Jet Joc From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2100 times:
Yesterday, I explored the British Airways site and I looked up the pilot employment section. Anyways, I read how the airline has an all expense paid, 18 month pilot training program.
Do any other airlines have that kind of pilot training program? I think that's cool how the airline will pay for your training and lodging and then start off flying the B757 or A320.
HL From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2072 times:
Ages ago, there was a programme on UK tv that followed a trainee becoming a pilot for BA and it was BRILLIANT! He flew an A320 around Glasgow doing bump-and-go's. They started off @ Oxford in tiny planes and i wonder where they are now!
Eugdog From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2001, 516 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2070 times:
It is very comon in Europe for pilots to trained from the very beginning by the airline they fly with
This is because there are far fewer military pilots and far less private general avaition. In fact general avaition is virtually unknown outside of England and is very very expensive.
Almost all airlines in Europe do ab-initio training for their pilots. Some argue that this is better as all bad habits can be ironed out.
Capt.Picard From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2070 times:
Yes, but competition is *fierce* because of the fact that
1) From Ab-Initio to ATPL-all paid for by BA+job guarantee.
2) BA is a highly desirable airline to work for
In the UK at least, it offers opportunities unrivalled by any other airline, in terms of fleet, route structure & general lifestyle.
CEP/TEP (Cadet/Trainee Entry Pilot) is the name given to those on/applying for BA's sponsored pilot training.
It is the best way of joining BA, as you have the potential to work your way up the seniority ladder and *attractive* salaries that go with that.
As for other sponsorships, a number of other airlines award *part* sponsorships (you must pay perhaps a third of the cost). Again, stringent selection is carried out-and so it should be!
Amongst the airlines which award part-sponsorhips in the UK, at one time or the other:
Air 2000, BMI, Airtours, KLM uk, Atlantic Airlines, Virgin (only once-it is considering making another offer) and perhaps a few others, I am not sure.
Obviously BA is the first one to try, and theirs is a continous sponsorship offer (you can apply now, or in 6 months).
Although some people within BA are saying Rod Eddington (CEO at BA) wants to drop the scheme, because it is very expensive for BA. Noooooooo!!!!!
HL,
I saw the programme too, and the gleam in the eyes of the trainee as he climbed out of GLA at the controls of the Babybus (320) was very inspiring!
Emirates and a number of other airlines (CX) also offer sponsorships for ab-initio's but I presume there may be some citizenship requirements.
Some BA cadets get sent out to WMU for about 6 months, lots of nice weather!
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2042 times:
As Picard said the competition is very fierce. I have a friend who made it, and he was telling me that 3000 people apply for 8 spaces.
I am not sure about 6 months at WMU, when my friend did it they did their first 60 hours in Florida, before they went up to Prestwick (now they use OXford). I highly doubt BA will stop the scheme, BA has set the standard for it, and what it does more then train pilots it enthuses many. If BA and all the other airlines stopped the scheme many people would think that a flying career over here is untouchable.
I also do not think Virgin will sponsor again considering they really only fly long haul, now Virgin Sun (where all the sponsorship chaps went). Virgin require 2500 hours, and non of that can be helicopter, which is the highest I have heard over here. I am surprised they can crew the planes considering they pay their pilots the worst in the west!
BA is a career job if you get that you are pretty much set for life!
It is only about 15 months until I will try my luck with BA (among others), if all goes well I will be flying a 757 or A320 by the time I am 21!!
If you are still interested in flying for BA, I wrote an article for Jetcareers about becoming a pilot over in Europe. You can read it at: HERE
Iain
Pshifrin From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 249 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2036 times:
I have an old friend who is/was a FO on concorde for BA. I'm really not sure what he's doing right now, probably back on 757/767. From the stories he would tell me, the life of a BA pilot is awesome!
Also, on one concorde flight, he flew jumpseat and video taped the take off and landing. IT WAS AWESOME!
Oxygen From Hong Kong, joined Sep 1999, 673 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (12 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1998 times:
Cathay has a program like this too. The send trainees to Australia for a 2 years training. And once you get recruited as a trainee, you get a salary. The total sum that the airline spend on the trainee before he really flies for the airline is more than 1million Hk dollar, thats about US 130000. So they won't easily recruit a person.
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From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2001, 516 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 249 posts, 
One more q. though, I'm an American citizen, so can I still do the program?
From Hong Kong, joined Sep 1999, 673 posts, 
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