Min hours for a CCQ are 500 on the type being converted from. OSD(OEB) directive

Pay to Fly
 

You think they d learn ! ? the last time they did p2f on the 320 one of the trainees broke an airbus , in a big way .

I'm not so sure. Having flown 320 and 330 (base-trainer and TRE) with very, very many new-to-type pilots I believe the 320 training simply gets them up to speed with the A/c with a bit of 'routes and airfields' thrown in.

The 330 is different. First, the aircraft is not a big 320 - far from it. Second, the 'routes and airfields' bit takes on a whole new dimension: Calgary at -35*C; Orlando TS in the summer (not to mention the airfield training traffic); Dom Rep ATC and approaches; Atlantic crossing procedures and CPDLC/ADS... I could go on.

Certainly have taken many pilots on their first-time crossing but they all had a few thousand hours. Who wants a 500 hrs pilot with both ratings?

The arrangement is unsound in my humble opinion.

As Fantom says above really. When you get onto the 330 flying the aircraft should be second nature and need little training. Its the situational awareness, Atlantic procs, caribbean US airports and weather which takes time to get used to. Your mental capacity should not be taken up with the flying at this stage. Also, you really dont want to be building landing experience at 160 tonnes into an airfield with basic engineering.

I know the TCX guys will appreciate your support, thanks!

I would agree with the argument that the person concerned would have little to no non technical experience which is some what vital for this type of aircraft.

Fantom
If TCX provide a cover F/O on any line training sectors that should ease you're concerns and the issue of lost flying for perm staff.
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Great points both fantom and cabus.
As i said previously i dont support the tcx approach but am just interested in the technical differences. Although i suppose similar challenges are presented at greek and spanish ex military airfields.

Good luck with it all guys.

paying to fly line training a320
 

Anyone heard of Flyairgb.co.uk

they are starting an ACMI operation from manchester with 2 airbus a320. They are taking 50,000gbp for 500 hours line training and people are crazy enough to pay for this. what has the world come to. My son had written to them, they replied after the 500 hours they will have a permanent position with salary.:ugh:

very BAD NEWS
 

sad to hear TCX have now joined the race to the bottom, and has become equal to the likes of EZY, Ryanair or Lionair.

It used to be a good place to work, however I am glad I left the company after 8 years there and several 1000 hours on 320/330.
Never looked back.

Good luck to everyone staying, eventually more and more FO will be replaced by PtF, apparently all with BALPA approval. This just shows how completely useless BALPA is as an organisation, do NOT join unless you are a BA pilot.

The real reason?
 

My guess is this is just a way to give the trainers something to do and earn their 130k? Therefore full union support no doubt; otherwise you are looking at demoting training captains. Shrinking airline, poor prospects for the future and a salary model based in the early 1990s must be giving them huge grief. Old kit and no money for replacements. A bit of PTF is not going to help much is it?
However, that does not mean the A330 PTF will be done in anyway but a professional manner. One assumes TCX training captains will provide the simulator sessions and not some SFI who is a buddy of a buddy and never even seen the aircraft. The skill test will have to be done by a TCX examiner if the pilot is going to fly with the airline I assume, although I may be well out of date on this. Of course a full TCX crew will be on board as well as the PTF person, the union would not have it any other way. The A330 is the easiest aircraft to land I have ever flown, unless you insist on manual thrust and get the speed slow. All the best to TCX in the fight for survival and if this helps it helps all the pilots.

g109, care to back up your statement about BALPA and ptf with facts?