Drowning in the holdpool
 

Hi all,

I've been in the holdpool since before the summer 767 rated, unfrozen but havnt quite got the hours for long haul. I doubt I will make the hours up by the time I'm due to drop out. Can anyone shed any light on whether short haul recruitment may kick off again for non rated people?
Cheers

Pick up the bone to LC or LA. Sure they would be happy to talk to you

Hi Guy's

I am french, mid 30's and A380 F/O with Ek, expecting left seat within the next year.
Looks like that BA is coming to DXB for roadshows to find type rated 380 FO.
I am seriously considering trying to join, even if it means a big pay cut and a long time on the right seat.
Couple of questions if someone has the answers that would be cool.

-Is there a lot of guys commuting to france or south of Europe?

-Salaray when joining is around 54000 £ what about after 4-5 years. Cannot find the pay scale anywhere.

-Upgrade on the 380 or LH, 10-12-15years?

Ek is good to me so far, but I don't see myself and familly staying here more than another 5 years.

I'll let someone else discuss the pay points.

French commuters? Dozens, probably hundreds. If you include cabin crew, possibly more.

Left seat A380. Plan on twenty. It's a smallish fleet and those skippers who are there will want to stay. Many new Longhaul captains are aged around 40 so will be there for a long time.

Long Haul FO increment is just under £3000 per year.

Commuting no problem on the 380. Of the daily departures there are 3 FO slots on 3 day trips (will be 5 for part of summer), 6 on 4 day, and 6 on 5 day. So the majority of trips are longish, most get back early, none too late for flights to France, and only 1 of the reports (2 in summer) isn't commutable from France on the same day.

You aren't tied to A380 for upgrade, but, it will be long time if you don't want to fly another type. A350 may be less, and A320 certainly much much sooner.

Are you sure? With The 34 Pay points? Or are you talking about your contract here?

Anyone who attended assessment day 1 last week heard back yet?

It's about 1500 on the new pay points

Hotel Mode
Might need a read up on the new Crew Members responsibilities under EASA and FRMS.
If your commuting in and operating say in the evening to HKG if something happened you might be in some bother....
:\

Hey guys,

Merry Christmas! Just wondered if anyone has been able to find any good software in order to practice the computer based ECAM tester we now have to do on day 1? The one with TCAS problems etc.. I have been looking around online and can't really find anything that would be of any use.

SinBin,

We stay at BA to fly with you mate :E

Have a great Xmas in your new gaff :ok:

Apparently, the number of boys being christened "Nigel" is at an all-time low; only ten in the UK last year. I wonder if BA's recruitment team are worried.

The current campaign is also expecting to recruit a few named Nigella. := ;)

No doubt the prospective Nigels will have read all about 'new shorthaul' arriving February.

Bidline has been 'switched off' for shorthaul, and you can now have 12hr 4 sector days and 10hr nightstops.

Think very carefully my friends, this is not going to be pretty.

Pure and unadulterated horse poop. Bidline cannot be "switched off", it is part of the contract and the industrial limits cannot be overridden just because EASA has changed the FTL's. Any changes to the duty rig must be negotiated with BALPA. The most limiting of BLRs or the EASA FTL's will be the worst case. We are bidding for February at the moment and there is very little difference in SH. There will be bigger changes for LH where Back to Backs are no longer being rostered, either voluntarily or otherwise. Yes, there will be changes but no worse than every other company is facing and actually with a lot more protections than most.

Make yourself miserable with doom laden scenarios if you must but try to keep some element of reality in there - or just leave the profession, you will not be missed.

Unless I've missed something, which is entirely possible, bidline rules have not been replaced, or modified. 10.4.1 still applies.

Hallo folks!

I wonder, if they offer me LH can I later on bid for SH command or I am somehow freeze for 5 years on type?

thx

SH lines for Feb look exactly the same as those for Jan, apart from the addition of some ORY standover days :)

Yes you can bid whenever you want. You will also incur a 5 year engagement freeze. This is for BA's benefit only. If they want to honour a bid of yours within your 5 year freeze then they'll move you. I believe what happens here is that you'd incur another 5 year freeze (for your new type and called an equipment freeze) plus any remaining from your engagement freeze.

Good luck!

I keep getting this. Any idea how to solve it?

RefUKLHR2722Region UK - HeathrowLocation UK - London - Heathrow T5 Map & DirectionsCategory Flying Opportunities
Unfortunately, the job you are looking for is no longer being advertised.

Stranotipo at the moment there is no active vacancy on the website hence why you can't find it.
However with the forecasted NEP numbers for 2017 I would be suprised if there won't be one online in the near future.

First things first, I have to put my questions (below) into context: I'm thinking about joining BA via the FPP. I know this is DEP thread but w/ Search I've gathered this is *the* thread in which many BA FOs & CPTs regularly stop by, so I hope some of you could help me by answering my questions.

(1) I read BA is one of few airlines that offers TRI (maybe also TRE?) position also to FOs. Teaching is one of my passions. If I could combine SH flying w/ TR instructing, that would only boost my motivation to join BA. Questions:
(1.1) How senior & how much flying hours does a pilot at BA have to have to be sent to TRI course and start working as a TR instructor?
(1.2) My goal for instructing isn't to become rich. OTOH, South East England is one of the most expensive parts of the world to live in. A cadet salary for the first 7 years is substantially lower than the DEP salary. So I have to ask is the work of a TRI (later TRE?) @ BA extra financially remunerated? If affirmative, how higher is the salary?

(2) Roster. I understand junior FOs at LGW don't have any influence over their roster at beginning. I'd like to know how senior would one have to be to successfully bid for following roster: From July till September work any roster. From October till June bid for time off - each week 2 specific workdays off (i.e. 2 predefined consecutive or non-consecutive regular workdays from Monday till Friday) and fly all other workdays and whole weekends, e.g.: every Monday&Thursday OFF and other 5 days of the week ON. Can a junior FO get such a roster in 2 or 3 years from joining BA? If not, after how many years?

I know I'd like to fly for BA, but I have to consider all aspects of the job. I'd appreciate honest and truthful answers. Thanks.

Ok, my go at answering your Qs. Consider this a holding response until, somebody who is more experienced in the subject areas replies.
1.1 I think you need at least 1500 hrs multi and there probably is a recency experience on the Airbus too. Its also very competitive to attain a training appointment and takes quite a few months to get on line.
1.2 Yes it is, but you will also be doing less flying in your training months and although that is partly covered by new pay arrangements, part of it isn't.
2 Almost impossible. Is this for a course or to play sport?

Mr ripley, thanks for a prompt response. I raised the question about roster because later in life I'd like to study another university degree (either to get a second BEng or upgrade my current BSc with an MSc; as a mature student via part-time mode of study, online/longdistance is not an option) ... How about 6 or 7 years down the line? Would I have better chances then? Or, maybe if I'd switch base or go LH?

1) You could apply for TAH within BA. Realistically speaking for FPP to Training FO could be quite a leap for the first few years, so if that's your goal, I'd aim for it as part of my '5 year plan' and consider myself fortunate if it comes sooner.

2) It's not true that junior LGW get no control at all. The reverse is probably true - a junior FO at LGW will probably get more from his bid that an junior blindline holder at LHR. It is very possible to bid for every Monday and Thursday off at LGW, and you'd probably stand a decent chance of getting most of them off as it's probably not high on everybody else's bids! You probably wouldn't get them all off however because of the need for two consecutive days in eight etc rules, which tends to block work together.

Perhaps those more experienced in BA will be able to tell us whether a training FO appointment must be based at LHR?

Yep, Training FO is LHR only.

Hi you ask some great questions but I think your putting the cart before the horse here and that will only pile on the stress and pressure.

The short answer is that BA can offer you everything you want but not necessarily at the speed in which you would want. TRI has a legal requirement of 1500hrs on multi pilot aircraft. You would be hard pressed to see it within 5 years and IMHO our trainers are generally very experienced. That said FPP guys are the top 2% in theory so why not. Seniority has little to do with it. It's down to you actually applying and then going through the interviews. If your suitable then you will be given the opportunity. Trainers work very hard in their training months and yes they get more money (not much more) but they loose out in duty pay so it's about even from what I have heard.

Rostering.......probably achievable if you put effort into your bidding and trading. If it's because of something at which you excel (sports) or you are undertaking further education the company are generally quite receptive to requests. Unless it's something like "I need every Saturday and Sunday off and I can't start before 10am on Mondays"

My suggestion is go for it. Come and join us. When it's not everything you want you can have a good old bitch about it. You'll fit right in then ;)

I applied and got a training FO job on the 757 3 years after joining as a cadet. Im
no ace of the base, so it its perfectly feasible.

Wow, you guys are great. Thanks to everyone for providing so much info.

In the meantime my 2nd post from Dec 28th has been approved by moderators and is now visible. To reiterate, my motive for roster question is further education.

About FO TRI: I take it it's a viable option then. But at LHR. And at least 3 to 5 years after joining ... That's all I need to know. :)

Onto roster:
@Stocious: The "Monday&Thursday off" was one example. You've mentioned the "need for two consecutive days in eight". I don't yet know the ins and outs of the LGW bidding system, so I understand this as "necessary 2 consecutive days off in 8 days time frame" rule. W/o annoying anyone w/ university timetables & attendance, let me say the 2 consecutive workdays off would also work for me ... Hence for example: one year from October till June I would gladly bid for Mondays&Tuesdays off and other 5 days on; and next year bid Thursdays&Fridays off and other 5 days on, etc. ... (1.) Would I stand better chances winning such a bid than previous example "Monday&Thursday off" ? ... (2.) Generally speaking, how junior/senior does a LGW cadet/FO have to be to successfully bid any above described 'workdays off' rosters? - Already 1st year or 2, 3 or more years after joining BA?
@bex88: We'll always find sth. to b!tch about. ;) But for now I'm really glad to know BA considers education as a favorable circumstance and are receptive to requests for bids/trades/swaps. One more reason I like BA.

Thanks for all the help!

P.S.: Hopefully, this post 'goes through' sooner than previous one. :}

I would add that BA considers further education as a benefit if they think it will be of benefit to BA when you graduate. If you wanted to do a course in basket weaving, you may find that they are less helpful.

You can change what you bid for every month at LGW if you so choose. You'd stand a reasonably good chance of getting a number of consecutive weekdays off each month right from the start as it's not a popular bidding strategy, but you wouldn't get them all, and there would be no guarantee further than the roster you've just received!

Is it possible to "port" an existing pension pot into BARP accrued at your previous employer?

Thanks for that Ten Dollar. Makes sense to me to try and keep it all in one place, but best to know my options.

You can but you have to wait 2 years before you can port your other pension/s into BARP. Not sure why, just the rules of the scheme I guess.

Happy New Year All!

Ok, I'll need to find an interim measure if that's the case. Thanks.

Ermm. Nope.

Many trips that under the old CAA FDP's are now in excess.
But ok under EASA.

Check out TRIP 2137, 2144, 2455. All at least 0:30 into discretion under the older, safer regime.

Trip 2487. 04:15 uk hotel pick up in ATH. ATH-LHR-PSA-LHR.
Park at LHR at 17:00.

These are bad days before you even start.

Well if that's true you can only imagine what easyJet are going to try to get away with then. This is not a BA issue, it's an industry-wide one. Look at Wizz Air where you'll have (at least) two of those kind of days in a row.

Right Engine,

Thanks; didn't notice those trips! Only three out of many but I'm sure that there are more lurking. On the whole, I still think that the total package isn't too different.

Happy new year :)

It would probably be good to take even more care than normal before deciding whether to exercise discretion in future. Especially as the onus is even more firmly on the head of the captain.

Taking your nightstop kit should become SOP from February.

I wish it was '3 out of many'. I got to about 20 trips and gave up looking.. This is in a low CAP month. Dread to think what trip constructions will look like when the Summer charters start!