Probably been discussed before many times, but how is fleet selection at VS done? Is it purely specific fleet need or does experience on Boeing or Airbus influence fleet selection?

On which fleet have recent newhires been placed?

Cheers

Received an email yesterday inviting me to interview. Have searched the threads but unable to find any info. Care to Share?

Any chance of recruitment re-opening any time soon?
cheers
AB

end of November.:ok:

Virgin have a good record of taking people on, and then making them redundant.

I would know.

In the current circumstances, and let me review them briefly, why would you possibly want to go to VAA:

1) Sovereign Debt Crisis;
2) New Credit Crunch Looming;
3) Reduced consumer spending;
4) UK economy arguably in recession again;
5) Lower business travel spending;
6) Astraeus bankruptcy;
7) Thomas Cook lurching towards massive restructuring/bankruptcy;
8) The company having a DISMAL track record of making people redundant;
9) Being number 700+ on a seniority list with only 300 or so Captains, and;
10) The prospect of never reaching Command in VAA.

Any reasons for wanting to join, apart from currently working at TCX, or as of yesterday AEU?

If you joined a few years ago, avoided 2 brutal cutbacks in the 2000's and are still there, then it IS a great job. If not, I'd consider carefully before leaving a "stable" airline for a career at VAA.

Caveat Emptor.

You're not a cheerful chappy narrow runway!

Harsh words about Astraeus,

Harsh words about Ryanair/low cost,

Harsh words about Virgin Atlantic,

Just a general miserable pessimistic attitude really.

What's the problem?

Glass half empty or full?

Life's always a gamble. I would probably stay in a stable, secure job at the moment but the chance of joining somewhere that gives you long haul and a good quality of life is tempting.

If major airlines do crumble (hopefully not) then someone has to fill in the gaps, so it could be a good time to join...

You're not a cheerful chappy narrow runway!

Harsh words about Astraeus,

Harsh words about Ryanair/low cost,

Harsh words about Virgin Atlantic,

Just a general miserable pessimistic attitude really.

What's the problem?


He's always been a miserable bar steward but he's a big softie when you get to know him ;-)

I think narrow runway makes some pretty reasonable points. It's a risk and in fact nearly an uncertainty ( if you need to work to live) to be joining such a company at this time.

No doubt, just sad to see a guy so fed-up.

I hated my job which is why I left as it was making me miserable.

I'm with Narrow Runway with his comments. They do have a bad record.

And I would know as well!

Ahem, yes...joining VS at the present time, when things are, well; not to put too finer a point on it...****e! I would think twice. There is just a little chance of history repeating. And it repeats over and over again at Virgin.

I am truly sorry if my interpretation of VAA history upsets those of you who are about to join.

I very much hope that your time at the bottom of the seniority list is less eventful than that of many others, myself included.

Perhaps this downturn will be somehow different.

As for Astraeus, I have no sympathy for an airline and its management that tried to undercut everybody else and willingly signed up to Union busting activities. I do however have sympathy for the hard working employees who did nothing but work hard - or follow a dream.

As for Astraeus 2? It seems more likely that a training organisation is all that a certain someone wants.

Run to the hills.........

yes, 1 week only.

Recruiting F/O's for 2012 holding pool now.

Virgin Atlantic - Careers

Narrow Runway,

Your identical rant on the Astraeus thread didn't go down to well. Thought you'd chance your arm on this one?:ugh:

Flightmech,

Stick your head back in the sand old boy. Ignore the long known facts. It'll all be ok this time around.

I'll get you some more rose tinted glasses.

No need old chap. I have never been associated with Astraeus. Just found it amusing that you had to rant on multiple threads, right or wrong.:E

Flightmech,

Thanks for the heads up.

Guys,
Has anyone been able to actually apply? I can't get past the initial questions but just keep getting this message:
"Session expired
Why does my session expire?
This could be either...
For your security, your session expires after 10 minutes of no activity. This means no link has been clicked or data has been submitted in last 10 minutes.
You have entered the URL of a particular page, which cannot be viewed without prior authentication."

Any ideas?

Second question, potentially a dumb one - does anyone know if its worth applying with slightly less than 3000 hours in anticipation of having the hours in a few months? Or is it 3000 hours on application only? I can't find any info on this...

It's just traffic load on the website. Keep reloading the page and it'll eventually let you in.

Al,

I would say possibly no. When the last round of recruitment went live I called HR and spoke to a very nice lady from HR (I wasn't actually expecting a call back at all) who explained that although I was close, they wouldn't pre screen candidates, but to wait until they recruited again, which is now.

Thanks for your help. When I did get past the "next" button, the next question is "do you have 3,000 hours total time?". So that's that answered...

Correct...it hasn't changed very much:(
Starting pay about £1500 higher but duty pay down to £17.72 i think. Goes up 50p as of Jan.
I could be wrong but i think that's about right.

I have over 3500 hours but no boeing nor bus rating. It's a shame that they're excluding the likes of me, there is a lot of good stock out there that they are ignoring! :confused:

Might be something to do with the boeings and busses they operate??

:rolleyes:

If you have that specific rating yes, otherwise no i don't think so.

Why is that even relevant? If you hold a 717/727/737/757/767/787 rating they'll still need to type rate you on the 747. It is pretty nonsensical to try and say any of these types is remotely common to the 744. If they need to type rate you then it shouldn't matter what type you hold. We all know they've done it to filter applications.

Assessment day
 

I know the question has been asked several times but I can't seem to find any recent answers. Does anyone care to share what is involved in the current selection day? I see quite a few people have said they attended recently so a brief description of what they experienced would be very useful for those stil waiting to go through.

perhaps candidates without any of these types can't qualify for Zero Flight Time Training.

Or a Shortened Transition (STAR) course as well...
(though I don't think the 717 & 727 enable you to qualify for a STAR course)

I don´t have much experience in the fixed wing market anyway, but a quick question: If you have a few thousand hours in say a Learjet, but no type rating on any of the popular comercial jets (B737 or AB330), could you still land a job? Or doesn´t any of the major carriers wanna pay your typerating anymore?

I remember years back (2005?) I was at the BALPA employment conference at Heathrow and the Virgin chappy made a brief presentation.

He said Virgin wanted Airbus / Boeing time because due to the lack of landing practice available on the line at Virgin, they needed candidates fully conversant with landing a jet before they joined Virgin. I remember it so well because he also said "Get all your flying out of your system before you join us, because you'll do next to none once here". Ouch!

His words, not mine, and probably way out of date.

Oh sorry I forgot only Airbus and Boeing make jets!

And if you don't do any flying anyway, who gives a **** whether you have a bus/boeing/TP/Cessna/Warrior/floatplane rating? It's just a way to filter the applications.

It is true in long haul that pure flying is limited, especially as an FO when there is a lot of training going on. I remember once not sitting in the seat for T/O or landing for 6 flights.

The main reason why they want type rated/commonality is that it's costs less to train. Ex-military guys rarely have any problems flying, but now have problems getting in for the reason stated. During recent expansion Virgin favoured type rated Airbus pilots to the detriment of military guys - purely on time and cost of training. Hopefully someone will see sense and balanced workforce will ensue.

Hmm, why should military guys get preference over, say someone with 4000hrs, 1000 of it on 777ER?
They've taken on lots of ex military guys at Jet2 and it's a mixed bag of standards, some good, some not ... just as you'd find amongst mere mortal civvies.

It’s a shame.

I was just bemoaning the fact that my 3000+ hours flying commercially have been on EFIS equipped aircraft, including a 1000 hours on a jet which is most definitely as advanced (and maybe more advanced) as any Boeing or Airbus around (A380 excepted perhaps). But it doesn’t matter as much (as Deano777 points out) as someone who has Boeing “classic” experience.

I say again, there is a lot of good stock out there that they are ignoring!

Nearly Man i see you're a Master Baiter however i'll reply ;) No i'm not saying military guys are better (apart from fast jet guys ;)), however, for a while Virgin only recruited if you had an Airbus rating or alike. A balance, as always, is desirable.

Ah ok X ray, point taken. But you nearly fell for it! :E

Snigs, you should stay under your stone by the seashore where you belong :E

All the ex-mil fast jet guys I've flown with over the years have been awesome, it only took a minute or two to realise.....because they usually tell you :E