Ah but Doug, did they force feed him 5 pints, a couple of murky looking shots, a "special" kebab, and then make him sleep in a small room for 8 hours with a Hoover going constantly outside and people shouting loudly in Chinese prior to his pick-up mental gymnastics? If they didn't, the process is flawed in my opinion, and someone should tell BA so they can form a steering group to analyse the risks. If they DID however, kudos to your mate, and get him to write the station briefs will you, we'll all buy him a pint. That's about 2500 pints if everyone on long haul chips in.....now, what time was pick up again?

Just got through the paper sift to the Numerical, verbal and capacity tests.
Any body with recent experience who wouldn't mind letting me know what the best practice material would be.
Only have 3 days until interview. Seems very quick.

Is anybody being offered assessment days beyond the 17th of April?

I've only been offered 16th and 17th...both in Hong Kong, which is a *little* bit far to go. Resourcing say to just keep checking the website, but in the meantime I am getting emails saying 'Book a day or your application will be withdrawn :sad:

I think a lot of people go through this concern, myself included- I initially thought my only shot was to attend an assessment date with just a couple of days notice.

More dates will become available on a rolling basis (unless perhaps recruitment stops). I think the emails are automatically generated.

Your application will be withdrawn, as it happened to me. I rang up and explained I'm still interested but the dates don't suit, they just reinstated my application. No problems.

Are the plans to keep on recruiting for a few more years?

Inevitably. Whatever the economy does they will need some pilots. Numbers depends on how many short haul slots go to LH which will depend on the economy.

Retirements have to start again in October and there's a large backlog in part time requests as it hasn't been available recently.

In 5/6 years time though retirements dry up again and then you'll be waiting for the current mid 40's long haul Capts to retire which will be a while.

According to today's hot rumour due to a combination of challenging rosters and an apparent lack of availability of Part Time in the near future there's already a bit of a rush on.......

Good news all round then

Thinking of applying.

If I where lucky enough to be offered a position, what is the current time to command on short / long haul.

Currently left seat for Loco, 8500hrs ( 7000 Jet ).

Thanks in advance.

Rosco - at the moment, your first bid for SH Command could be successful. Last year's bid saw people who joined in 2015 being offered SH Commands at LHR and LGW.

You do need to recognise that this year's seniority for short haul commands may well turn out to be an anomaly. A significant number of junior FOs failed to bid last year; not because they did not want a command, but because they did not think there was much point. I doubt they'll make the same mistake again this year...

I assume when you use the term " junior FO " this is someone new to the company?.

Do you bid once a year?.

In the context of the current situation on the A320 fleet, I assume that's what GS-Alpha means, but it's also used in general for the FO's (and even SFOs) near the bottom of their status list. You can certainly be referred to as a "junior FO" for years if there's no movement on the fleet.

..and yes, normally you bid for type/seat change once a year.

Hence the word "could".

The key point is that there are no long haul deliveries in 2017, so fewer senior short haul captains moving on. The part time bulge may still cause commands to be junior again though. 2018 has loads of deliveries.

Asked this a few pages ago, as of yet I don't think I saw a reply, but of those of us who were emailed to come back within the 12 months, has anyone had a reply yet?

VJW,

I was mailed back beginning of the month to sit the new verbal and day 2 combined at once. As for now I have not received a reply either. It keeps showing submitted on the career page.

No reply here either!

Hi,

I attended day 1 about 4 days ago.
verbal reasoning 36 questions in 20 mins
numerical reasoning 25 questions in 12 mins
computer based test lasting 24 min, you have a ND on your left side(to check for traffics) and an instrument panel on your right side of the screen (to check fuel page,elec page and altitude settings) meanwhile atc is calling you to change frequency and clearing you to new altitudes.
good luck for your day 1!

Hi all,

anyone who attended day 2 in the last 1 or 2 weeks??
thank you in advance!
regards

Point of info on the current state of play for those who ask about Bidline and rosters.

Those headed for 744 (and no doubt other Longhaul Fleets) can expect a busy time until the numbers get sorted out...if they get sorted out..

May final final rosters have just been released. One 744 P2 has a three day carry in from April i.e. trip departs end of April, but continues until 3rd May. He/she then has another 5 (yes, five) trips in May, plus a ground training day.

Another P2 has, for the third month in a row, achieved the mythical CAP level after bidding...but then had another trip assigned to his/her line by scheduling.

No doubt those are examples of the worse case outliers but perhaps food for thought for those planning on joining BA for the easy life/time off/roster control.

It's very very quiet on the 787 P2 side. Flying blindlines. April 1 carry in from March and 2 trips. May 2 trips and 2 weeks leave. Same that we lost our FPA

nrn

Interesting, manning not (yet) in the right place perhaps - I'll admit I haven't (yet) looked at your CAPs/rosters but I assume you are still slightly overborne due to the Fleet build up??? I recall decades back it being similar when I was a blindline holder on the 744 (it also helped that there were more long trips in the mix with shuttles, etc.... ).

The 744 P2 I was referring to earlier has effectively got the three day carry in plus 5 three day trips, plus the GT day........how times have changed.

I know what you mean..........

Angelo26 - just to confirm that the Joystick Moving Criss and Colours/Shape no longer feature in the BA selection at any stage?

Thanks

Hi all
I know this question was asked a few pages back but nothing seems to have changed ;
Yesterday I got the stage 1 invite (15th), logged in today to book but the only date available is tomorrow (17th). Too short notice really, and I'm flying anyway.
Does anyone know if & when more dates will be available ? Is anyone else still waiting for more dates as I am ?
Thanks

Daft question - what day of the month do you get paid and do you get flight pay at the same time or in arrears later?

Vjw - I just want to check, which stage did you get through too last year? I only managed the assessment stage and received my "thanks but no thanks letter...". Planning on reapplying but was told I have to wait 12 months.

jwscud

as far as I can recall, your salary is paid at the end of the month and all the variable pay at the end of the next month.

Online there is a payment schedule on the company intranet, but normally your account will be credited on the last (or 2nd last) weekday of the month, apart from December when it comes earlier, about a week earlier.

Hi,

In my assessment I didn't have the joystick/shape exam.

I waited about ten days for more dates; they're loaded on by resourcing in one go, apparently. Worth giving them a call to find out when that might be.

Jwscud

The system hasn't changed recently and TopBunk is indeed correct about the pay schedule and the comment about the statements for the likes of your variable pay being on the company intranet.

As an example any variable pay accrued this month (April) will be in end of May's pay packet, along with your May basic salary.

Hi all.

I'm off to stage 1 in a few weeks.
When I went the first time (18 months ago) I seem to remember being tripped up by the rate of climb/descent part of the computer test. I can't now remember what exactly the problem was but I do recall that it wasn't presented in the normal ft/min way that we're used to in real flying.
Is anyone able to post a few examples of how this part of the test works ?

Thank you

buzzc152 - check your PM. Let me know if you got it, as it doesn't seem to show on my sent box.

Received and replied to. Thank you VJW

VJW - thanks for the response.. Wish you the best of luck on your next attempt!

Any idea how long people are swimming in the hold pool at the moment before receiving a start date?

FullClimb,

I was only just under two weeks back in January, DEP for LH.
Mind you I think these things change frequently!

The swim is slightly more lengthy than that at the minute it would appear, over 4 weeks. Glad I'm wearing my infant swimming wings :) Good things come to those that wait and all that.

Fishtank
 

I think it depends on whether you are waiting for SH or LH...

I'm waiting for LH (unless plans have changed significantly)SH should (in theory) be a longer wait. I guess training capacity is limited and one can understand why!