Sun Air pilot shortage?

[solowflyer]

Whats the deal with Sun Air advertising in the back of Wings for IFR training. Are they trying to get new pool of new pilots trained up?

[outboundjetsetter]

tell us more... what does it say? I assume this is the Sunair aviation company in nz?

[Thump & Go]

Jetsetter - Yes it is.

They're probably trying to make some money out of ZK-DIR (the world's oldest Aztec!:) ) since it is now out of hours for ATO's and awaiting sale. They also have an A-Cat on staff who can do the training, do renewals etc.

It certainly couldn't hurt to do some training there. I know recently they've been short but don't know the situation there right now - one is definitely waiting on Origin.
Worth a call.

:ok:

[vedder]

Would certainly have a look.

I think training in a operational environment is great, especially if that is the sort of flying you want to do

[splatgothebugs]

DIR is definatley the oldest truck in the world..................The truck would be a good machine to learn in, nice and steady with enough single engine performance when light to make you look good in a flight test.

However make sure the training standards are up to scratch, I noticed recently that they are always starting the right engine first insteed of the left.:p

splat:ok:

[romansandal]

What's the place like these days? You still see quite a few of there ex boys around the place aye splat!

Their reputation seems pretty good over the last few years.

[splatgothebugs]

I heard through the grape vine that the latest editions gave up the salary contracts...........................Does anybody on the inside know if this is true or not?

If it is it would be a shame since the old school went through a lot of shizza to get it up and running ;)

splat

[flyby_kiwi]

I heard it was canned rather than a case of the guys giving it away.

[Sqwark2000]

What a shambles!!

I thought Sunair was under the thumb screw from CAA to put guys on a salary, so that the lads didn't have to work 7 jobs to match the dole and thence reduce fatigue.

Management has decided that due to the amount of staff they have, it is easier to have them do split shifts and work more often but not on a salary.

That's the same position they were in before CAA had a real good look at them because of Their reputation seems pretty good over the last few years :suspect:

The freight boy in Palmy may be selling himself short. Getting paid the same salary for 4 days work when he was doing 3 days before, SAV10 will be loving that!


Keep your eyes and ears open, there is a couple of big changes in routes coming up in the next month.

Can't wait to see how long the HLZ - WRE - HLZ service is going to last. Arriving WRE approx. 1130-ish, departing 1430-ish, what market are they trying to get?? If it is the Freedom travellers don't SJ flights leave and arrive at some ungodly hour of the morning?

S2K

[splatgothebugs]

The WRE thing won't work, its that simple it was put forward years ago and never went ahead due to schedule and just plain old pain in the ass reasons.

I think if CAA found out that those freight boys were working 4 of those long hauls a week it would be curtains.

S2K, you are correct those salary positions where enforced by CAA as a "we want you to have this or we are going to shut you down" position due to the fact that fatigue was becoming a huge issue. Guys working night shifts getting up 5 hours later flying for 13 hours then going back to work again that night.

With you all working half days again I guess its back to $50 before tax? As well as holding down another job to survive.

Its a shame that the contracts are not continuing.

splat
:mad:

[AIRCAB]

How is ZK-TDM aka VH-TDM, Now that was a great machine. Hope they are treating her well.. Alot of fond and hairy memories in that bus :ok:

[splatgothebugs]

Heard that it was lightened up alot by removing good gear...................WX radar, DME ect cause who needs those handy toys when your single pilot IFR.

splat :ok:

[Cloud Cutter]

Is that so 'freightboy2004'

Quiet morning in Gissy is it?

[kavu]

Well

You have to put it down to the Head Boss there..... screwed the boys a few years ago and has finally been able to stop paying pilots a proper wage.

The pay issue was put into place for a reason. I wouldn't trust the Head Boss or his sidekick - The A Cat - to save myself.

Who else can charge $70 + gst for a washer that cost him $0.70 +gst???

Watch him + don't trust him and get everything he say in writing, or better yet record him on a tape recorder without him knowing it when you ask for things. Might find it useful later on.

[incidentreport]

Don't trust him..... that's rich coming from a guy that's been in bed with my wife!!!!!! :} :}

[Don Won]

Hey Kavu you still dirty about your CV getting filed in the round cabinet at SAV ..... better luck with your present interview's Kuz

Dork number two, 2004 I have not yet seen so much unprofession posted about your own employer, mate........ take a a step back and check out your last posts! should make great eagle material good luck with your interview two Kuz

[splatgothebugs]

DON WON: So your at it talking :mad: about EAG again. Wonders never cease.

Kavu has hit the nail on the head, don't trust any of them.

The head boss isn't that bad of a guy outside of aviation but otherwise if you are unsure of an aircraft let it be known and keep a record of incidents and defects occur.

Sk4, it dosen't matter if those chaps are hard up for multi or not, it dosen't give them an exuse to shaft every thing that was put in place (for their benefit) well before they arrived. This is the exact reason way NZ GA is up S#it creek and has no pay standards.

splat :ok:

PS Don, I thnk Kavu wouldn't have been where he is today if that CV didn't get trashed.:ok: :ok:

[splatgothebugs]

Whats the deal with all these squawk code names flying around:confused:

[splatgothebugs]

Ok whats the deal here about 5/6 posts have been deleted!

Were they due moderation or personal deletes???????????????

splat :ok:

[kavu]

Don Won

Yes I didn't get a job with SunAir. No I'm not cut up about it. I already knew what I'd be getting myself into if I worked for the boss. Still keep in regular contact with him after all these years.

The job I got instead of SunAir was so much better. It set me up better for the rest of my career.

As splat said

"it dosen't matter if those chaps are hard up for multi or not, it dosen't give them an exuse to shaft every thing that was put in place (for their benefit) well before they arrived. This is the exact reason way NZ GA is up S#it creek and has no pay standards."

Why are the guys dropping good money for multi time? The guys/gals before you worked hard to get paid and now that's gone. STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!

[BattleSTARGalatica]

Watch this space....Very soon Big Boss man will get the guys who his esteemed A-Cat instructor so professionally trained up to fly for his VERY profitable airline for Free....In actual fact they pretty much are doing it now.While I don't condone this type of behaviour I don't blame the man. He is after all running a business. It's prostitution by the pilots. They are all sh*tting in there own faces. It's not just there, its GA for you. And to be brutally honest I was a wh*re at one time. Glad I have an interview with a semi-real airline now.
I have heard alot of :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: has been going down at that establishment for a long time e.g off field landings, CAA audits due safety, left, right and centre, firing of chief pilots, disputes with local operators, landing gear handles coming off in pilots hands(?), maintenance issues, the list goes on and on. Love the receptionist though, she is a very nice person:O

[splatgothebugs]

She would be the only nice one to deal with there:ok:

As far as I'm aware only one flight ops man has been sacked in the last 5 years, and that was more of a push rather than firing.

You would all be surprised at how many bums on seats they need in those aircraft to break even. (The simpsons would have fingers left over to count)

There is money there to pay the pilots......................if there wasn't the $25K salary would have never come in. Never listen to management when they are driving around in brand new cars, taking holidays and then claming to be in hard times :ok: :ok: :ok:

As far as training goes, I can't comment on recent developments but I can say that not firing the left engine up first in an AZTEC to get the Hydraulics pumping is an interesting one. ( Given they now operate two F models :O )

splat

[BattleSTARGalatica]

I dont understand what you mean by Starting the left engine first SPLAT. Who cares bout the Hydr. What about vacating the a/c ......oh who cares???

[vedder]

Do they still have the 421 and PA31?

would any of you guys be able to tell me if Gissy still has heaps of twins going in and out??

[splatgothebugs]

Far enough there are more reasons for starting the left first other than hydraulics.

My BAD :O

VEDDER:

No C421 and yes to the PA31-310C

Gissy is still very busy as far as light twins go.

splat :ok:

[vedder]

Gissy Rocks!!!:D

[ZK-NSN]

HEARD bad things about them, (But this incident i know happened)They used to operate a short TG-HN-TG sector for QO.When they arrived in HN from a deadleg The door on the navajo had been damaged the day before and was lock-wired shut, so their plan was to board the pax off the wing though the crewdoor. They (sunair) got told to :mad: off much to their surprise and the contract was cancelled soon after, The pax got a nice bus ride.