British Airways Direct Entry Pilot

[pilotHS24]

Aiminghigh, what is NCP?

[Plastic787]

Originally Posted by AIMINGHIGH123

The whole LH earning more than SH at the bottom of the payscales comparing with mates not much in it with just the basics…..Commuters will have higher costs be it fuel, flying, hotels etc as well.

Tax deductible in many domiciles ;-)

[Plastic787]

Originally Posted by pilotHS24

Aiminghigh, what is NCP?

Overtime to keep it simple.

[Speed_Trim_Fail]

Originally Posted by Plastic787

Overtime to keep it simple.

“New Car, Please”

[Airbus Airhead]

Originally Posted by Flyfun24

Hi, sorry I can't help with your question but are you able to shed some light on how long you were in the hold pool waiting for a phone call with a start date?

From getting the successful email to a phone call with a start date was about 2 hours for me. My friend got the call before his success email even came through. So zero swimming time at the moment

[ATPLApproach]

I have an interview at LHR next week to join the SH fleet as a type-rated FO. The roster is an important part of the work/lifestyle and I managed to find about 4 examples of a monthly roster and was quite alarmed at the number of stops away from base, between 10-15 per month. Can any SH speedbirds here confirm what is normal? I'd like to sleep at home as many nights as possible. What's the lowest average nights away from base that can realistically be achieved? Thanks for any help

[yanny]

Near the bottom of the list I can see someone doing only 4 nights away in May. A little higher up someone only has 1 night away. Swaps will be your friend but mostly day trips should be achievable as people seem to favour tours near the bottom of the list.

As always, you can’t see what they are actually budding for but you definitely won’t be away 15 nights unless you ask to be.

[ClearenceClarence]

What are the most undesirable trips on the 777?

[MrNoName1997]

Is anyone able to provide any light on this really open ended question - applying for SH but I'm really comfortable with the SH airline I'm currently with and so I'm holding out for LH. I've heard there's still spaces for the LH fleet but they said they want 1500 hours on type by the time of the sim. Now I'm about 50 hours away from 1500 hours on type and so my question is this, the sim assessors, are they quite chilled normal guys/girls? Would they say no to LH if you were about to hit your 1500 hours very soon but not by the time of the sim?

I know the simple answer is to just wait until 1500 hours then do the sim but I'm worried there won't be any spots in LH by then, especially on the 350. Additionally, has anyone told BA when offered SH that they only want LH and then been able to negotiate it?
Thank you in advance, John

[Basicsteve]

Originally Posted by MrNoName1997

Is anyone able to provide any light on this really open ended question - applying for SH but I'm really comfortable with the SH airline I'm currently with and so I'm holding out for LH. I've heard there's still spaces for the LH fleet but they said they want 1500 hours on type by the time of the sim. Now I'm about 50 hours away from 1500 hours on type and so my question is this, the sim assessors, are they quite chilled normal guys/girls? Would they say no to LH if you were about to hit your 1500 hours very soon but not by the time of the sim?

I know the simple answer is to just wait until 1500 hours then do the sim but I'm worried there won't be any spots in LH by then, especially on the 350. Additionally, has anyone told BA when offered SH that they only want LH and then been able to negotiate it?
Thank you in advance, John

if you are really comfortable in your current airline , A350 bottom of the list will be an eye opening experience for you .

[Busdriver01]

Originally Posted by MrNoName1997

Is anyone able to provide any light on this really open ended question - applying for SH but I'm really comfortable with the SH airline I'm currently with and so I'm holding out for LH. I've heard there's still spaces for the LH fleet but they said they want 1500 hours on type by the time of the sim. Now I'm about 50 hours away from 1500 hours on type and so my question is this, the sim assessors, are they quite chilled normal guys/girls? Would they say no to LH if you were about to hit your 1500 hours very soon but not by the time of the sim?

If you're only 50 hours away then i'd just wait - surely going into summer schedule you'll get those 50hrs in less than a month, so by the time a sim slot is actually available you'll be good to go?

Originally Posted by MrNoName1997

Additionally, has anyone told BA when offered SH that they only want LH and then been able to negotiate it?
Thank you in advance, John

Depends if you were marked as 'suitable for long haul' in the sim or not. Seems ridiculous, but because training resource is so scarce (especially on LH) if they're even remotely worried you may need more sectors to complete line training, they'll send you to SH first where training is easier to complete due to the number of sectors you fly. If you're 'suitable for long haul' but they offer you short haul (and you'll need to discuss if thats the case or not as they wont tell you up front usually) you can always say you'd rather wait for a LH slot, but at the demise of your seniority number and as you already allude to, what if no LH slots come up for a while?

[Speed_Trim_Fail]

Originally Posted by Busdriver01

If you're only 50 hours away then i'd just wait - surely going into summer schedule you'll get those 50hrs in less than a month, so by the time a sim slot is actually available you'll be good to go?



Depends if you were marked as 'suitable for long haul' in the sim or not. Seems ridiculous, but because training resource is so scarce (especially on LH) if they're even remotely worried you may need more sectors to complete line training, they'll send you to SH first where training is easier to complete due to the number of sectors you fly. If you're 'suitable for long haul' but they offer you short haul (and you'll need to discuss if thats the case or not as they wont tell you up front usually) you can always say you'd rather wait for a LH slot, but at the demise of your seniority number and as you already allude to, what if no LH slots come up for a while?

I’ll add to this that at the moment short haul seniority is rocketing up and you could find yourself dozens and dozens of places below where you’d be if you accepted an earlier join date and some years on SH. You’d then be bidding across to LH and slotting in maybe at 80-90% seniority, above those who waited for DEP LH slots.

It all takes some thinking, all I’ll say is that I think it’s a great place to work, and somewhere where you can make the job what you want - part time SH, full time LH, bid for essentially a fixed roster…. but the KEY to making those choices is seniority.

[Bah76f]

On the whole LH vs SH issue and waiting for hours etc. I’m only a few weeks into the company but the only ones that i have met who joined on LH were all type rated on 330, 350 or 777/787

Have not seen anybody doing an initial type rating on the LH fleet new in the company. This could change in the future of course.

Personally, i would not worry about LH vs SH and would just get onto that seniority list asap…

[Plastic787]

Originally Posted by Bah76f

Personally, i would not worry about LH vs SH and would just get onto that seniority list asap…

Nailed it, it’s moving quick at the moment but if the music stops those 100-150 or whatever places you’ve lost yourself by waiting could cost you your command by multiple years. Add in the effect on compounding your pension contributions and it’s potentially going to cost you way more than you think you’re gaining.

[ploughman67]

Originally Posted by ClearenceClarence

What are the most undesirable trips on the 777?

Historically the low credit trips ABV, RUH, LOS, the latter not on the fleet at the moment.

Now JFK, with 8/9 per day if you’re junior you’ll visit twice a month or more. Any East coast trip will tend towards the bottom of the seniority.

Horses for courses, personally I’ve never had an issue with 3-day Africa/Middle East trips. Short flights and no/minimal time change. It’s just the (lack of) credit that means they are unpopular. With regard to JFK, all slips are in Manhattan so there’s always something to do.

[Northern Monkey]

Just to expand a bit on the above - and apologies if I’m repeating things already covered - low credit trips are unpopular because everyone has to make CAP each month - the credit target set by BA and determined by how much work there is to cover that month. Broadly speaking you might need to do either 3 x HKG/HND for example, 4 x SEA/IAH/MAA or else you could end up doing 5 or even in extremis 6 x JFK/BOS/EWR etc to reach that credit target. Compounding that of course is that the former will be 4 crew with 6 hours in the bunk, the middle 3 crew with 3 hours in the bunk and the latter 2 crew with zero hours in the bunk. It’s easy to see therefore why being very junior - particularly on the 777 - doesn’t make (always) for a particularly enjoyable life.

Personally I quite like certain places on the east coast. IAD/BOS are great cities to visit…. But the credit makes them unpalatable. And it’s just more commuting into Heathrow, more hassle into and out of Heathrow. And of course if you’re a commuter they are a bit of a disaster on a cost level as well.

[The Blu Riband]

Originally Posted by MrNoName1997

are they quite chilled normal guys/girls?

you should understand that - in general - BA is a rules based corporate organisation. The pilots involved in your sim tests and interviews will be top people, but won't have any such discretion.
The airline is pretty much a faceless and characterless entity with very little flexibility; just a lot of processes.

[Plastic787]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Personally I quite like certain places on the east coast. IAD/BOS are great cities to visit….

BOS yes but Reston???

[ClearenceClarence]

After having read numerous posts about how awful it is being a low seniority FO on the 777, I’m starting to have second thoughts 🫣 been offered a 777 course, currently fly for a loco smashing out 4 sector days every other day. It seems like that’s an easier life than junior 777 from what has been said.

Is 28 too old to be joining this fleet in terms of reaping the rewards of seniority gains? Currently single, no kids and joining BA would allow me to get back closer to home. Though on the flip side doing the command upgrade at my current outfit would see me earning a lot more money sooner however I’m conscious on the proverbial golden handcuffs too.

[glidehigh]

Originally Posted by ClearenceClarence

After having read numerous posts about how awful it is being a low seniority FO on the 777, I’m starting to have second thoughts 🫣 been offered a 777 course, currently fly for a loco smashing out 4 sector days every other day. It seems like that’s an easier life than junior 777 from what has been said.

Is 28 too old to be joining this fleet in terms of reaping the rewards of seniority gains? Currently single, no kids and joining BA would allow me to get back closer to home. Though on the flip side doing the command upgrade at my current outfit would see me earning a lot more money sooner however I’m conscious on the proverbial golden handcuffs too.

I was in exactly your position when i joined. Same age, single, and wanted to get closer to home. First few years were far more enjoyable, varied and exciting than i had expected. You would get that period of being low seniority out the way at a point in life with minimal commitments, knowing that once the commitments come along, you will be higher up the seniority ladder.

For those with commitments, things like part time are open to all, regardless of seniority. Everyone gets 6 leave/duty free weeks per year of around 10 days at a time. Bottom of the list on the 777 will give plenty of shorter 3 day trips, but will also give some longer trips as others have outlined. It's certainly the long game with a seniority based airline.