BA Midfleet.
 

Ladies and Gents,

Been offered a position B757/767 with BA. Was fingers crossed for the 777 but stunned to recieve the offer all the same. Any comments with regard to lifestyle and rosters for anyone joining the mid-fleet as I know very little about what it offers? Specifically interested in length of tours, longhaul routes and days off.

Many thanks.

Codman - What sort of experience do you have and when is your course?

JT8 - 4500hrs on type. Course is in July.

It's a good fleet with a mix of long and short haul. You could be doing a GLA shuttle one day and be off to Nassau the next, and all under the umbrella of BA bidline which gives stable rosters and some control over your life.

Expect about 13 days off a month and a pleasant lifestyle on a lot of their long haul routes. The 767 is used on transatlantics and also on "long, thin" routes with reduced services (say 3 a week) so you get some good down time down route.

Enjoy

757/767 would be a great fleet
 

I would say its an excellent choice. You won't work as hard as the short-bus drivers and you will get some diversity. You'll get to see everything from Dar Es Salaam to Moscow to Nassau to Philadelphia to Nice to Tel Aviv to Glasgow. Nice variety! I think those 777 drivers work pretty hard too with the constant over-the-pond flights for the junior pilots.

It's been said before on these boards, but how many years before a newhire could bid off a fleet (say the 757/767 fleet) and onto the 777 or 744 fleets should one choose to go that route? Is it 5 years? Regardless, you'll get some of the best variety possible.

Interesting.
Further to my interview where I asked if I would be going onto 737 (type rated on this), I was told recruitment was for LHR and so would probably be on the 320 (only got 1000 hrs total), maybe the 757.
Then after sim offered 737 LGW immediately. I asked about 757 but was told internal recruitment for this.

Maybe one of two things here:

1. BA are saving money by not having to do a new type rating.

2. BA are getting you online quicker.

or both!

or neither!

Makes sense to me to put you or anyone else onto the fleet that you are already operating. Why retrain you at their cost.

Anyone else got similar stories?

There have been 12 new entrant joiners to the 757/767 fleet in the last couple of months.

Does BA hire Americans with FAA Certs???

Do any US airlines hire Brits with JAA licences?

No, you'll have to convert your FAA ATPL to a JAR ATPL. Not sure what the cost is but I guess at least £10000 or about $17500.

You'd also need the right to work in the EU.

Odd Skipper..............The deal is that if BA hire you it is a 5 year engagement freeze on type. However, if it suits them they can waive this freeze if they need a fleet manning and there are insufficient volunteers or there are insufficient qualified pilots.

An example could be LGW shorthaul which needs Captains but not enough people volunteer who have the licence, hours and experience requirements. If you were to volunteer, through the normal bidding process, and were found suitable then BA may well offer you the post. All done in seniority order........