My New Office (1st Airline job)

Thank you guys

Craigston, distinct possibility, my line training is taking place out of Exeter & Jersey, I should have “just” finished by the festive period, so even if I haven’t finished there’s a chance I will be taking that flight, as soon as I know more I’ll let you know.

Congratulations Deano, well done 🙂

After accepting Edinburgh and making plans to move I had a phone call from HR today offering me Exeter, so to say we are over the moon is an understatement, the Wolf Blass is being chilled as we speak 😀

Thanks again for the info chaps, I’ll repay with a small Type Rating Diary & pics if I can

Dean

As your going to be based at Exeter, you may even be piloting my flight back to Aberdeen on Christmas Eve from Leeds (it comes up from Exeter).

Well done Dean–fab news that must have been!!
Enjoy the glass of wine!
No need to move now!

Good Luck with your training!

CB

Oooh well done 😀

Thanks RIP & Andy

After accepting Edinburgh and making plans to move I had a phone call from HR today offering me Exeter, so to say we are over the moon is an understatement, the Wolf Blass is being chilled as we speak 😀

Thanks again for the info chaps, I’ll repay with a small Type Rating Diary & pics if I can

Dean

I have already spoken to you by PM but just for anyone else BHD would probably represent a cheaper alternative in terms of the cost of living. Because of the troubles we are playing catchup with the world in some respects so it is a good time to get in but prices will even out with the rest of the UK over the next 5-10 years.

Our house prices do have some of the UK’s highest inflation due to increasing quality of life here. Our links with “the south” increase our quality of life and reduce cost because of the exchange rate etc. For example alot of people would go down to the border to fill their cars etc.

You would miss some high street stores like Staples etc but we have some alternatives. The only supermarkets, as GB viewers would know, would be Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Sainsburys and Marks and Spencer. We have some other Irish alternatives such as SuperValue or Dunnes Stores.

Quality of Life is very good because there is zero trouble (every area of UK has some trouble). We don’t have gun crime as much as “the mainland” and in general our crime rates are quite low. We have what is deemed as the best education system in the UK and very high quality schools spread about evenly.

Because we are a small place even if you live in the country (with no one around you) you can still be just 15-20 minutes away from the airport!

Just an update

I start my Type Rating on the 24th September, I didn’t get the Exeter base that I was hoping 🙁 so I have to choose between Edinburgh, Glasgow & Belfast.
We have until Monday to decide, we have discounted Glasgow so it’s one of the other 2, whichever one can give my 2 daughters the better quality of life then that’s the one we’ll go for.
If anyone has any positives or negatives to say about Edinburgh or Belfast I’d be happy to hear them. 🙂

Rgds

Dean

EDI. :p I can’t really fault Edinburgh for quality of life but it isn’t a cheap place to live, can’t comment on Belfast. Plus, since the company I work for will be handling BE from the end of the month we’ll look after you.:D If you need any more help on Edinburgh feel free to PM me.
The routes served are fairly similiar being mainly domestics. EDI does have more French regional routes but they are stopping for winter, however they’ve done well so I’d expect them to return next summer at an increased frequency maybe with more. BHD is the bigger base with 8 aircraft compared to EDI’s 5, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is down to personal preference.
At the end of the day it’s your decision, it’s easy for me to say EDI as I live here and if I was in your situation- and I wish I was- it would be EDI without a shadow of a doubt. Clearly your situation is different though so just let is know what you decide to go with.:)

Just an update

I start my Type Rating on the 24th September, I didn’t get the Exeter base that I was hoping 🙁 so I have to choose between Edinburgh, Glasgow & Belfast.
We have until Monday to decide, we have discounted Glasgow so it’s one of the other 2, whichever one can give my 2 daughters the better quality of life then that’s the one we’ll go for.
If anyone has any positives or negatives to say about Edinburgh or Belfast I’d be happy to hear them. 🙂

Rgds

Dean

Gourgous aircraft the Q400! Nothing sounds better in the morning then walking from my car to work at NCL then a FLYBE Q400 taking off. Well maybe a 757 :dev2:

Thank you Ian

To be honest mate no, part of me isn’t thinking that, I am just very very thankful to be given an opportunity to get a foot in the door, and I thank flybe for that, I cannot wait to get started on the Q400 and I will stay on her for as long as I am happy.
Quality of life is important for me, like being home most nights, I have 2 young daughters, flybe will give me this opportunity, I can’t say how I’ll feel after a couple of years but as for now I am just going to grab this opportunity with both hands and enjoy it to the max.

I am waiting in anticipation for the kind of icing I think I will get, it will be an experience if nothing else

How’s it going on the A346?

Only just seen this thread. Great news, well done Dean. I know there’s a part of you that might be thinking I wish it was a jet but I really, really think that the 2 years I did on turboprops were the best bit of learning I did. Not only that, it is by a mile the best turboprop in existence. Anyone that has never flown a commercial aircraft with propellers has no idea of what icing really is. You’ll find bigger aircraft easy after the turboprops. A bit of time in this aircraft and you will be in a prime position to hop to the bigger carriers. Great stuff.

Thanks jasop

Interesting times ahead then for the BACON guys having to transfer to the Dash, lots more resignations on the way I assume.

4x Flybe Q400s.

Starting in November the engineers are expecting 1 new Q400 a month to replace the E145s at BHX

Take Belfast lol.

Then maybe ill be able to photograph you at LGW:p

Josh:dev2:

PeeBee

Thanks for the info, I was called today and offered Belfast to start at the end of August if I want it, or I can hold out until the end of Aug for somewhere else, still have to make up my mind.

Jasop, thanks for this, was that 4 x Flybe Q400s or 4 x BACON Dash8 300s etc?

Thanks Old Git, sorry to hear you couldn’t get your medical, this is the biggest career busting element of commercial flying I guess, sorry you didn’t get the chance to at least start your career.

Rgds

Dean

Well done Deano, its a great achievement. I remember the day I failed my medical and was told I would never make a pilot on account of my eyesight. I can only envy you. May all your flying be safe.

Deano

Regarding planes based at BHX, when BAcon was taken over the official numbers we got was 4 Dashs, 1 E195 & 5 E145s

I dont know if those still stand as there’s usualy around 20 a/c nightstopping, Ill remember to ask one of the engineers when im next on.

Bid closes on the 10th of August, they are still light in Belfast, we are nitestopping there at present to cover the shortfall, they are short all over for captains.
I know that they are also short in Scotland, but some of our guys, man, have been posted up there from the last bid, so maybe that is covered now.

Thanks again guys

Mark, my definition of based is basically how many they actually have there that they “shut down overnight” as such, I know flybe fly into BHX from other destinations but these a/c are based elsewhere, so if you have numbers that would be good.

PeeBee

Thanks, I can’t wait to start, still none the wiser on the base yet, it will be another 5 weeks or so once all the current bid letters are handed back in from the pilots (end of Aug I was told), Exeter is the ideal base, but I told the lady (no names mentioned) that Exeter, Birmingham or Southampton would be great. If they don’t give me any of them I will end up anywhere apart from the IOM, I have a hunch it will be Glasgow or Edinburgh as they have just recruited for Belfast & the IOM, I guess time will tell.

Rgds

Dean

Well done and good luck, this is also my office, I am based in man. The aircraft is top drawer, but Flybe are in a bit of a mess at the moment, but as you say this is your first job so that will not matter to start with.
Do you know your base yet? Be interested to know if it is BHX!!!