Plenty of ex-fighter pilots in Thomson and other UK charter co's, s.sonic but don't expect to have your pathway swept with silk dusters just by that fact. There are many high calibre candidates from various backgrounds who want the same thing you do.

ShotOne
 

I think you misinterpreted my words. For sure what I DO NOT expect is a road paved of gold. On the other hand, I am almost confident that I will get a big "Thank you, but No", due to the fact that all companies are looking for 500-1000 hours multi-crew airline experience. If you are not Type Rated with 500 hours on Type or "connected" very well within the company you are applying for, your application becomes automatically invisible. I am just disappointed and i do not expect a special treatment due to my fighter jet backroad. But what I know is this..a pilot who is good at flying a C-172, will be good at flying an F-15 and also good at handling a B777..and without wanting to offend anyone, this modern minimum requirement of 500 hours multi-crew, is completely wrong and insane.

"But what I know is this..a pilot who is good at flying a C-172, will be good at flying an F-15 and also good at handling a B777..and without wanting to offend anyone, this modern minimum requirement of 500 hours multi-crew, is completely wrong and insane."

Well insane is a bit leftfield. Its not exactly insane if you look at it. They want 500 hours of experience within a multi crew environment.

I think that maybe where you're miss identifying what is valued in the bubble of goods (apart from being cheap and willing. That tops it in today's world). Handling, yes. But modern commercial aviation requires good old CRM amongst a bunch of other stuff that if you study it carefully, single seat fighter ops dont actually give you relevant exposure to.

I don't doubt you're a very competent "handler" of controls being a fighter Pilot. I'm also not not saying you don't have good CRM. You may have fantastic CRM waiting to be used, I don't know you. I've flown with ex fighter guys who equally have good CRM and dire CRM. The same as non fighter guys. It's just your post seems to suggest an assumption that aircraft handling skills are the sole relevance of that particular requirement.

"But what I know is this..a pilot who is good at flying a C-172, will be good at flying an F-15 and also good at handling a B777..and without wanting to offend anyone, this modern minimum requirement of 500 hours multi-crew, is completely wrong and insane."

Supersonic you seem like a smart fella. But the one thing to understand is that it is a much cheaper and faster from training point of view to take guys with that 500h multi-pilot hours minimum. It's nothing about who is capable and who is not, it's just about supply/demand and saving time and money :hmm:

-J

Any ideas when the application opens?

I love that pub recruitment policy! Any chance it could be introduced, its a winner. ; )

xollob
Even better and shorter solution is to ask the Reception ladies their thoughts on perspective candidates - any Nigel type reactions will come out when one asks for car keys in exchange for a visitors I.D.
:\

Thomson recruitment.
 

Hi all,

Having just turned the age of a mid-life crisis, I'm now wanting to be picky about what machine I fly as to avoid thoughts of getting old I keep thinking of my childhood and what flying machines I used to travel on as a kid. One of these is the 757. For those in the know, what are the chances of a non type-rated non-jet skipper getting into Thomson on a 757 at LGW? Is it possible. I'm sorry but the generic soul-less likes of the A-320 doesn't quite do it for me. - or maybe beggars can be choosers etc?

Ta much!

Pretty good actually. You should definitely apply.

Applications open on Monday.

Considering the numbers involved in terms of the planned recruitment (60+) i would say its both possible and very unlikely at the same time. On day one you pick a number out of a hat for your seniority number. Depending on when you start and what number you pick you may be at the top end or the bottom end of that scale. Either way it will still end you up on a part time contract for 5 years at the moment with the training costs being paid for by yourself (both type rated and non rated in their own respect). Also it has happened in recent times that a clause is used to type freeze new joiners for 3 years so if you join on the 737 it could well be that you are frozen to that type for 3 years before you are eligible for another type through the pilot bid. The only fleet at present where part time does not exist is the 787 which, at the moment, would trigger your full time contract but that would be years down the line for new joiners who join within the next year.

Good luck to everyone.

The length of service of some of our guys is testament to the quality of the job especially if you want a good UK based job.

Yes time to command has been an issue but I believe it is all changing as the catch up of the fly to 65 rule, SARS, 2008 credit crisis and most importantly merger is behind us.

I have had a wicked time and flown the 757, 767, 737 and destined for the 787 in a couple of years after career break return where currently enjoying the tastes :) of South East Asia. Done Canada SSV/swg three times and taken two winters off to fly elsewhere. I ve actually had more time out of the TOM than in it but still drawn some sort of salary and pension arrangements all the time. That's the beauty of the job for me, seasonality and the schemes that it brings. Complete your apprentiship and all these will become available to you.

I often keep in touch with mates at Ek and BA who sadly just fly a radar vectored ILS everyday.

Life is about fun and vareity!

Is this round of recruitment likely to be open to low hour folks other than internal candidates / Oxford / CTC cadets, or is it for experienced guys only ? With only around 60 jobs versus the mountain of applications they'll receive it's a long shot but I'd like to at least throw my hat into the ring.

If you're type rated, go for it.

Don't ask, don't get....

:)

Xollobb

£60k of debt in the year 2000 so guestimate now with inflation.
£12 k a year as a flying instructor, only getting paid when you could see the south bank at Livepool Airport
First commercial job £21k a year as a turboprop driver
Then moved up the ladder.
Couldnt afford pension contributions at the time.

Yes Disagree with the company training bond but having now been round the houses and seen the world and looked at various different flying avenues, some sort of commitment to a company is required. The market is too good at the minute hence want people to stay.

internal mail
 

Hi,

As you are aware we are doing a considerable amount of recruitment this year, in preparation for S16 – we are currently looking for around 60 new pilots as a result of planned retirements, attrition, commands etc.; it’s probably worth noting here that the rumour that we have lost 40+ pilots to BA is not true! This year 9 First Officers have resigned to pursue careers in BA, a lot fewer than the rumour!

Cadet Positions
We have already closed the Internal Cadet Positions and invited all 14 applicants to an Assessment Centre in EMA on the 2nd September. We hope to then select 8 candidates to progress through to the next stage which is a SIM session on the 14th September. Those who pass this will then start with us on November 19th to commence their 737 Type Rating – once they have completed their Ground School they will be based at MAN or LGW; the plan is that we will recruit 6 positions.

737 NG / Classic Type Rated Pilots
This position opens at 0001 on Monday 17th August and closes at 0000 on Sunday 23rd August. These positions are open to 737 300 – 900 Type rated pilots with a minimum of 300 hours on the aircraft, of which 100 must have been in the last 12 months. This 737 TR recruitment is different to previous years as we have included “Classic” pilots for the first time.

757/67 Type Rated Pilots
This position opens at 0001 on Monday 17th August and closes at 0000 on Sunday 23rd August. These positions are open to 757 / 67 Type rated pilots with a minimum of 300 hours on the aircraft, of which 100 must have been in the last 12 months.

Non Type Rated Pilots
This position opens at 0001 on Monday 17th August and closes at 0000 on Sunday 23rd August. These positions are opened to pilots with a minimum of 1500 hours of which 500 must be on a twin turbo propeller aircraft, a military aircraft or a multi-engine jet. This is the first time that we have opened recruitment to non 737 / 757 pilots and so please pass the word around!

The positions will be advertised on the careers site (details below) and also on Twitter and Face Book

Candidates who pass the initial screening will be invited to an AC w/c 27th September when they will go through a morning of exercises that are based on the Pilot Skills List; if they pass the morning they will then be interviewed and then either offered a position or not!

The Assessors include a mix of Pilot Managers, Fleet & Training Managers and 10 Line pilots. This year we will be inviting successful Non Type Rated applicants to do a SIM session if they pass the AC. All positions will then start from early January right through to March time next year.

I appreciate that many of you know pilots who want to apply but can you please not give them my details … nor ask them to send me their CV!

The only way they can apply is via the web site: tuijobsuk.co.uk once the positions have gone live. They will then be screened by the 11 September & then if successful invited to AC; all dates are included in the job details on line.

I hope this is helpful,

Rgds, Kathryn

What's an AC? Not one of those cut-e jokes, I hope. For once it would be nice to attend an old-fashioned face-to-face interview.

PZ :bored:

AC= assessment centre.

Terms
 

Will they still be offering 70% contracts for experienced rated guys?

I think anyone new to the company will be on a PPY50 contract. For at least five years. But I am open to being corrected.