Virgin Roster
 

I've used the search option (before you start to attack me) but could not find the answer to my question;

Could a Virgin A340 F/O please publish a months roster.
I have always been commuting and I would like to see if that would work with Virgin as well.

Cheers!

:D

This month's roster:

to 2nd RTB from Los Angeles

06 - 10: San Juan/JFK

13 - 17 Lagos

20 - 23 Shanghai

28 - 30: Boston

77 hours, 11 days off. This is fairly busy as it has a couple of low-hour trips with extended stopovers. Last month I had more hours yet 15 days off having flown SYD, DEL and LAX.

Do you still run this sytem where one month you get first dibs on choice of routes, down to the fourth where you get last choice?

And if so, is this a month where you're in the bottom group?

Looks like even in your worst months, you have more days off than I have in my best months, (G S S 744) :sad:

Scroggs,

So you basically work 5 on 2 off, 5 on 2 off, 4 on 4 off, 3 on... and then I presume something like 3 off again?

Thanks for that!

:D

Basic, no that's not right. We do not have any kind of '5 on 3 off' kind of thing; that's a short-haul concept and is irrelevant to our operation. There are mimimum times at home between trips, which vary depending on the length of the trip and the time zone changes, but remember we are on a 750-hour contract. As I said in my previous post, you can have months with 90 hours and 15 days off - and yet only two or three trips.

We do have a rotating group system for roster bidding, but I don't generally bid for trips (though I occasionally bid for specific days off), so that's not a factor in the rosters I've quoted. The fact that it may be a month where your group is top doesn't alter the fact that your roster will contain around three or four trips and 75-80 hours unless you have leave.

Scroggs,

Yes, sorry I know that Virgin crews aren't on a fixed roster pattern like I am now with my short haul operator. As I am commuting back and forth between UK and continent I was just curious how many days you would have as a minimum between trips, I understand that is never the same due to e.g. the timezone changes.

Thanks anyway.

:D

The minimum you will have is two clear days, unless you have accepted less to achive a specific aim, like back-to-back flights in order to get longer at home after the second flight.

Many, many Virgin pilots commute from all over the place. Our furthest-flung come from Canada and South Africa. Europe shouldn't be a problem, as long as there's a decent air or rail service to where you live.

scroggs,

Are there any layovers that you prefer? How about the ones you do not prefer?

Thank you so much. Cheers!

Joe le Taxi
For what its worth unfortunately VS don't take anyone from GSS. It was agreed by both sides' management a few years ago.

srjumbo is entirely wrong in his assertion that there is some kind of 'agreement' between GSS and Virgin, as a senior captain from GSS who recently spoke to a senior manager at Virgin can confirm.

Donkey Duke All destinations have their individual pros and cons. What appeals to me might not appeal to you, so it would be a waste of time to laud some over others. In any case, the crew is a far greater factor than where you are in whether or not you have an enjoyable time.

Hi Scroggs.
First of all many thanks for all infor about Virgin.

As you said the outcome of the trip depends on the crew. How often you have bad trips vs good ones and who could be the worst part to spoil it cabin or flight deck crew.
Many thanks

honey737. All my trips are great, of course! I'm not going to start (or get involved with) a petty argument about whether cabin crew or flight deck are more likely to spoil a trip; it would be invidious and ridiculous.

Each trip has its own pleasures. Some, for reasons of fatigue, time zone changes, lack of ground time, local customs, or whatever, are unlikely to ever be 'party' trips. That's part of the job. Sometimes it's just nice to get your head down for 12 hours!

Hello Scroggs,

Another 2 questions if you don't mind.

Since you mentioned SYD, do you know how well that operation is going in terms of passenger loads? I read that VS wants to use the B744 on that route, will it be both, the A340-600 and the B744 flying to Sydney or at some stage it will be just the B744?

And finally how many days is crew rest at Syd?

Oops i just noticed it's more than 2 question :O Sorry

Thank You

Is 11 days off in a month considered average? That must be hard to maintain a family life. No disrespect intended I'm just curious what life is like for an airline pilot in the UK.

Sorry Scroggs but you are not always right. I inquired last year and there is an unofficial agreement between GSS and VS.
If you are so confident that you are right then WHO from GSS has been employed by VS?

Airway I have no information about the overall loads on the SYD route, nor what loads were expected at this stage in the route's development. The B744 has not been proposed for use on this route, but I understand that it is envisaged that in the long term the A380 will take it. That may be several years away. The B744 is likely to specialize more and more on Caribbean and Florida 'beach' routes, and is unlikely to be used for any Asian routes.

The stopover at Sydney is about 28 hours. There are likely to be some changes to the crewing plot for this route shortly.

srjumbo as far as I'm aware, no GSS people have been employed by Virgin. I believe that 4 have applied. I can categorically confirm that there is no agreement of 'non employment' of GSS people between Virgin and GSS - such a policy would have no benefit to Virgin. If you wish to PM me, I can give you some further information.

When Virgin were shedding 744 rated pilots - at about the time GSS started recruiting, several of us were interviewed and offered jobs - and had start dates. However, time went by, G-GSSA took far longer to get on the UK register than anticipated and it looked like those being made redundant from the 744 were likely to keep their jobs with Virgin. During this period, we were convinced a 'no poach' policy was in place as other non-rated pilots were joining GSS ahead of us. A few did join GSS later, but these were our ex BA contract guys who were going to leave Virgin anyway, and knew Elliot from BA days.

Dan, I've heard that story before (I was fortunate not to be in that situation myself) but I suspect that the truth is less conspiratorial. However, whatever may have happened then, it's not now! The list of airlines not represented among Virgin's recruits over the last year is long and distinguished; GSS is one of very many airlines who haven't lost anyone to us - yet!

Hi srjumbo,
isn't your profile a bit out of date?:p

Scroggs,

I've heard a rumour that due to poor rostering, VS have started to cancel one or two flights due lack of available flightdeck. Which fleet has the most stable rosters?

Thanks
TBE.

Hoofherated, you obviously know who I am then!

Big Easy

I'm sure Scroggs will agree that the manning levels on the 400 fleet are such that our rosters are much more stable at the moment.

A predicted shortfall of 400 Captains may change that during the summer but the shortfalls on the Airbus in both seats are making their rosters very difficult to fully man and therefore disruption appears to be the norm at the moment.

:cool:

Yep, that's about it. The 744 is a stable fleet - no new ones coming in, no old ones being retired (aircraft, that is!). The A340 is getting 4 or 5 new aircraft a year. That started two years ago and will continue for several years. With around 8-9 crews per aeroplane, that requires a large training effort. For a number of reasons, the training didn't start in time to build up a manning buffer before the aircraft started arriving, and we've been playing catch-up ever since. So the A340 roster isn't that stable, particularly for captains. For FO's - particularly new ones - the roster is fairly stable. Having said that, as an example, the trip I'm on right now is the first I've had since last year that has changed from the roster. Hardly a volatile record!

Virgin Atlantic Hold Pool
 

Scroggs

Have you any latest info on how long people are waiting in the VS hold pool at the moment before being offered course start dates?

I've been swimming since December

Thanks

AD

Sorry not Scroggs (but he does appear in my logbook).

I have it on good authority (info about 2 months old though) that due to the shortage of pilots on the A340, Virgin had to get as many A340 and A330 rated and experienced pilots in as it could. Virgin also had to place those coming off the Classic on to other fleets. Courses are manned until June and Virgin have about 50 people still in the holding pool to place too.

Regards

thanks Mr Ripley

I have 2500 hours A330

AD

average wait seems 9mths - 1 year. Courses filled til sept acording to my 'insider'. Anyone know better?

FYI - Wait in the pool is only 4 1/2 months at the latest count...

AERO check your PM.

Any idea of recruitment status. Am qualified on the A320 (1500 hrs) , used the electronic application form six months ago, but not a peep out of them.

Originally thought they may be up to their ears with A330 chaps buy have recently heard of three non-typerated guys joining.

Does anybody have experience of whether this form works or not? Or is it a case of needing a mate on the inside to wave your resume in front of the charming lady in HR?

The form works. Having a mate on the inside is not required to get a job, nor is it compulsory to have an Airbus rating - but it helps. What is compulsory just now is considerably more than the 2500-3000 hours minimum stated on the website.

And Janine does not work in HR!

As for hold pool times, I'm sorry, but I can't give any more authoritative info than you've already seen here. It's true that both fleets are currently absorbing the guys from the finally-defunct Classic fleet, which will affect take-up from the pool, but that shouldn't affect things for too long.

Scroggs

Just to second Scroggs last post....I'm in the hold pool. I know nobody in Virgin...Nobody.

AD

Scroggs - I gather a lot of FOs at GSS would love to join Virgin as the pay and rosters are better, and command prospects at GSS have diminished thanks to BA's intervention. Many have sent in their CVs apparently, but as you mention - none have joined Virgin despite being type rated!

Why?

I don't know, Dan. I was present when contact was made between an ex-Virgin GSS captain and our senior management to discuss the situation. I wasn't privy to the content of the subsequent discussion but, when I later met said captain again, he told me he was satisfied that there was nothing underhand going on. That's the limit of my knowledge of the subject.

Ahh but Scroggs my dear chap, you stated in page one of this topic that I was entirely wrong about VAA not hiring anyone from GSS.
Do you retract your statement saying how wrong I was? If not then please PM me with names of who has been taken on from GSS.
Don't suppose it'll be a long message eh?

srjumbo This is what I said to you: You will also recall that I said this on the same page, though a different post:

What have I to retract or apologise for?:rolleyes: :hmm:

SS All VS commands are internal promotions. We got a bit stretched, as the command training didn't start early enough, but we are just about coping! There has been no suggestion whatsoever of DECs - and we (the pilot workforce) wouldn't wear it anyway!

srjumbo further to my last, you don't appear to understand that Virgin is not recruiting for the B744. We are recruiting for the A340, which is why the vast majority of people we have interviewed have an Airbus rating. A very few non-B744-rated people were in the right place at the right time to be taken on for a full conversion when it was decided that the 744 needed a few extra people. This does not add up to a conspiracy against GSS.

Best you let the -400 fleet know that we're not recruiting for them. They seem to think that there's a conversion course every month until at least early next year.:mad:

Ok, Hoof, perhaps it'd be more accurate to say we weren't recruiting for the 744! I guess the conversions are at the rate of 4 people per course? Maybe some of those 744-rated applicants might now get a look-in, though the numbers will still be small compared to the intake for the 'Bus.

If you look at the bottom of the latest seniority list (from last week) there must have been about 5 or 6 A340 places for every 1 B744 place over the last year.

Yep, and pretty much the same ratio, in reverse, at the top.;)