Anybody know if Virgin still has crew based in Manchester? I heard they are struggling to get people to be crewed there but I also heard there is a long waiting list. Anybody able to shed any light?

Thanks

There is still a base in Manchester. For pilots, the main issue is that they spent the last year getting everyone up there single fleet rated (330/350) and over the winter there aren’t any 350s based up there, whilst London is still chronically short of 350 drivers. It’s not a super long list for pilots to transfer but it’s at the whim of the company, which will be on the go slow with all the training currency issues.

If applying probably best to assume at least a couple years in London before you’ll get the chance to move.

So today I have passed stage 3 at Zenon Aviation. Next Will be the simulator grading and final interview at London Gatwick. I understood from Zenon starting salary for a (S)FO is now £101.800 per year, which would be around £8483 gross per month. Any idea what this would be net? Also, when living abroad should I have to pay income taxes in the UK or in the country where I’m presently living? Is commuting even doable, or should I be prepared to move to the UK? Will VAA help me in order to convert my EASA ATPL into a UK license? And will the starting base for a A330/350 rated pilot be London Heathrow or Manchester? How many years for a possible upgrade from SFO to Captain? I read in this thread something about 7-8 years. Would that be correct? So many questions…

1. In the UK assuming 6% in your pension and no other deductions it’s roughly £5600 after tax.

2. Don’t take tax advice from strangers on Pprune. We also have no idea where you live and what your circumstances are. Talk to a tax adviser who will be able to answer your question correctly.

3. If you live near an airport which serves London with multiple flights a day all year round you could commute but I wouldn’t suggest it. There is a commuter contract option which puts trips back to back in order to give you more days off but I haven’t heard anyone actually being given it yet.

4. There have been offers made to prospective candidates to help cover the costs of licence conversions but if you need to do the ATPL exams or flight tests etc then expect to do all the legwork yourself.

5. You will only be assigned one fleet to begin with. Base with be LHR.

6. Roughly 7-8 years for command is correct at the moment but it has fluctuated in the past up to 12-13

This thread makes interesting reading. As does the one entitled “Can you trust your company training Captains?”.



It seems that the unfair dismissal tribunals which Virgin pilots as claimants brought in mid-2020 have only this week (after nearly 5 years of legal wrangling) started in Norwich ET.

To clarify on time to command, I would differ and say it is roughly 12 years but has fluctuated to 7-8. Plan on 12 and anything else is a bonus.

I was told if you go in with 3000hrs + as an SFO its around 5-7 years

I wonder why they would tell you that.

Didnt that get settled last year or are there more?

There are still tribunals running, probably the most important of all. It’s taken from Covid until now to get to the proper hearing.

The evidence will be very revealing.

its actually from a friend working there thats shown me the upgrade lists

I wish I could tell you it was 5-7, perhaps to a CAP but I think the days of 7 year commands are slipping now. I wouldn’t move specifically because you expect a command in 5-7, that is all I am saying.

That's strange, my best mate passed their Cap After 7 years, command will be 8 years for them.

They reckon things will slow down in the future once contracts are sorted, so joining now 8-10 years is realistic no matter what rank you join at.

Don’t base your hopes of an early command on what is happening with someone’s “best mate”, or what is the average today.
Look at recent expansion, retirements, resignations etc to understand why there are quick commands right now. Those drivers are unlikely to be there by the time you hit 8 years. It’s always cyclical.
Realistically, expect 10-12 years.
Anything shorter is a bonus.

There are others in the pipeline. One that will hit the media i am understanding as it’s quite explosive as to the truth of the culture at virgin.

There are no published upgrade lists at virgin.
So either your friend is in management and sharing data they shouldn’t be or they are making it up.

Because they are desperate to get anyone to join.

Brilliant response. And probably spot on

Indeed - there's no way command time will remain where it is, as the airline is not expanding. It's low now, to fill retirements and leavers. Once those positions are filled with essentially younger people, then command time will go back to the double figures it once was. Even those already on the seniority list should realise this.

Command time is currently 8 years.