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