CM - I hope so too.

When I did some training at SFT back in '97 one of my instructors had just retired from VS, but let me tell you he was gutted to leave. He said he'd work there for free if they'd given him an extra 5 years!

Now that speaks volumes.

Scrogg's
All good news reference the B787 in 2011. What is the plan for the next four years? Since VS deferred previous Airbus orders, will both fleets remain static in terms of numbers until 2011? With 'open skies' just around the corner, surely not!
TBE.

Anyone who says they'd "work for free" speaks volumes about them not the employer. My mate works for them and finds it all very dull as he's been there about nine years. As airlines go, I would reckon they are one of the best airlines to fly for in UK aviation. Can someone explain where the Heathrow slots are coming from for all the new aircraft?

I would hazard a guess that they may not intend to fly them all out of LHR, but instead 'point-to-point' from other airports in the UK/EU...

Just my 2p worth.... won't really know 'till 2011

The plan? You think Virgin has a plan?! That'll be a first!

Seriously, Virgin tends to try and stay flexible in order to exploit opportunities as they arise. Slots at Heathrow are difficult to come by - but not impossible - and new routes may well be influenced by the timing of the slots the airline acquires. There is a wish-list of destinations and routes, but this is also flexible. For example, I'm not sure how many in the airline anticipated RB's announcement of direct flights to Perth - I wouldn't be surprised if it even took Commercial by surprise!

That said, there is also something of a policy (for want of a better word) of strengthening the airline's presence on the most profitable and well-supported routes, as the build up to 6 New Yorks a day, 2 Washingtons, 2 LAs, God knows how many Orlandos (from 3 UK airports), etc. I wouldn't be surprised to see a second San Fran return, for example (there was one from LGW prior to 2002).

So, what's the plan? I don't know - I'll wait and see, like everyone else!

Scroggs

I heard on the grapevine that Virgin have recently been inviting people for interview following the brief application window that opened earlier this year. Can any fellow ppruners confirm this? I have an application in myself and am curious to knowif this is infact the case. Many Thanks.

Supadupafly, there are interviews taking place at present for some of those who applied on-line. Successful applicants are going into the holding pool at present, potentially for a handful of conversion courses later this year. Overall numbers are small at this stage. Good luck!

Virgin on the truth?
 

Check out http://gs19.globalsuccessor.com/fe/t...fdulleoronnbbp.

Click on "quick the boss is coming" :ouch:

I love boredom and I don't see a "I'm fatigued" column. Can I join please? ;)

virgin atlantic conditions
 

good morning everybody,

could someone please send me a typical roster for an FO?
also if someone could tell me the normal taxrate yoy FO's have to pay in the UK that would be most helpfull.

Thank you very much!!!!


p.s. I tried the search function but didn't find anything due to a very annoying internet connection over here:ugh:

Don't know about the roster, but here is a link for the tax computation in the UK:

http://www.i-resign.com/uk/financial...calculator.asp

recently i received a message from the recruiting manager. They told me that my application has not reached the shortlist for the next stage.

They have high volume of applications received, so there is no chance for individual feedback, and I have to wait for at least 12 months to re-apply.:{

Same here, welcome to the club! :{

Oh well, nothing to stop us from trying again in 12 months. :ooh:

virigin atlantic interviews
 

Hi All,

Has anyone got a virgin interview soon or anyone who has previously offer any advice?? How difficult are the numerical and verbal reasoning tests etc??

:)

virgin interview (flight crew)
 

Any info about the new Virgin interview format? Tech quizz, etc...
Is there a SIM assessment in the process now?

vs interviews
 

Hi i'm trying to find out about the interview and maths and verbal reasoning tests too. When is your interview?? As far as i know there is no sim ride!

Ricky:)

Carlos & iBus,

Hope you dont mind me asking but......just out of curiosity what are your TT, background and current type? I gather VS want about 4K TT to be competitive........not quite there yet myself and have conversion to finish.......:eek:!!!

Thanks,

OW

FOW, I have >4000 hours and >2000 jet, current on Airbus.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

I have been trying to find more about the different verbal reasonning and math tests but the search function here does not give any results....
Can anyone help?
Thank you!

FOW
I have more than 4500 hours TT
and more than 3000 hours on 737 with about 800 h PIC 737.

Good Luck !

Thanks for the info, kind of puts things into perpesctive now. Could any one please shed some light as to what Virgin is typically requiring from potential candidates? Competitive hrs? Preferred type? Type of flying (LH vs SH)? Educational background? etc. Next year may well have to choose between command on A319 or RHS on A340 if currnet expansion plans go ahead.

Many thanks and best of luck to the both of you next year!

OW

Virgin Atlantic's Requirements
 

Could someone tell me what their normal requirements are, not direct entry captains, just normal FO positions.

I checked out their website, but it said they were not recruiting at the moment and I couldnt see their requirements.

Thanks.

Could someone tell me the requirements for direct entry captain,

or preferably chief pilot.

South Coast,

No Direct Entry Captains. Upgrade by SENIORITY and SUITABILITY only. Currently 8 to 10 years seemingly.

Minimum requirements from website in past have been 2500 hours with solid JET experience on something larger than a BAE 146.

In reality, people with 3000,4000,5000 hours and with experience on types operated by Virgin have been rejected for various reasons.

It is very difficult to even get an interview, but once in, it's very rewarding.

Thanks Stansdead

Hmmmm, I am flying within the corporate world and as you can imagine the planes are all fairly small, all-be-it they are modern and new technology.

Just not heavy in weight.

Would it be correct to assume that you dont find many from non-airline background in Virgin then?

I was told the other day (by someone who knows:ok:) it helps if you were in the right squadron.......
I haven't applied, so I'm not particularly bothered:}

Virgin Atlantic Holding Pool
 

Can anybody from Virgin help?....
How big is the holding pool at the moment?
Any courses planned in the near future? Which fleet?

How long is this piece of string I'm holding?

Perhaps you should direct your question to Virgin recruiting department, there again they probably don't know either,so about this piece of string!

How long is this piece of string I'm holding?

Twice the length from the middle i suspect :}

Simple really...........................................:zzz:

DCT_bombi
Top post you got me!:D

Hi all,

What's the latest? Heard that interviews are being scheduled..

Cheers,

MG. ;)

Question for Virgin crews?
 

On the Jeppesen/Carmen website I noticed that Virgin is using Carmen systems for their monthly bidding. I wonder if someone could share with me an overview of the general satisfaction - or lack thereof - of the system with me. I fly for Continental and we've been using Carmen for monthly bidding for about a year. It's been an unmitigated disaster for about 70% of the seniority list who've seen their monthly days off decrease dramatically under PBS vs. line bidding.

I'm not sure if it's Carmens inferior software, or Continentals staffing shortages that are causing this dissatisfaction and am interested in hearing a Virgin pilots perspective on their PBS system.

Thanks,

Glassos

Glassos - personally, my request satisfaction has increased since the introduction of Carmen. However there are plenty of guys winging about it, especially on the Boeing fleet. I suspect what has happened is that the guys who used to buck the system under the old "manual" rosters are now finding that they can't do so. Having said that, there are plenty of wrinkles that need ironing out, although a lot of them have to do with the interface between the day-to-day Crewing system, which still runs on 1980s software, and Carmen, which only deals with Rosters - in their infinite, penny-pinching wisdom our management only bought the Carmen Rostering module, not the Crewing module.

Having just reread your post I'll now try and answer your question! My days off etc have changed very little under Carmen - if anything I'm getting 1 or 2 per month more, but the number of times I get a requested trip assigned (which I find more important than days off) has increased noticeably. However, if I read your post correctly you guys used to use the line-bidding system before Carmen, which we never did, so I don't know if our experience is directly comparable.

Hope that's of some help.
t

Thanks for the reply. Prior to Carmen did you use a different vendor for PBS, or did you have a different system to build rosters?

Prior to Carmen the roster was essentially hand-built.

Carmen has been in Virgin for about 3 years now, and is only now beginning to settle down. Many of the problems in the early days were due to operator inexperience and unfamiliarity with the system, and filters that were too coarse for their intended purpose. Thanks to the efforts of a few good men and women, the system is continually being updated and refined and, in general, is now producing a reasonably fair roster. That said, there's a long way to go before everyone will be either satisfied or convinced that they are not personally being victimised when a roster doesn't go their way, and much of our ground programme and leave is not yet included in Carmen's long-term planning, which makes things awkward at times. It will get there, but it's been a rocky path with much bad feeling on both sides.

If your roster people are reasonably flexible and open minded, they could try and contact Virgin's rostering department to discuss the issues at a technical level. I believe one of our pilots - an ex-Union rep - is very highly qualified on the system and may be able to advise (at commercial rates, no doubt!).

Scroggs

Hi Gang,

I received an email in July confirming the recruitment dept. would like to discuss things further etc. when dates became available.

Has anyone receiving this email in July had the fortune to interview yet?

MAX:cool:

The email would have been a start......:(

Is VA still interviewing? It seems to have gone all quiet on this front. I updated my details today through the online update facility, (hours etc,) but there was a banner saying on the summary page that:-

"Unfortunately, the job you are looking for is no longer being advertised."

It would appear that my reference number is still valid though.

Scroggs, any update at all ?

BR.

Couple of mates have been called for interview (not me though :(). Any updates out there?

Any news on Virgin's requirements for the coming year? All gone very quiet.