Perception, dear friend. Perception.

Yeah, I know, but who's perception of who?

fade to grey "10 days off a month contracted from November." is an improvement from the "office workers" minimum of 8 you have had in your contract up to now, but, doesn't it cheese you off that the 737 drivers have 12 ? shome mistake shurely ? long haul used to be attractive for, amongst other things, more time off. . . .where did it all go wrong ?

Oh, that's easy dear chap . The customers perception of who is flying their airplane.

I thought I made that clear. But not to you it seems.

The bottom line is that some pilots like to be associated with a particular brand. And everything that goes with that.

As for 'most', then the best we can do is look at the numbers going from legacy to lcc, or the other way around. And after that, just let the numbers speak for themselves. I've done both, believe me, and so has most of my colleagues.

Since everybody asked my opinion:
Been there, done that: Flying left seat on wide bodies for small carriers, pax and cargo.
Also flown right seat for big firms, worlds largest nowadays, 15,000 pilots.
Had more fun doing the smaller airlines, big fish in a small pond and all that.
Working for huge airline gets a bit dull after a while, everything is canned and too much Standardization. During a recent simulator check they had changed the procedures and call-outs. Instead of calling for speed, it was now speeds.
The instructor kept hissing in my ear speedsss, not speed, confused me while trying to climb out on one engine after a V-1 cut. I flew the jet fine and put it back on the ground fine, but got dinged for the speeds, or speed call, still not sure what the problem was.
Don't need the status and recongnition of a major airline, but the benefits are great.
That being said, more work, less pay with a smaller outfit, but more fun. More pay, less work with a big one.
Would like to have my cake and it eat too.
Or just retire early, been doing this too much anyways.
Carry on chaps, without me..

Capt,
Yes that's correct, short haul do get more and that is a bone of contention.

Euro rate is of no interest to me, paid in pounds now at a favourable rate.

How patently sad. Luckily I don't need that kind of affirmation to make my life satisfying.

I think that's wonderful and I wish you nothing but the best. If everybody wanted to fly legacy there would be nobody to haul sh1tfaced Scousers to ibiza for the weekend.

Different strokes for different folks. Pay me enough and I'll even haul rubber dogsh1t out of Hong Kong. Oh wait. I already do that.

And I agree with you TD that the status and recognition that comes with a major airline doesn't itself put food on the table or keep the neighbor out of my bed half the month.

But it does provide me with first class travel, a decent retirement cushion and a standard of operation that goes beyond the regulated minimums. I fly with colleagues who have chosen to be here as opposed to wishing they were somewhere else. The flying doesn't leave much to the imagination and the greens take me from the runway to the gate to the bed, but at the end of the day I'm left with enough time and cash to jump in the two seater parked in a hangar a short drive away if I ever feel the need.

You've tried both worlds and creds for choosing the glove that fits the hand. I know guys who have gone from legacy to lcc at their own choosing and never looked back. But let's be honest about it; they're the exception rather than the rule.

Come on
 

Gents,

I think we get a litte of Topic here. It is so simple, Not all of US have the choice.

There Are Pilots Out their, that have been employed with major carriers for a Long Time (Sabena for Example). Since the Company went bust, I know a guy who went through 7 insolvencies! So what, Are they worse pilots? of course Not!
but they just don't have the choice! What about if you have worked As a Cpt for Ten years and your Company goes titts up? You have nearly no Chance with the Major Airlines in Europe, it is more then great, that companies like Norwegian give you the Chance! Happy for everybody, who is in a Lucky Position, high seniority with a Legacy, or Major Airline, great, but Not everybody can choose, don't forget this!

I Miss some airmenship every now and then in this Forum!

happy Landings, to all of you

Zapper,

You are barking up the wrong tree here mate. In the UK, anyone not in the upper echelons of a legacy seniority list is considered a lesser being and if they suffer redundancy, then it is exactly what they deserve for not being one of the chosen ones. Nothing to do with luck of course, the blessed ones were individually chosen by god to be superior to everyone else and it is their sacred duty to rub our noses in it.

You sentiments are appreciated and mirror my own.

Merci and bon chance.

If you want to join a legacy carrier then go do it, but make sure you are young.

We had guys join big airways from my last outfit on the clapped out 767 . As they know it's 400 years to a shot at command, big airways tries to keep them interested by coming up with courses for them with names such as ' diversity in the cockpit with applied shamanism ' or some such stuff.
Not only that their rosters are sh.....not good, as there are 120,000 pilots above them on the seniority list.

Can't see the attraction if you're over 30. But then again I never had much patience .

Improved conditions
 

Gents,

Anybody nows the improvement on the Pay for RCA and FO's?

I guess the number that Fade to Grey poseted earlier was for CPT's!?

Cheers

I was interested in this airline myself, BUT it's nuts to pay 30K up front to a company that might go bust. If they failed in a big way you could kiss that deposit goodbye.
I bet their financial chaps say it's in a secure but little known bank, that then turns out to be owned by guess who, so goes bust at the same time as the airline.

I've written a letter to the EASA medical folks saying that any new co-pilot that pays up front for a type rating should fail a class 1 medical on the grounds of insanity!

Really, do some research before you start talking sh.....rubbish .

The bank involved is one of the largest in the world .
It's not some conspiracy between the banks, Rishworth and aliens .

So was the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Fade, we appreciate your opinions on your experience of Norwegian. Even though you had little choice with your decision.

I don't share your vitriol agains being in BA, it was the place to be and may well still be.As conditions of service in BA have fallen, those offered by the rest have plummeted. Except in Asia.

Interestingly, we never hear of Virgin pilots leaving. They must now be considered No.1 :D

No vitriol.
I'm merely giving my impression of why it wouldn't be of interest . If your under 30 I imagine it would be.

I agree Virgin pilots don't seem to be unhappy with their lot

And of course , you always have a choice.
Especially when you are dealing with a large chunk of your own money

fade to grey quote:

"The bank involved is one of the largest in the world. It's not some conspiracy between the banks and Rishworth"

It is implausible in the extreme to suggest the above condition makes the Norwegian up-front payment scheme both ethical and legitimate, even less so due to the involvement of New Zealand based Rishworth, via their Sweden office and Crawley UK, broom cupboard affiliate.