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-   -   BA recruiting - DIRECT ENTRY PILOT SCHEME (https://www.pprune.org/terms-endearment/128043-ba-recruiting-direct-entry-pilot-scheme.html)

maxy101 7th May 2004 22:01

Or to put it more simply, about the same as a plumber in the SE of England. (And you don't have to work weekends)

Tandemrotor 7th May 2004 22:12

As the retirement 'issue' is pertinent to the aspirations of anyone thinking of joining BA, it is probably fair to point out the following:

As I understand it, EU legislation will NOT mandate ANY retirement age at all! So the idea of a 5 year 'logjam' in career progression may prove rather optimistic!

There seem to be those that, due to greed, or a history of infidelity, seem determined to keep their snouts in the trough until their zimmer frame is no longer able to negotiate it's way into the flight deck bunk!

And my, how smug they are!

What do I hear for the oldest pilot in BA? 78...79...80? Older?

(I guess that may make the oldest co-pilot around 69 or 70!)

The very best of luck to anyone SERIOUSLY young enough to consider a 'career' with the World's Favourite!

Bellerophon 7th May 2004 22:58

WhoopWhoopWhoops

No, still not correct about the top pay scales in BA, yet more editing required!

It does seem a trifle odd that previously you didn't know how many years it takes to get to the top LH pay point in BA and now you can't get the salary correct, even though you say you are on it.

Care to hazard yet another attempt?

Regards

Bellerophon

Well thats Me 7th May 2004 23:00

MAXI101
Regardless of what you read in the papers if you think a plumber earns £127000PA Plus £10 for every hour worked ( lets say £400 week or another £19200 PA ) Plus say another £5000 for incidentals ( well,why not ) or put another way if you know of any plumbers getting £155000 Plus and retiring at age 55 please post the names here. ------

I cant believe these sums are correct,BA honestly pays an Airbus pilot in excess of 100K to flog around europe,if it isnt going bust please show me why:confused:

WhoopWhoop Whoops 7th May 2004 23:16

Well if it is wrong we all voted for it and BALPA gave us the wrong numbers.

Certainly my end is about right perhaps you could enlighten us all on any major errors.

Or is it that you would like to keep the numbers in house.

My view is that possible future BA pilots should know all the facts.

BA will certainly gloss over the undesireable aspects of employment with BA.

I understand the latest company offer for a pay rise this year is 1
percent because we wont play ball on altering NAPS to make its benefits worse.

Backs to the wall again.

Bellerophon 7th May 2004 23:44

WhoopWhoopWhoops

...Certainly my end is about right...

No, it isn't.

...perhaps you could enlighten us all on any major errors...

I already have, LH pp24, immediately obvious to anyone who is on it.

Take care with those FMS way-points. :D

Regards

Bellerophon

maxy101 8th May 2004 06:33

Well that´s me Ah, but the plumber doesn´t take 20 odd yrs to get the chance to earn 120K. Give me a decent starting salary any day. It would be interesting to know the average salary of a crew nowadays. I would hazard a guess that it would be around PP15? Bearing in mind the cost of living in the SE (where we are based) the first 10 yrs payscales don´t seem a lot of money do they?
That coupled with the fact I´ve been quoted 750 quid for a new shower leads me to think I made the wrong career choice 15 yrs ago.

Well thats Me 8th May 2004 08:25

MAXY101
My brothers a Plumber i ( In The SE ) and he makes about 50 - 60 K before tax and other expenses, thats for a 50 hour week ( including weekends ) and after 25 years of doing it,there may be a few plumbers earning higher but its not the average. either way its double what i will earn

Why does a pilot thats done 24 years get paid more than a new starter,do you become in some way BETTER or take on extra responsibility?

By the way my Brother has to fund his own pension as well and that doesnt pay out at 55.

As most of you guys afford huge flash houses, 750 quid sounds cheap for the type of shower you would need.

TopBunk 8th May 2004 09:20

Well that s you


Why does a pilot thats done 24 years get paid more than a new starter,do you become in some way BETTER or take on extra responsibility?
Simply .... yes.

BTW the variable pay is not per hour worked but per hour flown.

WhoopWhoop Whoops 8th May 2004 11:28

Are you sure you are not quoting pensionable not gross as in the table.

Anyway dont keep us in suspense what is your number for pp 24

maxy101 8th May 2004 11:42

Well thats me, I also "fund" my own pension to the tune of nearly 1000 quid a month. I also think 750 quid is a lot of money!
Without wishing to disparage your brother, is 60K what he earns or what he declares?

BOAC 8th May 2004 11:59

I did say I'd keep out of this but I thought as a mod I should put 'www' out of his mysery and suggest you all stop teasing him, as he probably does not care a whiff about the detail of what he is earning:D

www - a 'typo' in line 3 row 2:eek: - that's all - EOEE (unless it has changed since I quit BALPA)

Bellerophon 8th May 2004 12:48

WhoopWhoopWhoops

...Are you sure you are not quoting pensionable not gross as in the table...

Yes.

...Anyway dont keep us in suspense what is your number for pp 24...

The same number that BALPA publish.

If you are who you imply you are, then you can either:
  • Go the BALPA BA site and look it up, or
  • Multiply your Total Regular Pay by twelve, or
  • Ask any co-pilot.
Any of these will give you the right answer. Five attempts so far, and still wrong about the top BA pay in LH.

Greater attention to detail required! :D

Regards

Bellerophon

PS. OK, BOAC I'll stop now, it's getting boring!

WhoopWhoop Whoops 8th May 2004 13:17

OK I have sorted out the 2 typing errors thanks BOAC.

The pay table is now correct!

Tandemrotor 8th May 2004 14:28

Whoopwhoop Whoops

Since you seem so keen to advertise to the World how much you earn. (All information available - more accurately - elsewhere!)

And since you introduced the issue of people feeling unable to retire at 55, thereby stifling the aspirations of 'new joiners':

I dare you to reveal how much a crystallised pension is worth!

As you so quaintly put it:

Purely "to enable candidates to make an informed choice about BA."

WhoopWhoop Whoops 8th May 2004 17:04

There is no point.

That option is not available to all NAPS members and only a pipe dream for new entrants so the information is of no value to prospective candidates.

Boeing 7E7 8th May 2004 18:38

But still of interest though...

Tandemrotor 8th May 2004 19:56

The reason it is of interest to those for whom it would be "only a pipe dream," is because they may have to fly with people like you.

Their command will be delayed until you decide you can fit no more of the trough in your snout, and may reasonably ask, how it is you feel unable to survive on a pension, worth well in excess of £100,000 per year.

Perhaps that's why GSS manage to avoid paying market rate, since so many retirees seem unable to eak out a living.

As you say, for most, a pipe dream.

Well thats Me 8th May 2004 23:01

MAXY101
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote

"Well thats me, I also "fund" my own pension to the tune of nearly 1000 quid a month. I also think 750 quid is a lot of money!
Without wishing to disparage your brother, is 60K what he earns or what he declares?"







He doesnt work in London and 60K is what he makes,its 60% more than i do at BA but then he always reminds me i have sickness pay and holiday pay plus a pension to remember.

As to £1000 a month for your pension,i would happily pay that ( but i couldnt even think of affording a figure like that ) for 2/3 your pension at age 60 let alone 55.

Regards £750 for a shower,it depends what it is so best i not comment

Yeovil 9th May 2004 21:39

If you are looking at joining – then please be aware that hand solo’s post is very accurate.

I’m ex Navy and charter – and since joining BA ( short haul) I have flown with some really nice guys. My net income is higher (despite a seat change) and rosters are far more stable. We have enjoyed some great trips on staff travel and I rarely fly at night.

However –On reflection, I wouldn’t recommend it. In fact I enjoyed life more a few years ago when I was at previous employers.

Shorthaul BA at LHR (at least on the airbus fleet) is not an agreeable rewarding place to work.

Why not?
Well it’s a huge activity – you will rarely fly with the same Captain – and almost never with cabin crew you have met before. It’s difficult to form relationships or friendships with folks. Please believe me, there are some huge ego’s here. “One upmanship” is the name of the game. A lot of the Captains take pleasure in pointing out errors or omissions. The atmosphere on the flight deck is rarely pleasant. I’m afraid just too many of the guys are “spoon fed” from uni – sponsored and sadly now cynical about BA. They are frequently pompous, patronising and have an unrealistic view of their own abilities. Pilots here, can be rude to despatchers, colleagues and cabin crew in a way I haven’t witnessed elsewhere. They have no idea what it’s like to work for anyone other than BA. The relationship between pilots and crew is very poor compared to previous employers. (Though to be fair this may be as much to do with the locked door post 911 policy) .Cabin crew are well cared for by the company and fly half as much as you will! I recently completed a 3 day 10 sector trip whilst our Helsinki stopping cabin crew did just one sector out, standover dayin HEL, then one sector back! The inefficiencies at BA have to be seen to be believed.
The training dep’t encompasses some clever even brilliant guys who have masses of experience, knowledge and ability (along with the usual arrogant and narcissistic rogues!) – but somehow the actual training outcomes are poor.
The company line is that BA is best and we are head and shoulders above other operators. It’s simply not true. I’ve witnessed some really shabby events on line and I’m not impressed. Simple procedures such as refuelling and tech log entries are made so bloody complicated that 95% of the guys do it wrong. SOP’s change frequently and company publications are ambiguous and difficult to follow.

BA’s fuel policy – or rather the dogmatic interpretation of it, causes a lot of stress on line. As an example, you frequently burn 500kg just getting out of LHR during the taxy phase ( only 100 to 200kg allowed on flight plan) and BA sometimes allow only 8 mins contingency on the return sector!
In addition to this, LHR means traffic jams in and out of work, long stressful arrivals where radio frequencies are over congested and arrival separation is rarely more than the min 2.5 miles.

Commuting and “life costs” around LHR are higher than elsewhere in the world! A modest but decent family home with garaging and within a civilized neighbourhood where you can have confidence in the schools costs £600K.

To sum up; I’d say there is more to life than money. BA pays reasonably well – but perhaps it’s arguable that it’s not worth the hassle. You are unlikely to be totally happy at BA. Most flights will be with total strangers. The typical day starts with continual moaning. (despite my diatribe above – I try to be really positive at work!).Cabin crew unions and their participants do there best to spoil the commercial success and the micro – “day to day” running and good nature of the cabin crew. Many pilots are looking for part time so they can spend more time with their families.

You might be happier (albeit poorer) elsewhere!

mrsmaryhinge 10th May 2004 09:48

Hello all,

I can't help thinking that there are a lot of negative posts on here about life at BA. Sure, BA has its problems and its not perfect, like every other company, but it's not half as bad as its being made out on here! Here is my slant on things...

BA is great if you want to come to work, do your job, and go home. You have to accept that you are a number - one of 3200 or so. Like somebody has said, you are a almost a contract pilot who comes in, does his/her job, and goes home. To me, this is great! As long as you have a life outside work, what is the problem? I have a great life away from BA so this suits me fine.

Flying with someone else every day? Again, suits me fine. Lots of new people to meet. If you are moving to London to fly with BA and do not know anyone else in this part of the world, then sure, I can understand it could be a bit lonely.

Staff travel is great. Ok, if you want to go to Orlando in the school holidays, it ain't going to happen. But with a huge route network, you just need to be a bit flexible and get to know the system. I've been away 3 times this year on long haul hols, all on standby, and been upgraded each time through a cheeky little note to the flight crew. You cannot complain about paying £100 for a club seat to Cape Town.

Cabin crew have their own issues, but as long as you have half a personality and a sense of humour, you'll have a great time on night stops. Sure, there are nights when everyone is knackered and goes to bed, but equally, I've had some of the best nights out I've ever had in Naples, Glasgow, Madrid, etc.

Skippers are a great bunch of guys. At the end of the day, they are just cadets, ex-military guys, or self-improvers, who have been in the company longer and got their command. As long as you can have a bit of banter and hold a conversation, you'll love it. There are also some real characters. I can recall doing 3 day trips with guys where I haven't stopped laughing from check-in to check-out.

With regard to the issues of seniority and time to command, I think that has been discussed to death, so people can make their own judgements. BA does have its fair share of whingers, but these tend to be people who have done nothing else. I had a different career for 5 years before joining the cadet scheme, so I realise how great this job is every day. A bit of perspective is all that is required!

Hope this helps anyone thinking of applying.

Mary

Shuttleworth 10th May 2004 10:29

Mary, good posting , - looks like you recommend it...I take it you are LGW?

Dogma 10th May 2004 10:45

Yeovil and Mary,

Thanks for the honest and straight forward posts.

Horses for courses, currently with have a life style with a large charter that is very rewarding, would be reluctant to give it up.

Many people chase false dawns, from sound companies. EK springs to mind.

Bellerophon 10th May 2004 11:44

Tandemrotor

Perhaps you would be good enough to substantiate your claim

...on a pension, worth well in excess of £100,000...

with data to show us just how you arrive at such a figure?


You seem to have a considerable chip on your shoulder about those pilots who may be able to stay on beyond the age of 55, due to recent European legislation.

...Their command will be delayed until you decide you can fit no more of the trough in your snout...

...how it is you feel unable to survive on a pension, worth well in excess of £100,000....

...There seem to be those that, due to greed, or a history of infidelity, seem determined to keep their snouts in the trough...

Their reasons for staying on, should they be able to do so and should they choose to do so, are no business of yours, and the reasons you repeatedly impute to those who might do so are frankly offensive. It is depressing to read a BA pilot writing about his colleagues in such a manner.

Pilots are under no obligation to retire just so that you can progress to the position you obviously feel you are entitled to, any more than you should have to give way to others below you on the seniority list, or they to those outside the airline waiting to get in.

Most of this group, which you appear to so despise, will have waited over 20 years for any command and been re-deployed to ground duties twice during this time. They are only too well aware what it feels like to wait for decades in the RHS, and understand how current co-pilots will feel about a further wait for their commands.

However, this change was not brought about at the request of some senior pilots (which I would neither have sought nor supported) but is a consequence of European legislation. As such, if legislative change now means that all pilots may stay on past 55, why do you feel that only senior pilots should be obliged to retire at 55?

Why should they not have exactly the same rights and options to stay on past 55 as those more junior to them will have? Or perhaps you think any pilot currently in BA should feel obliged to retire at 55?

True, it will undoubtedly be a windfall benefit for those who are very senior the day the rule changes, but either the rule changes for all or it changes for none.

At what point in the future, in your view, would it become morally acceptable for a pilot to stay on past 55?

Let me see if I can guess!

Regards

Bellerophon

Kurtz 10th May 2004 16:12

Yeovil - excellent post, being part of what was once a well motivated and happy Regional Airline (Manx / BRAL) and is now unfortunate enough to be called BA Citiexpress, may I totally agree with your assessment of the BA culture.

Whilst there ARE some decent guys around in BA, most are exactly as you describe. Our SOPs change on a seemingly daily basis, the extent of the sheer arrogance of the BA guys at all leveles is only matched by the levels of losses that their management has achieved for us. The BA mainline pilots is fairly average - by and large pretty similar to any other group of pilots, yet their misconception that they really ARE the world's best is breathtakingly misplaced. The incidents we have had........

Tandem Rotor, I have to say that was an intriguing post. Maybe it will help though, because your view of your elder and more senior colleagues is pretty much how we non-mainline guys view our secondees - now you may be able to understand a little more, and hopefully thus post a little less.

Fat chance! :rolleyes:

Cornflake 10th May 2004 16:36

I know it's been said, quoted and rewritten...... however, well said Yeovil.


I am sure, somewhere out there, there really ARE some BA pilots who might just have struggled through military flying training - but nothing like as many as they would like to think. What they might have learned, however, is that considering yourself to be special just because you have passed a Hamble or Prestwick spoonfeeding course is really not very special at all.

To those of us who have been awarded a pair of proper wings, (Gold on your sleeve being best, of course), by HM instructors whose continued employment contract does not depend on the pass ratio and profit factor etc etc, a little pat on the back - we really don't NEED to continually tell everyone how special we are; listening to and watching the standard BA product in action makes us doubly aware of it!
:ok:

Fly Navy, Dig Army, Eat Crabs.......:D

5415N 10th May 2004 18:46


we really don't NEED to continually tell everyone how special we are;
Then why do you??

Tandemrotor 10th May 2004 21:24

Bellerophon

I most certainly CAN substantiate my claim that crystallised pensions can, and do, pay out well in excess of £100,000 per year. So could you if you cared to look.

For your information, I have already "progressed" as far as I am likely to, and no change in legislation is likely to affect my personal aspirations. I have NO vested interest, if that is what you were implying by your cheap comment -

"At what point in the future, in your view, would it become morally acceptable for a pilot to stay on past 55?"

I should imagine the answer would be: Everyone should expect to retire at the age stated on their contract WHEN THEY JOINED.

Is that somehow unfair?

It would seem from previous comments, that I am not the only one struck by the smug attitude of those who seek to keep their 'snouts in the trough' as long as possible, whilst having no concern whatever for new joiners. Required to join on vastly inferior pension terms to those enjoyed by the selfish, but oh so vocal MINORITY!

And you think MY comments are depressing!!

I would have thought a more united stand on ALL pension issues would be far more beneficial than that adopted by the self interested 'troughers!'

Not to mention, far more edifying for people outside BA to read!

What do you say?

Cornflake and Kurz;

I am intrigued that you are so interested in a thread entitled:

"BA recruiting - DIRECT ENTRY PILOT SCHEME"

Oh well, since BA pilots are "fairly average", and you have "watched the product in action", I know you will sail through the interview process, and find yourselves in a 747/777/320 in no time.

Enjoy

Just remember, there are some of those 'arrogant' BA pilots who don't want to see you (or anybody else) join on what is effectively a 'B' payscale!

It occurs to me that you must both be training captains on the RJ. Not that I disagree with your assessment of mainline pilots. I don't! I just can't understand how else you would be qualified to comment on their standard!

and Kurtz; "post a little less" - Why should I?

PoodleVelour 10th May 2004 21:48

5415N.

Speaking as an Air Force product, I see exactly where Yeovil, Kurtz and Cornflakes are coming from. It is very tedious to listen to inaccurate BA agitprop, day after day. Wouldn't be so bad if it were half true, however, this is not a thread about the clear water of any colour between properly trained professional pilots.....and the rest. Nor about the attitude displayed by a minority of BA people.
However, .....

TandemRotor,

I agree with my colleague, a period of silence would be in order - is it only snouts of your own size which are to be enabled into the trough? (TRM - trough resource management eh?) You are loud enough when defending your own perceived 'rights', maybe you should work out this latest change has been sought by no-one in the industry, just something else imposed by our political masters - just like you lot were imposed on us here in BACX!!!!!!!
Get the drift mateyboy??

If you were really interested in "united stands" possibly you and your overpaid colleagues in BA might have been a bit more supportive of the idea of BACX joining your common seniority list.

Like many others of my background, I was not remotely interested in joining BA, but BA seemed to want my airline. Now I'm here, I feel for all my colleagues who DO want to join mainline (their choice) and I abhor the self-serving behaviour of BA who are more interested in preserving internecine scope clauses for their own narrow self interest and depth of trough rather than trying to genuinely expand opportunity for all. Now you see an internal group in potential benefit competition - well, just look at you. The only surprise is that I'm surprised. Manchester or Birmingham you greedy little tosser?

TandemRotor = typical BA line pilot = :yuk: :yuk: :yuk:

5415N 10th May 2004 22:09

PoodleVelour ,

As a BA pilot I do accept your point concerning some of my fellow pilots in BA , quite true in fact . However I thought that this thread was meant to be fairly subjective about the reasons for joining or not joining BA . Therefore when I see

To those of us who have been awarded a pair of proper wings, (Gold on your sleeve being best, of course), by HM instructors whose continued employment contract does not depend on the pass ratio and profit factor etc etc, a little pat on the back
I do get a little annoyed . Is this an insult against any non military pilot who has worked his way up the hard way , been tested and passed by non military instructors etc to find himself working for BA ? Should he feel "not worthy " because he has never had the pleasure of a military instructors . I fly with many people , of both types and there are good , bad and indifferent on both sides .

Personnally I just do it the old way and treat each pilot as he comes and how he does the job , without a monkeys about his background .

Old Fashioned I know , but hey it works


regards

PoodleVelour 11th May 2004 09:22

And I think you have every right to be annoyed if you fall into the group which is inferred to be inferior by virtue of having no military flight training.
Quite understandable.

However, I think this sub-point, as first mentioned by Yeovil and expanded by Cornflake and Kurtz is one which is seldom made in comparison to the attitude shown by a large number (albeit a smaller proportion of the total) of BA pilots who genuinely believe that the BA product is the best in the world and that all other crew members need educating about this.

The number of times this comes over as compared to the mil / civ training variables and qualities is astronomical, and more than a little irritating - particularly, when as is often the case, the loudest noise is made by 'sounding brass' without the skills to back up the headlines.

Glad to see you're old fashioned too, if only all your colleagues behaved in a similar fashion.

Hand Solo 11th May 2004 12:06

God almighty what a pointless pi55ing contest this thread has turned into. Military vs civvie? What a load of arse! I've flown with ex-mil skippers who fly flawlessly and some who can't hold straight and level in a fly-by-wire aircraft with a flight path vector to aid them. Broadly similar for the civvies.

Kurtz


Whilst there ARE some decent guys around in BA, most are exactly as you describe. Our SOPs change on a seemingly daily basis, the extent of the sheer arrogance of the BA guys at all leveles is only matched by the levels of losses that their management has achieved for us
So, your experience is based upon two, maybe three BA managers, and around 80 secondees, which make up about 2.5% of the BA pilot workforce, yet somehow you think you're qualified to comment on the workforce as a whole? Do me a favour. As for the 'incidents we've had', do I correctly recall a thread on here over a year ago regarding a series of tailstrikes on the RJ, all of which were flown by BACX crews? Don't go throwing stones when you live in a very fragile glass house. And just to remind you (and other readers) on the nature of the secondments, the regional bases, routes, aircraft and jobs were BA's, not BACX's. You're lucky to have any of those positions because they should all still be in BA (where they made a profit). If you weren't gifted those positions there'd be 120 of you on the dole right now.

Yeovil

How long have you been in because you seem to have had a run of bad luck.


“One upmanship” is the name of the game. A lot of the Captains take pleasure in pointing out errors or omissions. The atmosphere on the flight deck is rarely pleasant. I’m afraid just too many of the guys are “spoon fed” from uni – sponsored and sadly now cynical about BA. They are frequently pompous, patronising and have an unrealistic view of their own abilities. Pilots here, can be rude to despatchers, colleagues and cabin crew in a way I haven’t witnessed elsewhere. They have no idea what it’s like to work for anyone other than BA.
Can't say I've experienced much one-upmanship apart from a handful of eccentric Captains. Indeed rather than being the "spoon-fed" the worst cases are from the ex-mil types who've spent 10+ years in a jumbo before coming over for a late short haul command. Not to say they're all like that, many of them are excellent. Nor have I ever witnessed a Captain being rude to despatchers, colleagues or cabin crew Curt under pressure perhaps, rude no.

Finally I trust you follow in the fine tradition of the ex-Navy flyers in BA whom I've generally found a pleasure to fly with, but I can tell you that nothing seems to pi55 a civvie Captain off than a co-pilot who insists on telling him how much better the forces and their previous command were.

Poodle:

Remember, our jobs, our bases. The scope clause keeps your grubby little hands off any more of them. We offered you mainline seniority for the RJ pilots, you turned it down.

Pontiuspilot 11th May 2004 13:09

Hand Solo
 
I think it has said before, but one can always rely on Mr. Solo to drag down, obfuscate and distort the facts sufficiently to make one anticipate euthanasia with pleasure.

You really should be a politician Hand old chap, because your ability to repeat enough erroneous and distorted facts until some of them are finally believed is admirable (objectively anyway). You even convince yourself. You are consistently unable to appreciate any data supporting a conclusion you dislike, and entirely incapable of seeing the veritas in anything which might disadvantage yourself or your cosy clicque of blinkered, self-serving, arrogant, pompous mainliners.

To be frank, it is the attitude of you and yours which makes BA the subject of crewroom incredulity around the world. I don't expect you to change your views, I just thank God almighty I left BACX when I did, and no longer have to listen to mainline cabin or flight deck crew whinging and wittering about money, contracts, overtime (can we taxy in more slowly please....) I never believed THAT one till we were bought by BA and had to work with your colleagues.....yes, yes, yes, I KNOW people are lining up to try and get into BA...their choice. For every one Yeovil etc on here, I wonder how many people there are out there whose dislike for their job is only exceeded by their dislike and outright contempt for the likes of you!:=

Yeovil 11th May 2004 14:33

Hi Hand,
Unlike others here, I rarely disagee with your posts - and think you offer a fair and reasonable view on many topics.
However - this time if you think BA comprises of a fabulous happy nice bunch of guys - and well worth joining as a a DEP - then you are totally mistaken.!!!

I really hadn’t intended to cause the sort of mil versus cadet conflict that followed my post. I think it was the posts that followed mine were inflammatory and disagreeable.

I must say - I'm glad you posted those few lines again (in your last post ) Starting; One upmanship is the name of the game ........... Because that really sums BA up.

I guess I was just trying to describe the atmosphere at BA for those who might join from other pastures. I don’t think it’s a happy outfit (well not least the Airbus fleet!). I was trying to be as accurate as I could.


Reading my post again, I can’t see anywhere, that I said “ex mil formed better crews than ex BA sponsored cadets”. In fact some of the most “able” and “respected“ of the Airbus training dept’s are ex cadets – ability and technique far exceed any of the ex Navy/Air Force/Army guys. I must also say that the dozen or so biggest and most obnoxious pratts are all ex mil! ( I perhaps omitted this from my post – and apologise for that!)



I had proposed though, that many of the unhappy guys I fly with were BA sponsored (typically between six and twenty five years ago). They seem clueless about the real world and have a downright nasty view of the outside world. They are the type of guys who might miss a couple of radio calls from ATC (we have all done it!) and never apologise!

For some reason, they think they are better than pilots who work at My Travel Ryanair Citiexpress etc . I haven’t figured out why.



Hand; if you enjoy flying with guys on the Airbus fleet – that’s great. (I must try changing my selection of lines because I’m ending up with trips with some complete idiots!). I’m frequently finding lots of issues to disagree over. (fuel being one !). I'll say it again - standards here are definitely poorer than elsewhere. I've witnessed more unsafe events at BA than at any other employer.

So to sum up – if you are thinking of joining please take note – there is a lengthy (15 year??) wait for command ( stated elsewhere !) and in my opinion it’s not generally recognised as a happy place to work. (if Hand is an ex Cadet then don’t forget he has nothing else to compare it too!)

Notso Fantastic 11th May 2004 14:40

This is a very weird thread. Yeovil, I don't think you know what you are talking about. Good luck in your new career with whoever is next!

NigelOnDraft 11th May 2004 15:01


I’m frequently finding lots of issues to disagree over. (fuel being one !).
Interesting. In my 7-8 years in BA, I can't say I've ever "disagreed" with either my P1 or P2 over fuel. We might have a (usually slight) difference of opinion at first, but a short discussion usually results a quantity which both of us are happy with (and usually will be the higher of the first 2 ideas!)...

Which other areas do you "disagree" with your colleague on ??

NoD

Shuttleworth 11th May 2004 15:34

Someone said - "It's a weird thread "... well I agree - and with so many differing opionions of the merits or otherwise of joining as a DEP then it'll be easy for candidates to draw their own conclusions from the conflicts described above.

Super Stall 11th May 2004 17:54

Any candidate who uses any of the above to 'draw their own conclusions' needs their head seeing to.

I have honestly never read so much cr@p in all my life!

Do your own research, but please do not base your decision on the anonymous postings from the likes of Yoevil (who has the sum total of two posts to his name), and 2 or 3 other contributors. Even if they do work for the company they are simply not representative of the other 3250 pilots who work for BA, many of whom joined as DEP's from charters, turboprop's etc. and are very happy.

Jeez, all we need now is a discussion about the merits or otherwise of the 'monitiored approach', and this thread will be complete.:ugh:

Yeovil 11th May 2004 18:20

Notso fantastic; you said …I don't think you know what you are talking about….
Well– can you be more specific? What is it you disagree with ?

Super stall – yeah I’m new here, but they are still valid opinions of life as a DEP in BA . I can’t see what it is you don’t like ? Can you tell us ?

I didn’t say I wasn’t happy – just that when you factor in life in the South East, the joy of LHR and then compare it to other employers, BA isn’t something I’d recommend!
I just wouldn’t like to see guys draw conclusions from people posting stuff on pprune who have not actually flown for other airlines. Simple isn’t it?

Please tell me why I shouldn’t state that?
Your post too is anonymous isn’t it?

WhoopWhoop Whoops 11th May 2004 18:28

Can we please get back to the things that matter to prospective pilots interested in joining BA.

Salary and promotion prospects I dealt with earlier , people can believe it or not but it was fact.

Perhaps someone could enlighten us about the new pension scheme for new entrants now that NAPS has been scrapped.

What is a BA pilot likely to retire on in the future on this contributary only scheme? It does not seem good to me.

I think this would be of more interest to them than the rubbish that is being put on this thread at the moment alas.


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