I'm out too.. :hmm: Good luck to the others!

Strike 2, I'm out (but trying to avoid the down...)!

Best of luck to all still involved.

Me too, saw that one coming alright. :*

good luck all!

me also, knew that was coming

Got the PFO mail as well. What is your guys experience?

Frozen and looking for my first job. Almost time for the IR renewal :ouch:

In excess of 2k hours 757 - PFO

So they rejected a newbie and an experienced one? What the :mad: are they looking for?

In excess of 4500hrs 757/767 - PFO

Hey ho :\ Onwards and downwards!

PFO here too, 2000hrs on 737

PFO too, for Airbus & Boeing now.

The Enhanced Voluntary Severance (I have some difficulty with the Company's idea of enhanced) package appears to have yielded 7 or 8 volunteers so far. There may be more negotiating quietly behind the scenes but either way, these numbers won't lead to much, if any, recruitment on their own given the Company's wish to both reduce the number of Captains and use those that remain more efficiently (aka work harder).

Boeing PFO too. Experienced on Space Shuttle and Concorde.

VFE.

How much did the Shuttle TR cost? :}

It was astronomical!

VFE.

Neither are EFIS - you could not possibly cope with a glass screen. Obviously.

EK

But think how much fuel he would save in the descent!

I got a PFO for boeing also.

Terms and Endearment forum? Pah! They should start a PFO forum. Much more scope for conversation.

In the good old days PFO was just an airfield on Cyprus...:{

Thought the Space Shuttle was EFIS?

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/...s-cockpit2.jpg

2 more PFOs to add to my collection... 2000 hrs tp non bus..

I just thumbed through my manual (like!) and can see that the 'Shut' (as we liked to call it!) has a few glass screens. Found a PFO from Arse Hanging Out Me Jeans Airlines wedged down there too whilst I was at it. Ennit.

PFO 3,000h+ on B757, but, London based.

Not sure I would be interested in a temp summer only contract in GLA/BFS if thats the only boeing option on the table anyway.

They must have upgraded it since I did my PPL in one a few years back. Steam driven dials back then. Helped me get to grips with concorde for my IR.

PFO for me too.

Did they actually call anyone for interview at all?

EK

I know of some people who have gone so yes there have been interviews and then sim checks but thats about all I know.

What about backgrounds/experience of people who have passed and are invited back? Any examples?

mid 30's to mid 40's with a couple of thousand hours on type.

So not 29 then?

Oooh, you little tinker!

Got a PFO the other day...non typed so wasnt holding much hope anyway..the search continues :)....Keeping the faith!!!!!:eek:

Any ideas to what the final numbers were?

Was it a case of rated 757 crews for part time contracts in the northern bases? Has anyone in TCX know of future recruitment or will it be a case of flexicrew cadets and part time contracts forevermore?

Callsign,

apparently there were 4 summer only contracts taken on, mostly @ MAN.

TCX are in quite an uncertain position at the moment. Firstly, there are 3
A330's going back off lease at the end of the summer (these were previously used for the Canadian Affair contract which we recently pulled out of). This would in theory create a surplus of Pilots going into this winter.

Coupled with this, a large exposure to Egypt has bitten with the political issues over there and will hit the Airline. This has lead to a large portion of the flying program to Egypt being pulled and re-deployed. This means those Aircraft are now operating shorter routes and can therefore fly more sectors each day, and hence require more drivers. TCX is quite unique in that the tour operator drives the Airline and its establishment. At the moment due to other pressures and a slow economy people aren't booking and this could lead to a reduction in capacity for next summer. Of course us Brits will end up booking our holidays in the end and the company will probably be playing catch up as usual!!

To mitigate this voluntary severance has been extended until the end of the summer to give people more chance to organise their lives (unlike the previous 3 weeks to decide). Also the company have it on authority from BA that some 20 people are sat in the hold pool awaiting start dates. The future is very very grey, there could potentially be a surplus at the end of the year or possibly further recruitment going into next year. It really depends on people booking holidays and the company's perception of the holiday markets for the next twelve months.

Expect anything......................

I see...

Thank you frozenpilot for a factual insight. Much appreciated indeed. We shall see how things develop throughout the course of the year - hopefully positively for the holiday operator and therefore for the airline. 20 odd moving towards BA hopefully pushes recruitment, however this seems to be an unlikely outcome presently. Shall keep my fingers crossed. A GLA/NCL base with TCX would be a handy one.

So essentially the same old same old. Year after year same scenario.

Tour ops rule the roost.

No real need for an airline is their eyes.

Sad but true.

Only partly true, cost and hassle is balanced by the benefits of being in control of the airline, so controlling the "product". Last year the airline was the star of the group, this year we are the whipping boy.

Frozenpilots comments are spot on, this winter might be interesting!

theearl.....what?

Yes tour ops rule the roost...do you think an airline should be in control of a holiday company?

Same old same old....well...yes. Was it ever different? Don't see what your point is?

Heard a rumour that up to 12 aircraft may be leaving at the end of the year, with those who were made permanent...being made redundant which is quite bitter news if it becomes true. But like other comments, the leaders have said it depends on bookings. It all seems a bit knee jerk with recently promoted captains changing types, temporary summer basings being withdrawn, other options being added, leased aircraft etc. The management have asked people to volunteer for up to 4 days overtime per month, which to be fair is lucrative and there's obviously no obligation but it's another sign I think, that they're not certain themselves of the numbers they need for tomorrow, let alone the end of the year. We'll have to see what the cleaners say in 6 months

Pardon, what does PFO mean in this context? English is just a tertiary language for me so my level 4 apparently is not enough.

Denti,

PFO = please :mad: off (i.e. we're terribly sorry but you haven't got the job).

Ok, thanks for the explanation ;)

OBKI

Sounds like you enjoy the fact that tour ops can play with your future, leaving you each summer wondering what the next will bring. You cant force passengers to book, granted, but if tour ops could get the flights flown cheaper they wouldn't necessarily use to tcx planes. Expansion was always limited as all our flying was carried out by MYT, Excel etc etc cheaper especially LH.

"we'll have to wait and see what the cleaners say in 6 months" quite possibly and I hope for all that Charter doesnt deteriorate any further into a P2F / Contractor pit.

There is no loyalty between tour ops and the airline. (Sad but true). Have you ever been to one of the tour ops conferences as a airline rep?

FP quoted on a recent webchat '' there certainly not be 12 aircraft leaving the fleet'' Apparently this is a rumour doing the rounds through engineers and has something to do with a 12 Airbus order for the group.......................???

Any contraction beyond the 3 A330's would be very small, they just need to justify the Pilot workforce for the winter. Also mentioned during the recent webchat was the success of sub-charters throughout the winter so that will support carrying pilots during these months.

There is certainly an issue being at the mercy of tour-ops perception of the industry. However, so far they have got things close to spot on for the Airline. It would just be nice to see them take a bit of a risk: ie expansion or new routes instead of constant consolidation and cost cutting.

As I said, I would not be suprised to see them whinging about a surplus come November. Equally I could see them recruiting in December.

Yes bookings are down, no surprise there. Would you book a holiday months in advance if there were rumours of redundancies in the air??

I expect bookings to pick up over the next few months, as people book holidays at the last minute having not been made redundant.

As frozenpilot said "It would just be nice to see them take a bit of a risk: ie expansion or new routes instead of constant consolidation and cost cutting."

Completely agree....a decision to cut back now could back fire next summer.