Someone's feeling grumpy :rolleyes: Seeing as you mention it, yes I am at the "aspirational stage" - weren't we all once? One day after "years of graft" to fund training maybe I will get a turboprop job and I'm sure I'd be very happy to do so. In the meantime, the Virgin cadet scheme is a fantastic opportunity for me and all the thousands of other wannabe's. I wouldn't prefer a 787 over an Airbus as you suggest. I enquired to re-assure myself that Virgin look after their pilots, that the job I am applying to is secure in any fleet re-structuring. I'm not going to apologise for asking lots of questions, finding out as much about the profession as I can and seeking advice. 100 grand is a lot of money as it is without entering the whole process blind.

Trust me Manutd 1999 by the time your career has reached a stage that you need to worry about whether you are "stuck" on a 330 or whether the chance to move to the 787 is an option you won't care.

By then it is all about money and lifestyle.

Personally I would rather stay on the bus as I like my cheeky Caribbean trips mixed into LHR stuff but more importantly the thought of 3 weeks ground school plus 12 sims plus line training fills me with dread. Too lazy/lifestyle focused to worry about it. One day you will understand where I am coming from, but as someone who started off sweeping the hangar floor and towing gliders I understand your simplistic view on your future career. I was you once. If the fleet manager rings me up tmrw and says "your off on a course next week" then ces't la vie. I think Wireless is coming from the same wavelength.

All the best

Fair enough, maybe a little harsh, apologies. I've trimmed it down. 4engines was on the money.

It won't be a shrinking fleet of A330s if you see how many delta have ;)

The FAA added the 1500 rule. What will the FAA think of low houre MPL's flying transatlantic into their airspace.....

The FAA decided to change the rules, biggest mistake they ever made.
Ab initio pilots who start to fly with KLM always start as second officers on widebodies. Straight out of the KLM flightschool, 250 hrs and flying all over the world, also in US airspace. Has been going on for years, no problems at all.

In Europe some low hour pilots get a chance to start their career on a jet. The training they recieve before their first commercial flight is superb and have you seen any accidents in Europe because of lack of experience? I certainly haven't. I dare to say Europe is the safest place in the world with regard to aviation safety because of the high standard of training ( especially in western Europe )

There seems to be a lot of hate directed at the (potential) cadets here and I'm struggling to understand why. Is it their fault that the best/easiest/only way into the RHS of a decent airline job are the CTC/OAA cadet schemes? Would you do it any differently if you were on here, in their position, reading that it's "impossible" to get a job by working their way up through GA, turboprops etc?
Shooting people like ManUtd1999 down in flames for asking a simple question about progression smacks of jealousy and selfishness. Drop the holier than thou, it isn't as good as it used to be attitude and stop taking it out on people who are trying to get the job of their dreams. This problem is created by the system and the bean counters, not the 21 year-old staring out of the window as the contrails pass by.

Any news on upcoming recruitment?

john_smith wrote

Frankly, this is more of an indictment of john_smith than the industry to which he refers. If he seriously thinks that being a tube driver is a better job than being an airline pilot then he has no business being near an aircraft, not even as a passenger!

I'd say he's associating with the wrong pilots! 90% of the pilots I know love doing their job, they get somewhat cynical about the machinations of management and like to whinge about how much better things used to be, but take great pride in their work and constantly seek improvement and advice.

Yes, done it! Love it! Best investment I ever made. now approaching retirement in the left seat of a big jet with NO regrets but many happy memories, fulfilled in both my job and the relationship with the high quality people I get to work with.

Would I recommend this job to my children?

Yes

Bander, A little smug, are we not? You are not the only one,p to fly a big shiney jet fully of sweaty sardines. No doubt you have enjoyed the fruits of your labor in VS, ie a plentiful supply of those essex types, who should know better.
Hows the marriage ?

I am with Bengerman. I have done other things, but am very fulfilled in my career as an airline pilot and would do it all again. I am 55 and am still happily married to the girl I met when I was 18. If you are desperate to be a pilot, you could never be anything else. And I work for low cost!

I think my job is well paid, rewarding and I quite like my employer.

I know that its not PC to say that but its true!


WWW

The Crew, I'm not smug but I am content!

Marriage, still number 1 and 30+ years and counting is fine and I don't work for VS so you are wrong on every count!

NOW I'm smug!

For once, some happiness on pprune. I stand corrected and wish i had studied harder ... @BA pilot jobs

Questions:

1. What is the latest regarding hiring? Where are newhires coming from these days - Easy, Ryanair, others?

2. How many cadets are on line or in process so far? How many slots will cadets likely take each year?

Crikey Iver, you're still trying to keep this facade up. Thrashing around from thread to thread, offering "expert advice" on anything and everything. How many times have you been called out now?

Is that you Sherlock? How about you answer the questions rather than waste our time? You don't know me or my situation. No doubt many could benefit from the answers.

I guess the cadets will take a huge chunk of the recruitment.

What recruitment? The rumour at the moment is of possible pilot redundancies is it not?

Not trolling....I've been told that directly by people in the potential firing line & I sincerely hope it's not the case.