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...

Thanks for the info chaps, apologies for starting a disagreement.

I would be happy to join on either the jet or the Q. From what is being said about the jet, am I to take it that pilots joining the company on the jet are currently on a Ryanairesque contract? Does this contract eventually lead to a full time contract directly with Flybe on the jet?

Regarding the Q (which is still of great interest to me), would anybody be able to post a typical roster for SOU or BHX? I have a young family, so minimal night stopping is quite high on my agenda, but I'd also like an interesting variety of flying, so would trade the two off for the correct base if I were lucky enough to pass the interview.

There seem to be a number of 'virtual' bases, namely LCY, NQY and BOH. Where are these currently crewed from?

You're still missing the point. I have argued that Flybe will not hire a DEP from zero to hero straight onto the jet and in doing so will bypass everyone else who has bid to go on the fleet. To do so would be an absolute industrial relations disaster. If this chap gets hired and ends up on the seniority list as this: 517 TWICE Round the hold 12573 FO EJ BHX/MAN (yes I got the No. from the current list) then I'll eat my hat and I'll hold my hand up and say I was wrong.

Where did I state I knew the ins and outs of your contract? If the "ostensibly" was a mutual thing then that's more underhand than ever, but I'll still come on here and say in capital letters "I'm sorry LSM, you were right".

oh and p.s. My nose isn't out of joint. I don't fly the Q400.

Deano, the point is, it has happened before and it will, if deemed necessary, happen again. The reason it was ostensibly a two year contract was to appease the Dash fleet who did have their noses disjointed. It wasn't really a melodramatic disaster though. Plus I haven't said it will happen just that there is a chance it might.

Sorry, what, exactly, is underhanded?

You did fly the Dash thoug didn't you? Putting in all those years of graft just to get to a place that some people might just jump straight into. That'll chuff, I know.

Finally, where did I state that you stated that you knew the ins and outs of my contract? Keep moving the goalposts though if it makes you feel better.

They have taken direct entry on to the jet in the past. All be it the 146 and CRJ.

With a mass exodus about to start, I would anticipate a fairly fast route to the Jet or Dash Command.

Fun place to work, but expect to be worked very hard for max hours.

Yes I get that was the reason, I am saying if that was the case then that is more underhand than I would've given the previous management for, but then I guess nothing should surprise me.
Look, you think they'll do it (again), I don't. I think they might offer the contractors a perm contract but I don't think they'll take on a fresh faced guy/gal straight onto the bottom of the list, that's my right and again I'll publicly give you an apology if it happens in the future without an official change in recruitment policies.
Yes I put in the hard yards, years of it, I don't agree with the contractors flying our aeroplanes (apart from the ones that were released last year, and they should be taken back on) and I think that one contractor is one too many. Our own pilots should be given the option first and then back fill with contractors if necessary, but that's a different conversation for another day.
You alluded to the fact that I knew the ins and outs in your last paragraph in your last post.

Anyway, this thread has already been ruined by another one of our spats. I will leave it there and not engage in anymore of it. I will respect we both have differing views.

twice round the hold

The contractors are on a very good screw, it's a 6 month contract with the possibility of extending.
The contract doesn't lead to a permanent contract with Flybe but something I do actually agree with LSM on is that I wouldn't rule it out, but there's nothing on the cards that we know about.
If you want minimal nightstopping then don't go to EXT, BHX or MAN.
BOH crewed by SOU
NQY crewed by EXT
LCY crewed by EDI/EXT and I think BHD.

I don't think they'll do it again but it remains a possibility and on the contrary I think it shows prospective pilots the kind of industry they're getting into.

Deano, mate, you said it!

Ok I'll (don't drop down dead, here) agree with you, I don't think they'll do it either, I think it'll be suicide if they did, but yes I wouldn't actually be that shocked if they did try it.

Yes but I had no idea of which side of the fence the "ostensibility" sat because you didn't say. It could've been an act of circumstance that your contract turned into a permanent one which is how it came across, I didn't know it was an agreed under the table hand shake to keep the Dash guys quiet, thus making it ostensible from the eyes of the Dash guys.

LSM - you really are an intolerable argumentative ****.

And......?

Jeez Louise,

It's depressing that two professional pilots stake such a high premium on having the last word and seemingly not loosing face.

The ironic thing is that despite you both trying so hard to be the big men on campus the rest of us are reading this thinking you're both petulant idiots.

Enjoy checking the thread every 5 mins and dreaming up your next pithy retort.

I'm outta here......

*Losing......

Haha. Had to be done :ok:

That made for an interesting read. 30 odd replies and most of it was just a good slagging.

The OP did ask what the chances of getting on the jet were and stated he wanted stability in his next job. With that in mind, I'm not sure talking about a 2 year contract was what he was intending to talk about, regardless of whether getting made permanent and staying on type after this period happened before or 'could easily' (although unlikely as was finally agreed by the guys in the red and blue corner) happen again. Bottom line is one of you is assuming getting the jet was the priority of the OP and the other thought lifestyle (being permanent) was.

What makes me laugh however, is it appears LSM is a skipper on the jet with and Deano possibly a FO...don't dare mention hating someone on prune when you work next lads - just incase :O

Oh and twice around the hold, sorry to read about your BA stumble. Least you got to the sim, I can't pass the verbal test..

Well what do you expect after Deano's opening reply to me.

And you missed the whole point about me mentioning the two year contract. That point being that if he gets a contract on the jet he will be almost guaranteed to stay on it at the end of the contract period.

All of which will give the OP exactly what he wants which makes it more than relevant.

Ahhh but LSM you always miss the fact that you always post smart arsed comments, you just haven't got it in you to have a sensible discussion without being a condescending ****k, and you wonder why you get the response you do. It's just that most people walk away from it but unfortunately I can't because most of the time there's just no need for it.

You say that though VJW, but I'd never turn down a beer with the old git during a nightstop :)

Aaaaah but Deano, what was smart arsed or condescending about my first comment on this thread?

No he started it....no I didn't he did....mum tell him!!

I didn't miss the point I don't think. I read exactly what you said, but being told on a forum that 'if' he get's a contract he'll almost certainly get offered a permanent contract once it's up, is as valuable as the piece of paper it isn't written on - if it doesn't happen.

Knowing jack all about Flybe myself, I can't understand why couldn't you both agree without said night-spot beer, that if you join on a contract on the jet you could/should keep the jet and get a permanent contract once it's up (as proven I think by the path LSM took), but you can't join as a DEP directly employed by Flybe on the jet from day 1 and bypass the seniority lists etc (that Deano has stacks of files proving). Isn't that what you're both saying, and neither of you is wrong?

Beer/footie time for me...come on Barce :)

No, I'm saying that if you join on a "contract" and you stay on the jet at the end of that "contract" your DOJ, seniority and all that runs from the date you started on the "contract" (which was, by the way, worded exactly the same as the DE contract). Or, as you say, bypassing Deano's seniority lists etc.

Which is, effectively, DE in all but name.

Yes but being offered a permanent contract and remaining on the jet is not guaranteed and therefore not perhaps what the OP meant by having a stable contract/future?