<p>For those setting out on career as a pilot, the idea of commanding an Airbus A380 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner from continent to continent is often part of the dream. But aviation happens at so many levels, which is why it is important for candidates to consider every entry route possible.</p>
<p>Jota Aviation, based at Southend Airport in the UK, which operates charter and wet lease flights for passenger and cargo transport. The airline currently flies one Avro RJ85 (95 seats single-class economy or 50 seats in VIP configuration, one Avro RJ100 (97 seat/58 VIP), one BAe 146-200 (97 seats/50 VIP) plus four BAe 146-300 QTs (Quiet Trader) for cargo ops, each with up to 12,000 kg payload capability.</p>
<p><img alt="Jota Aviation" src="/getasset/7e3a05ee-8a1e-49f5-a981-4eda253d28a2/" /><br />
<br />
<em>One of Jota Aviation’s four 146-300QTs (left) and its 146-200 for passenger services.</em></p>
<p>The carrier has grown in the past year with the addition of the cargo aircraft, which meant that more pilots were needed. That process has been completed and at present there are no immediate plans for further recruitment. However, it is instructive to observe the process an airline such as Jota carries out to fill vacancies through its own training programme, both in terms of the learning structure and the funding (often a major hurdle for candidates).</p>
<p>Jota’s head of human resources, Marian Jones, relates the process. “We recruited three pilot cadets in December last year, all of whom have now successfully passed their final line checks and are operating as First Officers on our Avro RJ fleet,” she begins.</p>
<p>“Prior to being accepted onto our cadet training programme, the candidates were advised that they would have to sign a training agreement (bond) for £24,000 for their type-rated course which reduces over 36 months (all costs of the training can be broken down and substantiated),” Jones continues. “They joined on an initial salary of £25,000 pa which increased incrementally as they passed each section of their training.</p>
<p>“They received their first salary increment to £29,000 once they had successfully completed their initial ground and simulator training and were ready to start their line training. The next salary increment of £34,000 pa was implemented once they had successfully completed their final line check (normally after around 40 sectors). They will remain on this salary for the next 12 months while they consolidate their training and successfully complete all their recurrent checks.</p>
<p>“The pilots attend an initial ground training course at our Aircrew Training Centre here in Southend,” Jones reports. “This covers the company’s safety and emergency procedures including fire and smoke and wet drills. They also have to complete computer-based training (CBT) on the aircraft type, including aircraft systems. Also scheduled is CRM (crew resource management) training with an instructor and then further classroom training sessions on the aircraft performance/flight planning training, where there is a test which they have to pass before commencing their simulator training.</p>
<p>“That training – with a TRE (Type Rating Examiner) pilot – is a very intensive part of the training. Each cadet is given 10 sessions in the simulator. They then have to pass their LPC/OPC (line proficiency checks/operational proficiency checks) before they are able to start their base training,</p>
<p>“Base training normally involves 10 circuits in the aircraft with a TRE where they get to fly the aircraft, practise approaches and undertake some takeoffs and landings. After this, they have to undertake several familiarisation flights before starting their line training with our experienced line training captains. The average length of the training is around 6 to 8 weeks,” she confirms.</p>
<p>Keen to emphasise the benefits of working in an environment such as Jota’s, Jones describes how she would ‘sell’ a career flying with a smaller carrier to candidates. “Whilst Jota is a smaller airline, everyone who joins gets to know most people in the company from the office-based support staff, the operations team, through to the engineers and all the other pilots and cabin crew,” she remarks.</p>
<p>“As a charter and <em>ad hoc</em> carrier we operate to different airports throughout the UK and Europe. A pilot will experience a variety of flying from short UK sectors to international flights often involving night stops and flying into varying difficulties of airfields. Pilots all report that they enjoy flying the Avro RJ as it does test their piloting skills. Unlike some larger airlines, we know each of our pilots by name and they will similarly know each member of the crew that they are rostered to fly with.”</p>
<p>When it comes to actually applying to Jota, Jones notes that the airline has a thorough online application form process, with each section needing to be completed “accurately”, a gentle warning about a pitfall to which some succumb.</p>
<p>“Any future cadet pilots would need to have a frozen ATPL as a minimum, together with good reports from their flying instructors,” she adds. “Once candidates have met our minimum standards, we invite them into interview where we assess their communication skills, ability to analyse data under pressure, test their numeracy skills and their aviation knowledge and awareness.”</p>
<p>Starting out with a carrier such as Jota can be a stepping stone to work at larger airlines, but it can also teach useful lessons about appreciating variety and quality of life rewards. Either way, there is great value to be had from sometimes thinking ‘small’.</p>
<p><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=FJ_job_search"><img alt="Flight Jobs - Job search " src="/getasset/635f0a93-7ecb-4d76-8268-6f14d01d6f29/" /></a></p>
<p>Jota Aviation, based at Southend Airport in the UK, which operates charter and wet lease flights for passenger and cargo transport. The airline currently flies one Avro RJ85 (95 seats single-class economy or 50 seats in VIP configuration, one Avro RJ100 (97 seat/58 VIP), one BAe 146-200 (97 seats/50 VIP) plus four BAe 146-300 QTs (Quiet Trader) for cargo ops, each with up to 12,000 kg payload capability.</p>
<p><img alt="Jota Aviation" src="/getasset/7e3a05ee-8a1e-49f5-a981-4eda253d28a2/" /><br />
<br />
<em>One of Jota Aviation’s four 146-300QTs (left) and its 146-200 for passenger services.</em></p>
<p>The carrier has grown in the past year with the addition of the cargo aircraft, which meant that more pilots were needed. That process has been completed and at present there are no immediate plans for further recruitment. However, it is instructive to observe the process an airline such as Jota carries out to fill vacancies through its own training programme, both in terms of the learning structure and the funding (often a major hurdle for candidates).</p>
<p>Jota’s head of human resources, Marian Jones, relates the process. “We recruited three pilot cadets in December last year, all of whom have now successfully passed their final line checks and are operating as First Officers on our Avro RJ fleet,” she begins.</p>
<p>“Prior to being accepted onto our cadet training programme, the candidates were advised that they would have to sign a training agreement (bond) for £24,000 for their type-rated course which reduces over 36 months (all costs of the training can be broken down and substantiated),” Jones continues. “They joined on an initial salary of £25,000 pa which increased incrementally as they passed each section of their training.</p>
<p>“They received their first salary increment to £29,000 once they had successfully completed their initial ground and simulator training and were ready to start their line training. The next salary increment of £34,000 pa was implemented once they had successfully completed their final line check (normally after around 40 sectors). They will remain on this salary for the next 12 months while they consolidate their training and successfully complete all their recurrent checks.</p>
<p>“The pilots attend an initial ground training course at our Aircrew Training Centre here in Southend,” Jones reports. “This covers the company’s safety and emergency procedures including fire and smoke and wet drills. They also have to complete computer-based training (CBT) on the aircraft type, including aircraft systems. Also scheduled is CRM (crew resource management) training with an instructor and then further classroom training sessions on the aircraft performance/flight planning training, where there is a test which they have to pass before commencing their simulator training.</p>
<p>“That training – with a TRE (Type Rating Examiner) pilot – is a very intensive part of the training. Each cadet is given 10 sessions in the simulator. They then have to pass their LPC/OPC (line proficiency checks/operational proficiency checks) before they are able to start their base training,</p>
<p>“Base training normally involves 10 circuits in the aircraft with a TRE where they get to fly the aircraft, practise approaches and undertake some takeoffs and landings. After this, they have to undertake several familiarisation flights before starting their line training with our experienced line training captains. The average length of the training is around 6 to 8 weeks,” she confirms.</p>
<p>Keen to emphasise the benefits of working in an environment such as Jota’s, Jones describes how she would ‘sell’ a career flying with a smaller carrier to candidates. “Whilst Jota is a smaller airline, everyone who joins gets to know most people in the company from the office-based support staff, the operations team, through to the engineers and all the other pilots and cabin crew,” she remarks.</p>
<p>“As a charter and <em>ad hoc</em> carrier we operate to different airports throughout the UK and Europe. A pilot will experience a variety of flying from short UK sectors to international flights often involving night stops and flying into varying difficulties of airfields. Pilots all report that they enjoy flying the Avro RJ as it does test their piloting skills. Unlike some larger airlines, we know each of our pilots by name and they will similarly know each member of the crew that they are rostered to fly with.”</p>
<p>When it comes to actually applying to Jota, Jones notes that the airline has a thorough online application form process, with each section needing to be completed “accurately”, a gentle warning about a pitfall to which some succumb.</p>
<p>“Any future cadet pilots would need to have a frozen ATPL as a minimum, together with good reports from their flying instructors,” she adds. “Once candidates have met our minimum standards, we invite them into interview where we assess their communication skills, ability to analyse data under pressure, test their numeracy skills and their aviation knowledge and awareness.”</p>
<p>Starting out with a carrier such as Jota can be a stepping stone to work at larger airlines, but it can also teach useful lessons about appreciating variety and quality of life rewards. Either way, there is great value to be had from sometimes thinking ‘small’.</p>
<p><a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=FJ_job_search"><img alt="Flight Jobs - Job search " src="/getasset/635f0a93-7ecb-4d76-8268-6f14d01d6f29/" /></a></p>