Thank you for your considered and expert review of the company and life in general here. Was it originally written in crayon?

TC,
Apples and oranges regarding SQ and DAL. Delta is trying to dominate the higher-yield business traveler segment between the UK and States. Why have Delta recently added VS flights between LHR and its Detroit and Atlanta hubs? London is a business traveller Mecca and Delta knows it and it leverages coveted VS slots at LHR. Delta probably have the smartest managers in the business and VS should hopefully benefit.

Now back to the VS recruiting thread....

I've heard recruitment is now active again....

B787 Rated and Non Type Rated First Officers

Minimum requirements:

• 2500 hours total flying time
• 2000 hours on Turbojet aircraft over 40 tonnes maximum take-off weight.
• Preference will be given to qualified candidates with current Boeing 787 or 777 type ratings with 1000 hours on type.
• You must hold a current UK Class one Medical and a full EASA ATPL licence (UK issue).
• You should be able to demonstrate a high level of fluency in English (ICAO level 6 English Proficiency).
• You will also have the unrestricted right to live and work in the UK.

Apply online

Thanks for the heads up re: recruitment!

I am considering applying, but before I waste their time, would somebody mind answering a few questions.

1. Are the figures on PPJN accurate? (£69089)

2. I understand these figures inc a fixed flying allowance. Am I correct assuming that the pension contributions are only based on the basic salary? If so, how much of the quoted figure is basic vs flight pay?

3. Somewhere in the 40 odd pages that I just read, somebody mentioned an upcoming retirement bulge. Is this assessment accurate? And will it significantly affect the 10-12 years quoted for a shot at command?

4. How is the flight deck environment for an FO in general? Are you in general left to your own devices, and allowed to "run the show" on your sector?

5. How many handling sectors might one get on an average month?

Sorry for so many questions.

PP

I'll give it a try....

1. Yes that's bang on as of our last pay rise which contrary to popular belief was July 15 and part of the 2014 pay deal. It's a £3000 increment in year two then approx £1500 per year thereafter.

2. Yes it does include a fixed flying allowance but no that's not correct. Your TOTAL pay is pensionable and you get paid that full amount (including 'flying' pay) irrespective of how many hours you fly. Your salary doesn't go up and down depending on how busy a month you have. Obviously your subsistence allowances aren't considered in the total figure and are not pensionable.

3. Yes there is a retirement bulge coming up but I have no idea how it'll affect command times other than they'll come down. It depends on uptake of part time and future expansion but I have heard it may dip below 10yrs. I really wouldn't bank on that however. It's currently running at approx 11yrs.

4. Yeah it's good with a cockpit gradient you'd expect for a UK airline. FOs are actively encouraged to make the decisions on their sector and most captains are fully aware of the experience the majority of new guys have when they join. A lot of them have far more command time than I do for instance.

5. Depends on the fleet you're on and what trips you do. Minimum zero, maximum 5.


Good luck if you apply.

What he said :ok:

Thank you very much for the replies!!

Hopefully I will see you on the line :)

I was wondering if your initial salary for year 1 was dependent to your total time ? Does it increase per the number of hours you have ? Or is it fix at 69000 for everyone?

Average how much subsistence allowances do you get per month ?

Thanks

Salary is the same figure for everyone. Allowances (paid in US$) circa $1000 which are obviously variable depending on the time spent down route.

Ok stupid question time which is clearly a requirement but if you hold a non UK issue EASA license but will convert it, unable before the closing date however, is it worth applying and clicking yes at the moment for the type of license held?

What became of the once much talked about holding pool then? Where there not 10+ swimmers in it? I presume the plug has been pulled as they were non rated or did they all find alternative arrangements?

If you have, say a French EASA licence and tick yes to possessing a UK CAA Issued licence, you are effectivly lying, and therefore will be treated accordingly were you to make it further along the application process.

Best to start the transfer of competent authority now, and re apply in 6 months.
The will be recruiting again, once a bunch of guys go to BA.

It Will take about 3 months min for CAA to process, approve and re issued.

However, you could always say yes and hope it takes Virgin 6 months to get around to contacting you, like most airlines in the UK. :ugh:

Like most of UK airlines, VS requires a CAA UK issued license.

There is no legal obligation to require this (even if they have spell it out, on their OM A chapter 5, the requirement for crew to have a CAA UK license) but they choose deliberately to request one.

On the contrary, and I am surprise that their legal dep does not advise them promptly on this matter, this is a blunt and ILLEGAL (for UK and EU laws) discrimination.

Problem is, nobody challenge it. So, airlines get away with this crap. And some other crap. But you know what your fellow collegues would tell you? if you do not like do not apply/leave.

We are pussy. And they know it.

Seems a tad silly. Preference given to 777 / 787 rated individuals, it benefits them more than it does the pilots to allow a licence transfer. I can't envision a large market of UK licence holders looking for a job with those ratings. Most out in the ME transfer their licence. NLH financially tie their pilots down for several years, and chances are most aren't on a UK licence.

I'd hazard a guess and presume they mean that should you be offered a position, you would be required to convert to a UK issued EASA licence if you don't have one already. While I don't want to get into why they ask this, I will say the majority of airlines ask the same, for example RYR ask for Irish, EJ/BA/VAA all ask for UK.....What I would say is, it'd be unreasonable with that in mind that people convert their licence from a non UK issued one just so they can tick that box when applying for VAA- and potentially jeopardise their position with their current airline, as well as spending time on money on a licence conversion they most likely won't need if unsuccessful with Virgin...

The Crew

Probably a daft question but why would VS pilots jump to BA when on a Cathy Forum there is this;

Has the starting salary increased a lot in the last couple of years? Last time I checked (couple of years ago) I believe it was in the low 50's.

Just curios VJW why you think applying for a UK issued EASA would jeapodise their current position with their employer? All that is required is listed on the CAA portal. If there are no current UK TREs in their company they would have to pay externally for an LST if the triple or 78 were not on their pre existing JAR licence.
The requirement for a UK issued EASA License is a Part.FCL.TRTO requirement now. I believe it is all in CAP 804.

Whatever reason VAA requires someone to have a UK issued licence is the same reason an Irish company might require their pilots to have an Irish licence. So in my situation for example, my TRE at my next simulator might wonder why I now have an English licence when 6 months I had an Irish one...
Sorry was/is that not obvious?

Regarding the 10 Airbus hold pool swimmers... I am one of them. Been told a couple of times the last 18 months that we would be considered ahead of any new applicants. But recruitment has now been re-opened and I have not heard a thing.

So if you're not type rated, don't get too excited sending them that CV...

Non UK TREs are entitled to conduct tests and checks on non-UK licence holders they just need to comply with the briefing and EDD requirements.

It is much easier for an operator to require that all pilots hold the same state of licence issue as their examiners hence why many do.

What's all the fuss here?

Virgin = UK airline, governed by the UK CAA. Is it not obvious that you need a UK issued EASA ATPL to work here?

Besides it's their train set, and if that is the requirements then that is the requirements. Sorry but that's how it is.

Good luck to those that apply. :ok:

Any info on selection?? Over the years I've heard things from a relaxed chat to full tests and HR quizzing on ppjn. I have looked through this forum and it seems very quiet in the actual interview and tests? Any help appreciated. Thank you.

With regards the change of competent authority, the CAA are stating that the processing time they try to meet is 10 days. Wether this is the time it takes for them to log your application or the actual time in working days to be ready to issue the applicant with a UK issued part FCL , i dont know. Unlikely to be 10 days total, as it relies on your issuing authority pulling their finger out and sending your documents to the CAA for processing. Anyone actually done tnis?

Therefore one could apply , and then change your none EASA licence to a uk issued one. If you are holding a none easa rating, eg B777 or B787 and are restricted to aircraft registered say in UAE, you will have to remove the restriction first, as the CAA dont as yet allow this ( any change here?). again this will take a few months are independant examiners are full of expats renewing their licences :D

Update on my last post: the Airbus hold pool swimmers have now been contacted :ok:

Captain Span Cam, when I went through it (2014) the day consisted of:
1) Writing two brief essays on arrival (why you want to work for Virgin, etc)
2) Verbal and numerical reasoning tests. The numerical test was pretty much entirely made of data tables that you had to extract answers from ("what percentage of company X revenue was made by the Manchester branch in 2008"). You are given a calculator. Verbal was made of short paragraphs and statements about them ("The study concluded that eating sugar did not increase the risk of heart attacks" True/False/Cannot say)
3) Interview. Standard competency stuff ("Can you give me an example when you showed leadership"), as well as the usual motivation for Virgin, why you leaving your company, etc

No group exercise and no sim.

Permafrost, well done on the call it shows Virgin are true to their word. Thank you for the info that's all I needed to know just a quick rundown on the days activities without any unfair advantage. Thanks again :ok:

Evening,

Has anybody who's applied had a response? Early days yet I suppose.

I would hazard a guess that the earliest time anyone will hear back is early - mid December for interviews in mid January.

Greetings Virgin people.

I'm just about to bang in an application. I've got about 2000 hours on the A330 and currently living in Gods Country. (North Yorkshire).

Can anyone in the know tell me: 1. What are my chances getting a 330 position at Manchester?
2. Is that start pay, £69000, after tax and what can I expect to take home every month as a new f/o.

Thanks,

Michaela.

I think you may have missed the boat, closing date was 9th.

You're nearly a week to late. Deadline was Monday just gone.

Greetings Michaela

1) Zero on this round as recruiting has closed.
2) £69000 after tax? Er, no. No no no no. That's before. :bored:
Take home £3800 + allowances.

10/10 for optimism and enthusiasm. 2/10 for timing and research.

Thanks,

Virgin people.

That was a grammatical error. Firstly, michaela74 you didn't really think that £69k was net did you. Not only would that be a staggering amount for someone just joining, but surely you could have worked out what the monthly net would be if you thought £69k was the yearly net salary ;)

Has anyone heard anything yet?

Looks to be a resounding no...

With a new pilot manager in place and still finding his feet and considering no firm dates being chalked in the diary for interview days then I'm not surprised to hear no one has heard back yet.

All in good time! 👍🏻

No rush for me. If they call, it will happen whenever it happens:ok:

This is the first time I have applied to VS, I know from past experience applying to other carriers it normally takes around two weeks after closing date to receive a response, is VS one of those airlines that may take a very long time to give you the outcome of your application?

I had given up all hope with one airline many moons ago but 8 months later I was invited for an interview, 2 weeks later I started with them.

My current employers had my application on a Wednesday, they phoned me on the Friday resulting in a flight bound for Sim evaluation early Saturday morning and commenced the ground/school company course following Monday morning.

So I have experienced both extremes. Depends on what day of the week it is I suppose.

I have given up with Virgin now, which is a shame as they were always my first choice. Never even got an interview or a "perhaps maybe". Never mind, their loss 😉