Within BALPA we collectively have over 50 million flying hours of experience and we would like to ensure that this wisdom is passed on to the next generation of pilots. One of the many ways we do this is through our Crew Connected service.

Crew Connected is an advisory service for our NextGen pilots set up by BALPA and powered by members who have volunteered their time to support and offer exclusive advice to new pilots – from aspiring pilots, to those who are newly qualified. The service gives members the opportunity to interact with someone who has ‘already worn the t-shirt’. The range of support can be anything from advice on career progression or different airline cultures, to professional wisdom on a specific aspect of flying.
 
How can it help you?

If you have a job interview or assessment day with an airline coming up, BALPA can arrange for you to speak with an experienced pilot from within this airline to help you be better prepared.

If you have questions about specific areas of aviation, or simply aspire to work in a specific airline, let us know by emailing NextGen@balpa.org. Our many ‘connectors’ have a wealth of experience in the aviation industry, and can offer you first hand advice and support in whichever area you might need it.
 
How can you help others?

We are always on the lookout for more volunteer pilots who might be interested in joining the Crew Connected team to broaden our range of advice and support we can offer. You don’t need to be a BALPA rep or have any formal training, just experience as a professional pilot, and a desire to share your wisdom with new and aspiring pilots.

We understand the demands of flying and family lives, so your commitment would be as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. We envisage that most of the interactions will be via phone at dates and times agreed by you. Mentoring training will also be offered if desired.

If you are an experienced pilot, or even on the path to becoming a pilot and feel you could offer a small amount of time to be part of our Crew Connected team or just want to find out more, please email NextGen@balpa.org. 

We are continuously working to build our number of connectors, so please get in touch and we can give you more information about our Crew Connected service.