BA RJ Capts to RHS 747-400
 

Heard a rumour that someone who set eyes on the lastest cassandra run saw RJ skippers sat in the RHS of 747s.

and...where is the problem with this???

I can't remember saying there was a problem with this. Perhaps you should read my post again just to reassure yourself FL310.

What's your point HJS, and why post this on a 'non company' forum?

If they have a valid bid, and with the presumed RJ rundown they should have, ANYONE bidding for the 744RHS should easily achieve it.

The very strong likelyhood is also that anyone expressing a directional preference for 744RHS will also achieve it.

Quite what life would be like for them right at the bottom of the seniority list is a rather different matter. How they find the CRM challenge might also be quite interesting!

So again HJS, what's your point? what kind of response did you expect?

As an aside, I'm absolutely amazed cassandra is available already!

Interesting Homer.

Is this a wind-up, I wonder? Hmmm. I have heard a similar rumour but it involved RJ FO's. Believe me it's really doing the rounds; they're mostly elated. I have also heard that there are one or two skippers who actually bid for the rhs aspirationally. I nearly did myself, because when the accounts were done I probably would only have been about £500.00 worse off (taking into account lower tax and increased allowances probably about on par with a shorthaul captain's at LGW). For me there were a few unresolved issues about the way it would be handled, too numerous and boring to expand on here.

The story doing the rounds at the moment is that one of our FO's actually rang (is it JH?) the chap who deals with it and was told that on the initial run all the RJ FO's had been awarded their initial bid. In the majority of the cases this was for 777 and 747 but as we all know (or think we know!) there is no room on the twin.

I immediately got to thinking that it sounds pretty ludicrous to suggest that the FO's have got their bids but no mention of the skippers. Maybe because the ringer was an FO himself and the skippers' plight wasn't entered into, who knows?. Still, one thing is for sure, they can't deplete the fleet of FO's without removing skippers at the same time. This particular FO is a little prone to his flights of fancy and I wouldn't put it past him to be a little overzealous in his interpretation of what he heard.

In any case, and please correct me if I'm wrong, don't they do various dry runs on this before the definitive article is published? Often, I hear, bearing litlle resemblance to the original run.

Interestingly enough Balpa did mention that BA are considering buying up to 20 new 747s in the next few years. They are cautious in the present climate and so it's not rubber stamped yet. If they go ahead with it then I guess it's the movement fleet.

A couple of points, Tandem:

Firstly, unless this particular fleet is still overrun by the proverbial 'Atlantic Baron', then I don't fully understand your comment about CRM.

Secondly, it does make me laugh when some of our more naive youngsters and prostate sufferers alike dream of going long-haul and living the expat life. I don't think some of them understand that their premature ejaculation off the RJ and into their dream fleet, is also going to mean the drudgery of being at the bottom of that fleet's seniority for quite some years to come as those presently frozen, and more senior, pilots join at a later date.

I seem to be one of the few who does realise it and am willing to accept my lot if I should be lucky enough to be put on it. In fact, I can even come up with a bright side to it all: I won't have to fly with the Atlantic Barons of old because they get all the plum trips which I won't be on.

SS

Those that want 744RHS should, and almost certainly will, achieve it.

For the record, any of my references to CRM were not intended to imply any shortcomings in the experience levels, or abilities of ex CFE captains or FOs. Though, dare I suggest, they will be dealing with people and situations a little different to those they are used to!

As for the 'Atlantic Barons' (perhaps that should be 'South Atlantic Barons') Even 'senior' lines have some 'junior' trips on them (much to the disgust of our more mature colleagues!). So all those on long haul will, at some time, enjoy the company of the vast majority of skippers.

What a joy it is to be told for the umpteenth time how much an EZE is worth, when you are on your 5th or 6th East Coast of the month!

What a comfort it is to be directed!

As for me, I am RHS Longhaul, and I would love to be sitting in the LHS of an RJ in the Regions. I guess that's what makes the World go round!

Just out of curiosity do any of you know of RJ pilots going to the 747? How hard is the training in comparison? I have heard from several 747 captains who transition to the RJ that the CRJ is the hardest thing they have ever had to train on. I agree, the training was the most stressful I have ever completed. However, it might just be our training department because flying the line is pretty easy. I have never heard any complaints from guys going from CRJ to Boeings though. What for example would be the CRM challenges referred to? Or what kind of things would their be in training that weren't in CRJ training, I can't imagine?

Just curious, thanks

BBB

Don't want to burst their balloon, but the first few runs of Cassie ain't worth the paper they're printed on. Jim is an incredibly bright and interesting bloke and I marvel at how he juggles so many balls at one time. It really is worth going and talking to him and seeing how many inputs go into the postings pot. This changes almost daily and that is why Cassandra is run more than a few times.

I hope they get what they want, but breath holding at the moment would result in very purple faces.

Sorry to but in, but does this mean the RJs were not a success with BA? Uncle Rod ordered them for Ansett and they were a DISASTER!! One of the last nails in our coffin...

Not a bad result eh? From one of the lowest paid smaller fleets of constantly breaking down (from Engineering) little aeroplanes straight to job they applied for at the same time as our CEP`s. But without the inconvenience of having to be successful or wait a five year freeze (touchy point but true in the case of most RJ FO's).

I can't argue with the rules and I would expect similar in the same position, but it still makes me feel a little sick. More so now that rostering at LGW looks like CFE rostering and is nothing short of $h*t. With the long term salary benefits, and the new doors that had been opened by the take over, these guys will no doubt be very happy indeed.

Unfortunatley, I hear the airbus is still very short, and there will be lot's of valid bids from more senior people, so I would expect RJ guys to be directed to those fleets. Also the FO's will require their 1500 hrs and ATPL before going longhaul, though I suppose most of you have that.

"Also the FO's will require their 1500 hrs and ATPL before going longhaul, though I suppose most of you have that."

Doubt it, else they'd have been captains in CFE!!
:rolleyes: