virgin
 

Speaking to a friend earlier today,


He applied 2 weeks ago and got an email yesterday confirming he was in the holding pool

4500hrs A320 330

you lot are carrying on as though you haven't seen the thread going on parallel to this one.

Believe me if you have secure employment,don't leave it for this shambles until we have a sweep out of the office.

Farefield,

It looks like the other Virgin thread has dissappeared maybe Scroggs lost his nerve after posting about VAA Management.

Still if you need a job VAA are short today. Just had my Sunday morning text we're desperate for someone to fly the .............

om

The other thread has not disappeared; it's in R&N. I don't know why it's bounced between here and there.

Oxymoron,

something like "clever VAA manager" then.

Thanks Scroggs I've found it now Virgin Atlantic Massive Pilot Shortage

Still everything very quiet for me...anybody got a call after applying in march? I was expectig a fast feedback (positive or negative) as they claim to be so short of pilots these days...4000+ A330 A320
Cheers!

No news then??

No news from the March application....yet

Let's keep on waiting then... :rolleyes:

airbuddy,

if only me and you applied - that would be nice! :E

I'm still waiting as well ;) I thought the PFO got lost in the post!

I wouldn't worry, I applied in October and have still heard nothing!

One of my mates just had the e-mail this morning offering an assessment day in a few weeks. Thought people would be interested to know.

Good luck to the rest of you :ok:

Busbar, from March application?

Yes from March Application, Jinkster. He currently flies the 737 for a European Lo-co.

Why the h£ll would you want to join Virgin. EVERY pilot is totally pi$$ed off. BA are allegedly recruiting so try them first. You'll probably meet quite a few VS guys on your interview day and if you get the job then you'll be with VS guys too!

The grass might be greener but once you get there it might not taste as nice.

Of course there are worse places.

Just don't believe the hype, keep your fingers crossed whilst in the lowest 150 places on the redundancy, sorry I mean seniority list, and you'll be fine.

Develop a strategy for combating chronic fatigue and zombie state;

Oh, and be happy to be an FO for 15 or more years.

If you can do that and keep smiling, then this is THE best job around.

Good luck for the future to everyone.

Pilots are their own worst enemies. Which is why the industry is in the mess it is. But that's another topic.

Nothing heard from me either, 330 rated too. :hmm:

Interview
 

Have an interview on 28th... anybody got any idea of the format?? I know that there are 10-20 other people so group exercises will be a defo... any idea of tech quiz etc would be helpful. Oh and before anybody tells me not to bother etc etc.. i'm a returning VR pilot... I know the grass isn't greener!!:)

And how do you feel having to ask for your job back?

Nice, warm feeling I imagine?

not really.. starting back at the bottom of a very long sen list is not an easy pill to swallow.. however i left to do something completely different and away from aviation.. box ticked and move on.. I have no choice but to accept the status quo, however i know what to expect.... better the devil you know imo :ok:

That is very noble of you, more than the company deserves in my opinion.

If they have ANY sense, they'll wave you through the doors.

You are a known quantity, the world has gone mad if they don't take you back.

This is Virgin Atlantic we're talking about and unfortunately common sense doesn't come into the equation.

Any news on a potential merger partner or tie-up yet?

What's best? Integrated or modular?

Smith,

What is your post about? :confused:

This is a discussion on Virgin recruitment, not flight training. Maybe you would find a better answer in the wannabes forum.

A wind-up I think :rolleyes:

Virgin interview
 

Narrow.. Logic would say that, however I accept there are no guarantees... I left virgin with my eyes wide open. I re applied with my eyes wide open too.
The interview process was tough and as I expected they went deeply into why I left and even more deeply into why I want to come back and what I'm likely to be faced with. The recruitment team were very professional and I would expect them to do due diligence on me exactly the same as anyone else.

If anyone else would like any info on the interviews etc pm me. Suffice to say that it's based very much on the type of person that you are! Good luck. :ok:

Why?
 

I have a question for all of you queuing up to apply to Virgin: why? Remember when they got rid of the Classic years ago? Branson tried to dismiss all of the Classic pilots because he claimed that it was too expensive to retrain them on the 400! := Fortunately the unions fought to over turn this decision. Have you noticed what Virgin do every time there is anything from a hiccup in the economy to a natural disaster? That's right they chop the bottom 120+ pilots off the bottom of their seniority list, no loyalty, no compassion just out the Virgin revolving door you go.

I remember how pompous they were in past times, including on these forums, of how special it was to work for Virgin, how great you had to be, with squillions of hours to be considered :zzz: How they favored ex-military pilots & wouldn't even consider anyone who had worked for Ryanair. How times have changed. I now fly the 747-400 & I haven't applied to Virgin: the last time I did was when I was at FR: that time they never bothered to respond to my application. Now they are sending out e-mails asking me to apply, following this up with a reminder &, remember, I haven't even updated my c.v. with them: they still know me as a Ryanair pilot.

Be very careful of Virgin, their management are O'Learys in sheep's clothing. Would you invest all of your cash in a Fund that was likely to wipe you out financially without any previous indication? Would you walk across a snow covered precipice not knowing where the snow would give way & plunge you into a frozen crevice? In the same context that's the gamble you take when you join Virgin at the bottom of the seniority list. Go to BA instead, a far better outfit in every way shape & form. :D

X-Centric

Are you kidding, you worked for FR and can come out with all that crap? They "want" you to apply. Who are you trying to fool? Working for FR you funded T & C's that bought the industry down, then have the balls to give advice to people on that particular subject? :mad:

Why are you even posting on this subject? You have contributed.....nothing?! Go and fly your 747-400 and don't apply to Virgin.

Ok dude. Sorry you had to waste your first post in nearly 4 years replying to my mouth crap.

Why?
 

X-entric... let me put you back on the correct heading... you are wrong on many points.. firstly vs only tried to get rid of the classic pilots as there wasn't a lifo agreement in place at the time.. FACT. They are a business at the end of the day and were doing what any employer facing financial difficulties would have done.. And dont give me all that carp about loyalty.. im sure you would do whats best for yourself and your family at the drop of a hat facing a similar situation. I had only been with the company 5 months at that time completed my line training on 9/11.. the company owed me nothing as i was still under my probationary contract.. I could have been dismissed with a weeks notice.. Instead Virgin not only paid me 3 months wages but also gave me an extra months as well!! I eventually left 6 months later, 2 weeks after i left they offered me job back and said i could keep the money... I started back eventually 4 months later on the same pay scale and t's and c's i'd left on!! Doesn't sound like the company your talking about!! I also decided to take voluntary severance 18 months ago and have been interviewed for a position. Now this is the thing... I contacted my old boss in January asking if they were looking for any pilots on the 400.. not at the mo was his response but i'll keep you in mind.... he eventually called in late March to see what i was up to and if i was still looking for a Job... He knew i was type rated and current and had 7 unblemished previous years with the company... I have had to go thru the whole application process... I find it very hard to believe that they were emailing you asking you to apply especially when as you say you still worked for Ryanair and didn't have a 400 rating... hmmm they must have gone mad and decided to spend money on training all of a sudden!

Virgin have employed pilots from many different aviation backgrounds.. both military and civilian.. many pilots are from Ryanair so I dont know what you are talking about??? I joined them in 2001 from BMI with a little over 1000 jet hours on the 737!!! No Sim ride required which is more than i can say for many other airlines who charge for the pleasure!! I can only assume they ignored your application as you probably came across as a little Xcentric :)

The management at Virgin are no worse or better than any other Airline... I cannot speak of whats happened over the past 2 years but i do know that they tried to mitigate every last redundancy and tried to help as many people as possible get alternative employment!!! Don't get me wrong a lot has changed over the past few years at vs and the situation has got tougher... but times are lean many businesses are cutting costs and having to become leaner to be able to get thru the current financial crisis that we are all facing.. the days of a Job for life are gone and its down to every individual to make sure you are prepared for the worse at any point in time. Don't rest on your Laurels... you could be next.. we are all walking on thin ice at the minute.. and I don't see it getting any thicker for many years to come!


Glad you finally got to fly the 400 and i'm sure you'll be very happy but don't go slating other airlines and other peoples employers unless you have all the facts!! And as far as BA goes ... Well each to their own!! Good Luck!!

PtP

X-Centric, Your head must be like a balloon ready to burst? Airlines like VS are seeking you out personally to fly their 744s? Be careful of that ego; don't get carried away! Potentially a dangerous personality in the FD with a serious implication to CRM if we believe we are King Pin! :ok: Surprisingly and indeed contrary to your own personal experience, rated and experienced A330/340 operators have heard sweet FA from "the office." Maybe they are on the wrong type or possibly the sun doesn't shine so well from their sixes? :hmm:

I'll give you that. VS are keen to cull when the going gets rough. I know two guys personally who were at the sharp end of the sword during the last go around. Funnily they were both recruited as DEPs from....wait for it.....Ok......almost there.....mmmmm......you guessed it.........RYANAIR. Big whoop, I know. Maybe you were just unlucky (or lucky). Application fell down the side of the filing cabinet and all that!

PS. It was about 20 FR guys who were recruited by VS during the previous pre recession expansion. DEP to the 744 and A340.

Good to have you back PtP!:ugh:

Be careful what you wish for!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listen you guys... There is no substitute for hard graft in this industry.... The apprentice route is the way to go... My personal experience was AFI to 750 hrs Air Taxi for 9 months. Regional turbo prop for 18 months. 737 for 2 and a half years and for the past 7 yrs B747-400. And you know what.... ive never been so bloody miserable... put me back on a 30 seat turbo prop out of a regional base!!!

Good luck to all who start in this bloody career and if you are considering it... go and do something else before its too late!!

PtP

Hoof, fair point and i did wonder how long that would take!! :D


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have an interview on 28th... anybody got any idea of the format?? I know that there are 10-20 other people so group exercises will be a defo... any idea of tech quiz etc would be helpful. Oh and before anybody tells me not to bother etc etc.. i'm a returning VR pilot... I KNOW THE GRASS ISN'T GREENER!!

Hey Ptp

So that's 8 1/2 years since you joined Virgin? So I guess about 2003? So how were you....

What are you a Management stooge or just a fantasist?

Nigel Wannabes
 

OBK: Surprising, or even amazing, as it may seem to you Virgin do need pilots to fly their aircraft otherwise, guess what? They sit on the ground. There: basic aviation industry lesson over for you, dear boy. They sent me two unsolicited e-mails asking me to apply & I have not applied to Virgin in anyway since approximately six years ago when I was flying the 737-800 for FR. And before you open up & accuse another pilot of funding the deteriorating industry conditions know who you are talking to; I funded nothing: when I joined FR I was already rated on the 737 having worked previously for a UK charter company. If you want to point the finger at the underlying attitude that has brought down this once great job then look no further than PtP's brushing off of appalling disloyalty toward Virgin's Classic drivers by the company some years ago where he states :D Would you be happy to brush off O'Leary's equally harsh treatment of his crew? I bet you wouldn't. And please don't compare what a private individual would do to protect his family with Virgin's managerial disregard for those who helped to create the company. That's not even comparing apples with oranges it's just stupidity. :ugh:

PtP: I don't need you to put me on any correct heading, thanks awfully. I work with six ex-VS crew, one of the guys was a TRI/TRE when he left & he was also one of the guys who had to fight to keep his job when Virgin ditched the Classic. If it wasn't for union intervention then after starting up with Virgin, flying for them & training its crew he would have been dumped. Well believe it you should because I'm not the only one who has been receiving these emails from VS. However, you go on to say How pompous of you, PtP, you really find it hard to believe that only you could join Virgin without a 747 or Bus rating?:=

Rubbish: they are far worse & that is now out in the industry. At BA they do everything possible to keep their crew, look for voluntary redundancies, offer part-time contracts etc., etc. before they simply slice off the bottom 120+ pilots without bye or leave.

Oh come on, give us all a break! Are you seriously trying to tell us that you really wanted to work for VS instead of BA? Anyone here who is unbiased believe that crap? :oh: You're not even Nigels, you're Nigel Wannabes! It's like trying out for Manchester United & ending up playing for Port Vale, you are second fiddle & second rate to BA & really always will be. Do you get jealous when you layover at the crappier hotels, receive half the per diems & one of the lowest salaries in the industry to fly long haul? NO!:eek:

Callsign Kilo: nowhere in my post did I say that 'airlines' were seeking me out personally to fly their 744s. Never did I claim to be a kingpin. I suggest that you read through it again & when you do (assuming that your command of written English is good enough to finally grasp the meaning of my post) you will see that I said that I had been contacted twice, via email, by Virgin asking me to apply. Now, not understanding basic English is a failure to communicate so may I suggest that you work on this area as this could be disastrous on the flight deck for you, your crew & the passengers in your care. :=

I'm delighted to see that the anti-Ryanair sentiment has left VS & that they are now recruiting some of the best trained, most commercially experienced pilots in the industry. Let's hope that their bias towards ex-military twits, from an inferior national air force (The RAF - just so you know who I'm talking about, Callsign Kilo) who wouldn't know a successful commercial venture, or how not to be a selfish A-hole is coming into balance. :D

Oxy Moron... Easy, do the Math.. I left 18 months ago... I joined in May 11th 2001..completed my final line check 11/09/2001.. So I stand corrected.. 4 months.... I took VR in June 2002 rejoined in Nov 2002 and took VR again in Oct 2009... so by my reckoning that would make oooohhh 1 month short of 7 years continuous service or a tad over 8 years in total... Can i recommend some light reading... Mental Math for Pilots by Ronald D. McElroy... always served me well :ugh:

X centric... Thanks for your diatribe.. I'm not going to even bother to try and answer any of your drivel.. You clearly need to grow up! If you do work for BA then you are clearly misplaced and somehow managed to slip through their normally highly selective selection process...:eek: