Just in reference to above mention of not going down PTF route. Whilst you don't pay to fly you will pay for your rating. If you plan to stay there forever fine but otherwise the rating is becoming increasingly useless to have. IMHO.
The jet hours are good but weight wise not so great. It's a job I suppose which has great value but I still feel the jury is out on a sustainable business plan and how long the job will last. I hope I'm wrong but I always like to stay as close to reality as possible...

VAN G
Give our new owners a chance if wasn't for them we would be on th dole try the glass is half full it might help also the E145s are paid for and cheap to run

The regional deal for the type rating is one of the best in the industry, and for those of you who havent looked into it, it is tax deductable so works out very reasonable. Far from PTF. The company provide good training and I certainly have learnt a lot from flying there. IMHO this is the way it should be, start on a small jet/turbo prop and work your way up.

I too have concerns over the business plan and its viability and the effectiveness of the 145. I keep hearing the 145's are cheap to run, but its certainly not cheap flying anywhere with 6 people in the back!! But yes we must give the new owners a chance. I for one am glad to be there.

makes you wonder though when the competition open one of your newly launched routes the very next day, launching two weeks earlier at one of their main bases....hmmm

JASPA

I wasn't commenting on the efficiency of the embraers I was trying to provide information to potential applicants.

As for giving the owners a chance, I haven't criticised them. Just said the jury's out on this ground breaking business plan. Haven't seen much evidence of it yet and as mentioned above it will be fiercely competed with by the likes of Flybe.

Why when offering a realistic and cautious view do people jump on their high horse?! I wouldn't personally recommend joining the company because its not a stable job at the moment. Sad but true I feel. Just my opinion. The owners have had time. And they don't have an infinite amount so beg my pardon but I'm really bored of "give them some (more) time"

Its not tax deductible and its not the best. A bond would be better, no bond would be best. Type rating loan repayments are automatically taken after tax.
I'd say its not a bad deal.

VAN G it has obviously escaped your notice that in the last 6 months bmir has become a stand alone fully operational airline that in itself is mamouth task combined with the winter schedual it was a wonder no redundancy of forced unpaid leave was announced if it had of been you as a junior first officer probably would have been one of the first to go as for the business plan new routes from Man, Brs, Bhx plus countless charters and don't forget the Airbus work the management have chosen to keep us up to date every month which is a damn site more than our old owners used to do I think bmir wil become a stronger airline once everything has been consolidated

Mungo man! You didn't think I'd post something without knowing the facts. I also didn't say there wasn't two different schemes running either. The latest for your information is deducted before tax and is part of a sacrifice scheme, just like a pension. I know yours isn't.... Some have a deal over 5 yrs after tax and some are only 3 yrs paid before tax. You obviously are the 5 yr deal and paid after tax. Now before your head explodes and phone the office in aberdeen. You can make a claim to the tax people for that. Look into it, you will get a rebate.

I still say its a good deal, if your on the right deal the type only costs 8k. The no bond as you suggest prob isn't practical for the company and the current deal stops guys running of to say...... HK...

JASPA

I was offering advice and an opinion to would be applicants. And I stand by it. Not sure why you're turning it into a debate over how well the owners are doing. And no need to be so condescending. I'm not a junior first officer but even if I was no need to be so patronising.

The owners have had a lot longer than 6 months to get their plans together. I wasnt even criticising but will remind you once again that I said the jury is out. Is that not correct?!? You obviously have a personal agenda. I was trying to offer advice that you will pay for the rating and as a stepping stone it's not a particularly useful or solid rock. I speak from my own and many others' experience. If you want to try and convince yourself all is ok then crack on. But you're wasting your time with me sir. All the best.

I wish bmir well, the Embraer is a nice bit of kit, but with limited numbers in Europe paying for a type rating rather than being bonded is risky. Until we see some financial numbers or passenger figures from bmir then i think its fair to say the jury is out.

I know they do well out of Airbus and charter work, but other than on very thin & long point to point routes its a very expensive aircraft to operate. Even if they got them for free........

Anyone got any pax number for their scheduled routes?

Risk aside i'm told the training is excellent and a very good bunch of pilots and cabin crew

Anyone got any ideas as to how you can reclaim the tax on our type rating. I'm currently on the five year deal paying my bond out of my net. Cheers

I think the regional deal is one of the best available at the moment. A great chance to get started on a jet airliner, full efis flight deck, on a good salary, bonded for type as supposed to pay all up front (during type training getting basic salary including accommodation with breakfast and travel home) pension, private medical insurance, class one medical insurance, all renewals payable by the company, sickness benefits, a lifestyle agreement, the list goes on... How many airlines are offering this, right now? Oh and I don't pay for my uniform either!

Yes it's an Embraer, heaven forbid a 145 but it has done and continues to open doors for those looking to move on. As for the future of the company we now have strong leadership with focus and the tenacity to see the best brought out in our product. Taking chances and exploiting some great opportunities. Here's to the new, much improved British midland regional!

Lifestyle agreement :}

You old cynic you, it did get rid of late finishes-early starts beloved of regional operators. I think it did some other stuff but I forget.

101325, I agree with what you have said, there are a number of people who have been there 20+ years. Even if not a career airline for most it certainly has provided a lifestyle of choice for a surprising number of people. Long may it continue.

The Embraer is a basic jet aircraft but actually this is exactly it's most endearing feature. No A/T and hence no coupled VNAV, it actually involves some operator flying input unlike more sophisticated types. My view anyway, but it is all good as far as building flying experience. It is also a nice handling aircraft that is easy to hand fly.

Enjoy it while you are there, hopefully this P2F bulls*it will disappear and flying as a career returns to some semblance of common sense, though I somehow doubt it.

Legacy 650 has no auto thrust but coupled VNAV

News : Embraer Legacy Jets to Feature Primus Elite

Anyone in the know have any information regarding bmi regional's recruitment this Winter, as in, is there likely to be any?

In particular I'd be interested to know if they are generally willing to entertain PPL instructors with under 1000 hours total time?

Thanks :ok:

Word on the street is that a course of 4 or 5 is about to start very soon.

I would expect there to be others to follow, though guess they will try to run as 'lean' as possible over the quieter winter. :rolleyes:

Not sure of the minimum requirements these days, at one point preference was given to those with over 500hrs, but low time not been prohibitive in the past.

In the past they have interviewed and employed flying instructors with your level of experience.

does anyone know where/who to send a cv.

can't find anything on website. ppjn one is wrong.

That's great, thank you both for the info. Fingers crossed that there is still possibly some light at the end of the tunnel.

I literally check their careers page every night, hope to see a change very soon showing some recruitment under way.

4 First Officers started ground school on Monday rumour is 2 more courses
to follow not sure where they're getting candidates from. Captains and First Officers are still waiting to hear from Jet2 so it could be on going.
Good luck to all who join.

Apparently they just announced the closure of the BHX, MAN and EDI bases and that's on top of the closure of NEW and GLA already this year. That's a lot of surplus pilots/planes into the system but there are new routes starting in Norway, NEW and loads of ad hoc charter.

Be interesting to see where all the spare pilots end up. Hopefully they have work for them all to avoid redundancies.

Recruitment
 

Anyone have any knowledge of where there may be base vacancies if any recruitment is to take place?Bearing in mind the recent base closures? Any jobs likely out of Hawarden?

Thanks.

Word on the street is that any vacancies at Hawarden will get snapped up by displaced guys from MAN or BHX so unlikely.

Never say never though Jimmy and you have to be in it to win it. If you do join expect ABZ basing initially I suspect.

Interview.
 

Hi folks,

Just wondered if anyone has any updated info on tech paper, group exercise and interviews. Seem to be looking for experienced NTR FOs.

Thanks! :ok:

Didn't they just put 32 NTR cadet F/O's through CAE Gatwick? It's my understanding it's £26k up front and you get 500hrs on type as part of the deal? If there are 32 new F/O's floating around it's hard to see how they can need anymore?

Jeez, I don't think the previous 2k upfront with 10k from your wages doesn't sound too bad now!

And I got 2200 hrs!

Cadets, they're like lambs to the slaughter!

What 26k for a pretty useless type rating..how secure is this outfit anyway is it turning a profit since it went on its own?

I believe CAE/Oxford are the ones taking all the money (and risk) and all Regional supply is the training and 500hrs on type with no guarantee beyond that. Real shame they have gone this way and you must be either rich or mental to pay that sort of money up front for an E145 rating. It's hard to see why anyone would choose a PTF Embraer 145 over a Boeing or an Airbus?

That said it's a great little job with super flying. They have been setting up bases around Europe and are still trucking along so who knows what there long term plan/outlook is?

Word on the grapevine is 20ish interviews last week experienced f.o.s ntr . With 36 low time guys joining there is a possibility of an upgrade shortage in the very near future. There is also a chance of some of the newbies being kept on after 500hrs. The organisations who set up the scheme are pilots robbing pilots and the union have done nothing to stop it. Nuff said:mad:

I've also picked up the word that they are still looking for experienced FO's. I think I qualify as one, and basically any jet is a step up from the tired old TP I fly right now. Just struggling to find an email address to send a CV to... I was given a name but can't find contact details. Perhaps someone here could help me along before I go and send it old school by snail mail :P.

The guys I met from BMI Regional seem like good people, experienced and new cadets a like. That would also be an upgrade compared to my current company...


Edit: Thanks for the help via PM :).

Any chance to apply with BMI as a FO? 800TT and 600 Jet.

And where to send an application best? I would appreciate any Info :ok:

Airbus contract lost. Short of Captains apparently.

I would be seriously careful taking up this pay to fly scheme. I have heard that cadets will not be offered employment after the 500hrs. So 26k on this type hmmmm....

Don't think that's true. It's more like a couple of people that don't don't fit in will not progress beyond 500 hrs.

That said, yes 26k for only a promise of 500hrs on an almost useless type is mental. Yet like every other hideous scheme that is destroying this industry they still find endless people that will do it.

Roster bidding at BMI?
 

Does BMI have any roster bidding or requests system (for days off or swapping duty)?

I see most schedules are M-F with the odd Sunday. (Hardly anything scheduled for Saturday). Do they fly most charters on Sat and Sunday? And are you rostered charters with your scheduled duty?

What are standby duties like?

Please forgive me for so many questions, but I am a newbie, trying to find out some info,

If you wish to PM with more details I'm ok with that also.

Thanks