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Air Transat F/O mins

Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:34 pm
by Foo Fighter
I tried the search feature on this site but couldn't get any results.

Besides being billinguel, what are Air Transat's hiring mins for F/O's?

Thanks

FF

Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 5:28 pm
by Phlyer
I heard 4000.

Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 7:13 pm
by sanjet
Yup 4000 hours and a good internal reference helps a lot for Transat.

Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 10:06 pm
by Niodatchi
Yes 4000 hours TT, I confirm it to you. But as for the "large turbo-prop time", weight > 12,500 pounds, I think it`s not valid anymore. Some of the newly hired from last year only had king air time for turbo-prop. Just apply and hope for the best!

Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 10:10 pm
by IflyaSewerpipe
Anyone ever get an interview or hired without any internal references?

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:57 pm
by 1000tolevel
Yep.

No internal refs, didn't know anyone in the Company. However I think I was the only one in my class.

I think the bilingual thing is overrated. If you can say a few French words at the interview and show them you are willing to learn (they'll pay for it), then it shouldn't be an issue. However your experience is. They had problems with small T-prop guys due to the lack of automation/advanced nav systems experience.

I would say they prefer hi-4000 hrs., with jet or heavy T-prop experience. We have a lot of Dash-8 and ATR guys.

If you are willing to move to TO, this can very much be the best job in the industry, financially and otherwise.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:06 pm
by Goose757
1000tolevel wrote:If you are willing to move to TO, this can very much be the best job in the industry, financially and otherwise.
Care to elaborate why you think this? Good company morale? Schedule? Pay?
I thought they were based in Montreal? Has this recently changed? Or is there now a base in YYZ?

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:41 am
by IflyaSewerpipe
Thanks 1000tolevel,

Heard only good things about Transat. I'm gonna try with these guys. Currently flying a jet out of YYZ, hopefully that will help.

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:14 am
by Niodatchi
We just got an e-mail from our union confirming that we will hire in the fall for our 13th A-310. That latest aircraft will enter service in February. Good luck to all of you! Niodatchi

Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:00 pm
by BlueStar
For those Interested Air Transat has a posting for First Officers out on it's career section of their website.

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:51 pm
by centerstored
Can anyone provide info on the bases, schedule and travel benefits at AT? I think the pay is around $65,000 which is very respectable for a start. Does anybody know how many days an FO should expect to work? Do you have any travel benefits that might allow you to commute?

AT

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:26 am
by Lear45XR
Block = 11 GDO
Reserve = 12 GDO
Blocks are 75 to 85 HRS (Max 90/anything above 85 is OT)
Jumpseat with AC
YUL most senior base
YYZ that's where you're going!
YVR permanent base for a few guys (volontary summer base A330)

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:59 pm
by centerstored
Thanks Lear. :lol:

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:29 pm
by buss
As of early 07 french was a requirement. Myself and 2 other qualified pilots were asked on the phone interview about french. I was told "we are only looking for french speaking pilots for our TO base".
This was a phone interview by the human resource department. A colleague was told that french was a requirement due to the flights operated into France.
Welcome to The nations separatist airline

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:10 pm
by tonysoprano
French ATC will happily accomodate in english. Even Air France. So much for that excuse. :roll:

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:47 pm
by Campanola
buss wrote:A colleague was told that french was a requirement due to the flights operated into France.
Welcome to The nations separatist airline
It’s simply not true and Transat never said that. I guess this rumour came from a frustrated pilot who has been refused by them. The requirement is bilingual English and French and it’s not because of flights in Europe. There is few pilots who don’t speak French working at Transat.

Requirements are preferences. They may hire pilots speaking only English or with less than 4000 hr if they have to. Speaking French is a useful qualification to have for Air Transat because several employees are French (Crew Sched, HR, Dispatch, engineers). French is also the preferred language for training. But of course, if there is 15 French and 1 English in the class, the teacher will have to give the training in English.

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:42 am
by .......
Campanola wrote:
buss wrote:A colleague was told that french was a requirement due to the flights operated into France.
Welcome to The nations separatist airline
It’s simply not true and Transat never said that. I guess this rumour came from a frustrated pilot who has been refused by them. The requirement is bilingual English and French and it’s not because of flights in Europe. There is few pilots who don’t speak French working at Transat.

Requirements are preferences. They may hire pilots speaking only English or with less than 4000 hr if they have to. Speaking French is a useful qualification to have for Air Transat because several employees are French (Crew Sched, HR, Dispatch, engineers). French is also the preferred language for training. But of course, if there is 15 French and 1 English in the class, the teacher will have to give the training in English.

Kudos to you Campanola for replying to those posts with such class!

I, myself, don't take time to do it anymore since, everytime, someone else comes up with more and more bs about Air Transat and their bilingualism requirement.

BTW, it's exactly as you say!

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:44 pm
by Pretend-A-Jet
Does AT have any kind of pension?

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:09 pm
by TFTMB heavy

Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:57 pm
by Double Wasp
Does anyone know what the expected time to command with AT? I know it will not be overnight but a ball park figure would be great.
DW

Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:31 pm
by Lear45XR
The last three guys to upgrade in July were all hired in 2000. Prior to 9/11 the average time to upgrade was about 18 months...

Back then guys were asked during the interview if they felt they would be ready to upgrade within 12 months...

From May 2001 'til February 2006 no one was hired.

Since then, about 50 guys have been hired.

Approximately 15 guys will be hired this month.

at

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:49 pm
by Lear45XR
Well, it looks loke the bid is out...26 new hires.

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:36 pm
by hawker driver
26 new hires this round?

What type of time do the guys have who are getting called ?

at

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 6:41 am
by Lear45XR
26 new guys split into 4 classes Sep-Oct-Nov-Dec
YYZ based
mostly 310-maybe a couple of 330

From King Air drivers with 2500hrs up to B737 drivers with 6000+...

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 6:11 pm
by 1000tolevel
Looks like some of the guys (and gals) hired in Spring 2006 might be looking at left seat next Spring. Yep! That fast.

This is due to the fact that several senior YUL FO's do not want to move to YYZ to upgrade and be at the bottom of the list for sheduling. So YYZ FO's are benefiting from it. And there are 17 upgrades open right now.

Just to show how things can change in a hurry.

Furthermore, 20 YYZ FO's are being moved to YUL. So guys (and once again, gals) hired last year that decide to stay in YYZ will now be at the top for scheduling.

To those who keep ranting about the English-French thing, please post elsewhere. There are people on this post who are genuinely seeking info on the interview process and the last thing they want to see is some bigoted comment by frustrated individuals who obviously spend way too much time on this website when they should be looking for a job where they will be happy.

To those who really want to give it a shot, do not be intimidated by the language thing. Give it your best shot, no matter your level of fluency, and you are likely to be rewarded. That's the kind of people AT is looking for. They want to know whether you will get along with colleagues on a 5-day pairing in Europe, no matter what language they speak.

Cheers.