Flybe (Experienced Pilot Recruitment)
 

Just received an invitation to interview with Flybe in the next few weeks. I'm not a low hours cadet. I've mainly been flying the EJet on a contract in Northern Europe since giving up on the 737 (although I've done a bit of contract flying on the 737 recently). I want a stable job, ideally with a SOU, BHX, EXT or MAN base. Just wondering if anyone could fill me on what life is like at Flybe at the moment? What is average take home pay for a new FO. Any chance of getting the EJet as a current, rated candidate? What chance of one of the bases mentioned above, or how long to transfer to one of them once hired? How long for a command? Is it purely seniority driven?

There seems to be very little up to date info on here about Flybe, particularly for guys like myself with 3,500+ hours. Most stuff is aimed at cadets at the moment.

I just got the no from BA last week, and I'm desperate for a stable job. Contracting is beating me up!

I think EJets only go to internal candidates, although I could be wrong.

I believe command time 3-4 years, dependent on base.

Out of interest, how long between applying and called for interview?

Hold out for BA Cityflyer, they'll be recruiting again no doubt within the next 6-12 months with the next mass exodus!

with the announcement of the new Cardiff base (the mods here decided to delete the thread I started last week, reasons as yet unclear) it would not surprise me for you to be given the opportunity to go onto the E-jet as a contractor there initially.

Forget about any basing in MAN/BHX and particularly SOU as you would join on the bottom of the seniority list and also the jets are allegedly leaving SOU in the summer due to the poor airport financial deal.

If you fancy going on to the Dash then expect in the region of 30K and 70-80 rostered hours per month at the moment. I joined with previous experience in the last year (albeit not quite with your level of experience) and I love it. Lots of guys going to Jet2, BA at the moment so we are crying out for pilots

Edit: command time you can apply after 1000 hours within the company and 2500 tt so for you circa 18 months if you were willing to move base and accept a command anywhere

cgwhitemonk11, thanks for the valuable info. If I were to go to the Dash, what chance of SOU or BHX then? The Dash looks like it could be a lot of fun to fly, and honestly this move would be more about quality of life as opposed to aircraft type for me.

Best of luck mate.

Every chance of a SOU or BHX base, they need pilots in EVERY base. Also if you are in the advantageous position of currently being in work you could simply wait for a course date that will give you your preferred base as they seem to try and spread a course out so most people go to different bases which makes sense for the company. Allegedly a course every month for the next two years so plenty of opportunities, and from what i have heard they are even raising the numbers of candidates per course to speed up the process.

Interview tip: They like people who need less than 3 months notice

The Dash is a handful and lands like a bag of spanners most of the time but its quick enough to keep things interesting... and coming from a GA/small airline background like I do I find it the perfect transition to go onto bigger stuff at a later point when i want a fresh challenge.

In terms of lifestyle it is very much dependent on what base you go for, if you are determined to get on the jet then MAN, BHX or CWL are your only option, if you have a family steer clear of the first two.
Forget about EXT unless you want to wait 10 years for a command
BHD - probably the best for lifestyle due to the airport curfew
SOU - get to do more european stuff than other bases if thats what your into
Not to familiar with GLA/EDI but seems to suit those from up north


Its like any company, there are people here who have been screwed around a lot in the past and quite understandably still harbour deep wounds, others who recognise it as suiting their lifestyle and others who see it as a stepping stone, none of them are wrong.
Best of luck, the interview is as straight forward as it gets, usual HR fluff, should be a breeze for a man/woman of your 'Kal-ibre'... :ok:

Forget direct entry ejet, it simply won't happen.

Good luck.

Contracting isn't direct entry.

Fantastic observation skills, Einstein.

Great thread this. Any rumours of more northern bases opening? NCL??

You got your knickers in a bunch again Deano?

Far from it, I was just replying to your juvenile, and quite unobservant comment. He never asked about contracting with Flybe, he asked about direct entry straight onto the ejet in post #1 to which I replied that there is zero chance of this happening.

Twice round the hold

I don't think 3-4 years to command is quite right if you are talking about the 4 bases you wish to settle at. If you realise one of those bases then you can expect around 7-8 years minimum. As cgwhitemonk alluded to you can get a command alot quicker if you were willing to move up North or across to BHD.
Unfortunately hours are pretty much irrelevant, you can join with 10,000 or 100, you'll still go to the bottom of the seniority list and wait your turn. As for time to ejet, well it's hard to say, if you joined the company right now then there's a good chance you could upgrade quite quickly (particularly if rated and current) because there's a very large shortage, however, moves onto the ejet is normally done in seniority order but with the future of the fleet being an unknown quantity I am not sure many have bid to go on it. We are also filling it up with contractors so if you do want to come to us as a contractor then I suggest you get in touch with the relevant authority.

Whatever you decide, all the very best with it, I am sure you'll make the right decision for you.

Nothing juvenile or unobservant about stating a fact and as whitemonk suggested that contracting on the Ejet is a possibility then I think your statement is more wishful thinking than anything else.

I understand you'd like to remain optimistic about 'your' Ejet job but Flybe have employed direct entry pilots on the jet before under the guise of "contracting", they can, and will do it again if they want to. Especially as, you say, there is a large shortage (must be lack of experience on the Dash again).

I guess that was before your time or you've got a short memory.

I was replying to the original poster, not cgwhitemonk.
So you stated a fact? Contracting is not direct entry? Crikey your wealth of knowledge knows no bounds. I bet your first officers could reveal a litany of micromanaging and not being allowed to think for themselves whilst flying with you. What next? Are you going to educate us all and tell us that grass is green?
Do you really think we don't know what could be in store for all of those on the ejet? And no I do not know of one pilot within Flybe who was taken directly onto the ejet. You do like to twist things in a rather "David Cameron'esque" style don't you. Answer me this, has anyone ever interviewed with Flybe for a DEP position and the company turned around and said "welcome to Flybe, you can go straight onto the ejet, congratulations". The answer is a big fat NO. I've got in my possession 8 years worth of seniority lists and there is nobody at the bottom of those lists on the Ejet. The lowest were the chaps based in INV that were unfortunate enough to have their Dash 8s replaced with jets. The original poster asked a specific question, he asked if there was a chance of obtaining an ejet position as a DEP, he did not say "is there any chance of going contracting and then getting hired onto the ejet", but that's ok, twist it around to try and make out that you know everything and everyone else knows nothing. You seriously need to get out more.

747pro, yes this is correct.

Like I said Deano, before your time.

In answer to your question - of the 8 people on my entry course 2 were Dash captains on a short term contract and the other 6, including me, went straight on to the jet on, ostensibly, a 2 year contract. So, yes is the answer. Surely the font of Flybe knowledge should know this?!

Also the OP didn't specify DE on the Ejet, the question was one of "getting" the Ejet and you rather unhelpfully, and incorrectly, said DE won't happen. Well it has and if Flybe need to do it again they will.

You've got 8 years worth of seniority lists in your possession and I'm the one who needs to get out more. Baaaahahahahahahah.

Your panties are really knotted aren't they.

Ah, so you were given a 2 year contract, that doesn't sound very permanent to me. I am still waiting for an answer. Have Flybe ever taken anyone on as a DE Ejet pilot from zero to hero, from the off, on a permanent contract? Have they done this and bypassed all the bid processes, seniority, everything?

I actually get out lots believe it or not, and I keep every list that's issued, I keep every bid document and every bid result document. You never know when you might need it, particularly based on past events.

You understand what ostensibly means don't you?

No, I don't know what colour grass is, remember. Of course I know what it means. Ostensibly or not, the intention was a 2 year contract, what then became the outcome is completely irrelevant to what is being discussed here.

Good contradiction of ostensibly there Deano.

It's actually quite relevant and entirely topical to be discussing if you bear in mind the OP asked what the chances are of getting on the jet. If he's lucky enough to get a contract on the jet, chances of which are higher than they have been for years, then his chances of staying on it are, historically, pretty good. I know that'll put your nose out of joint which is why you are so vociferously denying previous examples of it happening, but...well, you'll get over it, just like all the other Dash guys did in the past.

I'm also curious how you know what the intention of my contract was despite not being aware that it existed nor knowing any details of it, the conversation with the fleet manager, or my employment at the time. Do enlighten us...