So I deduce that you are swimming in the pool then Airbus Girl ?? !!

Having just read the descriptions of Terms and Conditions in the posting called <<Attention all BA wannabes!>>, I reckon that there will be a lot less type rated people applying...
...wait 15 or more years for a shorthaul command or 20 years for long haul, stuck at the bottom of the list, useless pension and never get a weekend off?
No thanks mateys, they can shove it... might be good for some, but not for me.

Silver Birch

You have hit the nail on the head. It will be very interesting indeed to see how many people in the 'hold pool' -

(We are desperate for pilots right now - why do we need a pool?)

- actually bite the bullet, and ACCEPT a job offer from BA, in the face of the excellent post on another thread explaining what they can expect from such a move!

Very many people are tempted, out of curiosity, to test the water with another operator. Not all will be tempted to climb aboard!

Silver Birch,

Just out of interest, would an offer including a decent Final Salary Pension make a difference to you or would the other disadvantages you highlighted still keep you away?

Consider this a straw poll......

Well I'm a veteran of the Sept 11 hold pool.

June 2003: Got a very nice letter saying thanks for your attention, and when we start recruiting again, you'll be on the A-list. Lack of meaningful rating (I'm a military mate, and 40 years old with a family) means nobody's calling me. Looking at some of the posts around here, BA is a total non-starter for somebody who is 'demographically challenged' like me.

If you're under 30 and don't mind time away/weekends it's still a no-brainer if you need an income. If you don't, consider float planes in the Seychelles. Now that beats slot times/FMS/all the other pants that constitutes route flying.

A wise old Navy aviator once said to me, " It doesn't matter what you are flying, as long as you are enjoying your life." I went to Canada once and met a young Canadian who was flying F-18 Hornets. Fantastic. Except he was based at a place called Cold Lake, inside the Arctic Circle (I exagerrate for emphasis). Working against impossible odds to lose his virginity(to a human). His mate was flying C-130s all over the world, visiting different places and generally putting it about as best he could. I know who was the happier.

It's always horses for courses, but think carefully before you make a big move.

Human Factor.

I think the main incentives that would encourage pilots to jump ship would be:-

- Final Salary Pension or much improved Money Purchase Scheme
- limit of 800 flying hours per year ( or less!)

I think it is right that many people may not actually jump ship when it comes down to it, but I think the 15 year to command argument, although good, isn't the big thing.
Most of the big holiday charter companies have no plans to expand, and possibly plans to contract, and that means there are no commands in sight, probably for the same kind of time at BA.

However, most charter companies have a limit on the max flying hours per year and also some still have Final Salary Pensions (though not necessarily to new joiners).

Also, most charter company's pilots work near enough every weekend and are still flying the crap routes even if very senior.

That would be a nice incentive for those of us who are already there. :{

Hi Airbus girl, don't mean to be cheeky, but what exactly (in general terms) constitutes a 'crap' route?

Some of the routes junior pilots fly to in BA, may soon turn out to fit that bill!

Only a thought.

For those who have attented the interview, may I ask do they actualy ask technical questions? Maybe on the second round?
Any info regarding the process would be handy, thanks.

Tandem - thats the point ! JUNIOR guys fly them in BA, but you wont the rest of your life ! Charter guys have no choice.

As for example ? Any night flight to turkey......

Anyway - back to the thread title.

Anyone actually been for an interview got some info on what happened ? Is it like the DEP selection review on the PPRUNE front page, although has it changed since then ?

Does any one have feedback on the BA selection days at all??

OK, as I started it, here are some infos,

Day 1:
Group exerscise;

Numerical reasoning test, not very difficult but 25 questions in 12 min;

Verbal Reasoning, 13 text parts with 52 questions, very difficult even for english guys, 25 min;

Interview, very relaxed .. tell us a situation when you had to deal with..... no questions about BA or any technical questions;

multipad, test on a computer, about 1 1/2 hour, some easy some difficult.

Day 2: SIM on BAC 1-11::{