in, but that should be the same for all regardless of experience or age. The sim assessors should not apply their own rules on top.
You cannot pass someone on potential...that is crazy.
There should be a level playing field for all.
I have also experienced the age discrimation first hand from BA and I also know that none of my so called 'older colleagues' made it through (all described a more difficult assesment that their younger partner).

Good luck to all going on assesments and would welcome all to post comments following them.

I got in -I'm 35 - I know two 40 year olds, three late 30 year olds and three early 30 year olds that have just got in. Some of them with relatively low flying experience due to flying being their second career.

I also know a couple of 45 year olds that got through to the sim.

To say they are ageist is horse manure. They would not put people through to the sim if they did not want them in the company.

In fact - my observation would be they have a preference for people with life experience and something else to offer the airline other than stick and rudder skills....

2 points:

1) The select group of sim assessors make their decision based on whether or not a candidate has the potential to pass a BA conversion course.

2) At each stage of assessment, if you meet the required standard you will progress to the next stage.

It really is that simple!

I think it is a level playing field as 'The Sage' says. In any airline selection generally (I'm not talking directly about BA assessment here) all I was trying to say was if an experienced Captain doesn't demonstrate good leadership skills then they have already had ample opportunity as a Capt to develop those, so you can infer they are not likely to improve, and their potential is low. However an inexperienced candidate may not have much experience of direct leadership to draw on, but if they display the right qualities and personality that make a good leader, you can infer from that they have potential in that area.