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-   -   BA Direct Entry Pilot. (https://www.pprune.org/terms-endearment/538503-ba-direct-entry-pilot.html)

skaterboi 1st January 2019 08:51


Originally Posted by Riskybis (Post 10348590)
The pay isn’t the reason to get into BA , I honestly think the main reason people want to get into this weird outfit is to “fly the flag” , “to fly to serve” . Just awful :ugh:

I've just heard I've been successful in my Sim Assessment and have a start date in the Spring. I'm coming to BA from the military and of all of my friends and colleagues who have also got in, not one has stated the reasons you cite for joining. Whilst the pay isn't stellar, it's not bad and is comparable to what we get now. For us, BA represents job security, excellent training, incremental pay (as many of us have topped out in the RAF), the ability to fly LH and get a 777,787 etc type rating, the ability to settle in one location and finally travel to destinations that don't require you to live in a tent and get shot at on a regular basis.

Whilst I concede that BA isn't going to perfect (show me a job that is), it'll do for me and I'm very happy to have made the grade. In the unlikely event that I don't like it, I'll move to somewhere else (and give 3 months notice, not 12).

wiggy 1st January 2019 09:06

Skaterboi...Firstly congratulations...


Originally Posted by skaterboi (Post 10348608)
... and finally travel to destinations that don't require you to.....get shot at on a regular basis.

Well...there is the return to ISB on the 787.........:E :E..., that aside you will find there are some “interesting destinations” with security issues at ground level, plus silly stuff like the odd scud thrown in the very general direction of RUH from time to time and at least one other occasionally “hot” ME destination where one has been known to have to take cover...but I do take your point :ok:

VinRouge 1st January 2019 09:16


Originally Posted by wiggy (Post 10348619)
Skaterboi...Firstly congratulations...

Well...there is the return to ISB on the 787.........:E :E..., that aside you will find there are some “interesting destinations” with security issues at ground level, plus silly stuff like the odd scud thrown in the very general direction of RUH from time to time and at least one other occasionally “hot” ME destination where one has been known to have to take cover...but I do take your point :ok:

Need to increase Cap to these destinations then and make them more enticing for some of those enjoying the golf too often down in Jo Berg!

red9 1st January 2019 09:51


Originally Posted by Riskybis (Post 10348590)
The pay isn’t the reason to get into BA , I honestly think the main reason people want to get into this weird outfit is to “fly the flag” , “to fly to serve” . Just awful :ugh:

Really - Trust me there are many/some on the SH fleet........particularly two stripers......

wiggy 1st January 2019 10:05

Oh well...I stand corrected .. I’ve never witnessed that myself ....are you actually literally hearing people saying e.g. they joined “ to fly the flag” or similar...:yuk: ??? I’ve never even heard the real real youngsters on the other side of the flight deck door -Mixed Fleet, regurgitate that sort of nonsense..

Maybe too much recruiting/exposure to some of our social media hero’s is causing this....I suggest we should make sure we continue to recruit more cynical/grounded old f*******:suspect: The Forces used to have a few...







GS-Alpha 1st January 2019 11:08

I do not think there are especially many who joined purely because they wanted to fly the flag. There are plenty who assumed the ‘national flag carrier’ would have superior terms and conditions though.

pilotpete123 1st January 2019 15:55

What will happen to crews as the 747 is withdrawn? Could someone join on the fleet and then be directed to any fleet without any consultation? I understand that during your fleet freeze you can be directed to any fleet but obviously this is more relevant on the 747.

no sponsor 1st January 2019 16:30

Correct. You can get directed anywhere where BA wants. So you could in theory get booted off the 747 as the fleet reduces in size. That might be to SH. The 350 is going to replace the 747 on an hull for hull basis.

However, there might be enough guys bidding off the 747 to fill their requirements leaving you protected. I guess it’s a last resort thing. Some new guys were directed off the 380 a couple of years ago. If they have an oversupply of pilots on a fleet, they normally run a supplementary bid and people can put in their preference as to where they’d like to go. Happened on the 318 when they reduced the fleet to 1 aircraft a while back.

GS-Alpha 1st January 2019 16:32

That could potentially happen Pete, but I personally doubt the 747 will run down in anything like the currently planned timescale.

pilotpete123 1st January 2019 16:50

Thanks for that insight. Currently watching a fleet being retired at my current airline and the associated drama that brings. I can also relate to how a planned timescale means very little. Now oil has tanked again I can imagine they may well be around a little longer...

Tricia Takanawa 1st January 2019 18:04


Originally Posted by pilotpete123 (Post 10348955)
Thanks for that insight. Currently watching a fleet being retired at my current airline and the associated drama that brings. I can also relate to how a planned timescale means very little. Now oil has tanked again I can imagine they may well be around a little longer...

In probably my only positive post re BA so far, I have a few mates on the 767 who are obviously in the fleet retirement predicament at the moment. Obviously BA can do what they want during the first 5 years, but they are being released to their fleet of choice (777 & 747) after 3 years or less in BA, and are over the moon.

Also based on nothing but my humble opinion, if you joined in 2019, I don't foresee see you being directed off the jumbo due to fleet retirement during the initial engagement freeze. They are cash cows for BA at the moment with oil at $55 pb.

2 Whites 2 Reds 1st January 2019 18:51


Originally Posted by pilotpete123 (Post 10348918)
What will happen to crews as the 747 is withdrawn? Could someone join on the fleet and then be directed to any fleet without any consultation? I understand that during your fleet freeze you can be directed to any fleet but obviously this is more relevant on the 747.

I joined onto the 767 as a rated DEP. As you may know, the 767 fleet has recently been retired so I (and others) faced a bit of an uncertain future when we entered official run down. During your initial 5 year engagement freeze the company can pretty much do what they like with you so we did have fears that we would be directed somewhere we didn't want to go, in our case that was SH Airbus. And tbh there's nothing we could have done about it (except bid off as unfrozen ASAP). Thankfully we were all given the opportunity to submit an aspirational bid in the usual way and were then processed accordingly.

Within reason we all got what we asked for or very close to it. The junior guys including me have largely ended up on the 777 and are very happy chappies after what has been a pretty awful couple of years for those at the bottom. Having done it once, I would avoid a dying fleet as far as humanly possible but I'm sure others will back me up when I say just get in, get your number and bide your time. The jumbo is the next to go but its a while off yet and it won't endure the same short haul pain the 767 did in its final 2 1/2 years.

Happy New Year all!

3Greens 2nd January 2019 00:09


Originally Posted by AIMINGHIGH123 (Post 10348783)


I sadly didn’t get to the SIM have to wait a year to reapply. I have however changed my opinion of BA. I assumed the ‘national flag carrier’ had superior terms and conditions and had the thought of how amazing it would be to fly for BA. I do feel a bit naive now. I put a lot of work into prepping for BA but actually didn’t research T&Cs what’s it actually like etc. I now know people who have jumped to BA, I’m talking people I’ve worked with trained with, and the picture they paint is not what I had in my head. I was disappointed to not get to the SIM but I’m actually more disappointed in what I have learnt about BA. I was looking at it as that would be my forever airline but I feel the first 5 years at least would be so challenging, having a very young family, wife who wants to quit her job to be with family, would test us to the max. SH trips away seem inevitable and having seen rosters guys have sent me I feel EZY would be a better choice, command is quicker and pays more. LH doesn’t look as bad, you get few more days off but may have to wait 5 years to get LH and 15 years to command!!! Im mid thirties now at least 50 before command. I don’t plan on working in to my 60s. It took a heart attack for my dad(68) to stop work. Pay that’s not very good compared to how much money BA makes!!! Wife has to keep working so we can afford our bills/plan on early retirement.

I spent most of 2018 waiting for BA to open up recruitment and waiting for slots to stages 1 and 2 as that’s what I wanted I didn’t focus on much else apart from EK.
Maybe it’s because it’s 2019, 2018 went by so quickly, I need to be more proactive.
Happy New Year.

you won’t get a LH command at BA in 15years. Currently it’s sitting at around 19/20 years

RexBanner 2nd January 2019 07:15


Originally Posted by 3Greens (Post 10349250)

you won’t get a LH command at BA in 15years. Currently it’s sitting at around 19/20 years

I think he means fifteen years after the initial 5 year wait to get long haul.

VinRouge 2nd January 2019 08:02


Originally Posted by RexBanner (Post 10349381)

I think he means fifteen years after the initial 5 year wait to get long haul.

​​​​​​For many experienced pilots with a decade plus large aircraft command (particularly military), the decent FO pay scale and seniority system means that many consider a move straight to BA a release from ever having to bother with command again. Why would you want to go junior LH command again at 58? I'm considering a move to SH (potentialo command) after 10-15years once we are living closer to LHR. But then again, why bother?

​​​​With a small mil pension included, a move to RHS salary after a decade of military command with allowances is around a 17-20k pay rise. I sh#t you not. This is what you move across on.

Mr Angry from Purley 2nd January 2019 17:59


Originally Posted by Riskybis (Post 10348590)
The pay isn’t the reason to get into BA , I honestly think the main reason people want to get into this weird outfit is to “fly the flag” , “to fly to serve” . Just awful :ugh:

Wouldn't be surprised at all don't forget a lot of wannabie Nigels are fresh out of Flight School when they join BA.
At my last gaff there were 2 Low Hour FO's who told me on day 1 they were going to be at Gaff Airways for the rest of their life - Guess where they are now after 3 years....

cessnapete 2nd January 2019 20:48


Originally Posted by VinRouge (Post 10349400)
​​​​​​For many experienced pilots with a decade plus large aircraft command (particularly military), the decent FO pay scale and seniority system means that many consider a move straight to BA a release from ever having to bother with command again. Why would you want to go junior LH command again at 58? I'm considering a move to SH (potentialo command) after 10-15years once we are living closer to LHR. But then again, why bother?

​​​​With a small mil pension included, a move to RHS salary after a decade of military command with allowances is around a 17-20k pay rise. I sh#t you not. This is what you move across on.

To counter the negatives re BA joiners, agree completely with VR. I relative of mine joined from the RAF DEP to BA LH.
Lifestyle and pay superior to previous, even after a wide body Command at 28 in RAF. The long wait for LH BA Capt not a problem and still able to live in the shires, only driving to the airport 4/5 times a month. On a small happy fleet and no chance of being shot at. The golf, even as junior on the fleet, good in JNB!!
The inital pay and Command prospects may be better in ie Ezy but they have no wish to do a life time (No change with a Command except pay) of multiple sectors daily out of Gwk/ Ltn, no night stops, and have to live close to an airport.
Of course that is available in BA SH where Command is available much sooner.
“Horses for courses!!”
Although it surprises me that BALPA has seemingly trashed the LH aspirations of many SH copilots by allowing out of Seniority movement direct to LH.

blimey 2nd January 2019 22:08

SH and LH in either seat, whatever fleet you're on, it's a lot better if you relax and come to work with a smile on your face. The flying's better SH, the lifestyle better LH. More pressure in the LHS than the RHS.

Whatever, there's no better view out of the office window whichever company you work for, even if you're shagged out.

Venco 4th January 2019 09:49

Hi everyone, just doing some research on BA and after reading this thread getting a bit curious about what’s wise. i obviously read about the salary scaled and stuff, but currently being in the LHS on a shorthaul airline I would like to know how big of a paycut I would have to take moving to RHS LH.
Someone here who is able to tell me what net pay to expect monthly as a year 1 LH FO? Including the flightpay/time away from base?
Main reason to apply would be the LH experience which I would never get at my current employer, but I would like to know how big the money sacrifice would have to be..

Phantom4 4th January 2019 15:50

Venco,there is no guarantee you would be offered LH aircraft.It is assessed on your ability to adapt effectively to the aircraft that they are using for sim assessment at the time,not solely on hours accrued and is non negotiable unless it suits BA.


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