Need Advice

[Wanikiba_pilot]

I have a question regarding experience vs requirements to apply to companies in Australia.

Situation: Aussie living and working in the USA. My bride and I are looking at moving home and settling in the land of Oz. Currently I am working for a regional airline, I started 6 months ago(Embraer 145 co-pilot). At present outlook, no upgrades to captain for 5 to 7 years. FO pay is lowsy and rent is killing us.

I only have 173 hours multi command, and almost all companies in Oz need 500 multi command just to apply. I have the opportunity to go to a GA job and build that much needed multi time, but worried about leaving an airline job and the fact that I left haunting me in interviews for Aussie regional/airline jobs in the future. How would they respond to me leaving a previous job to get the required time?

Also will just 500 hours be enough or do you need a whole lot more to be competitive?

Does anyone know which is considered more valuable, multi crew experience on a jungle jet as FO, or multi command on a piston(C402)?

Also, does anyone know what the regionals pay and conditions are like or where can I find out?
Any thoughts.

WP

[John Citizen]

Get that 500 multi command I say.

It won't guarantee you anything in Australia, but you won't get far without it.

I believe FO time on a "jungle jet" is more valuable than command time on a piston twin (C402/PA31), but you still need that 500 multi command "under IFR".

[Icarus2001]

Get the multi-command time.

Do not worry about the "leaving a job" issue at interview, they will see your reasoning.

More than 500 hours would be more useful.

Multi-crew command time is more valuable than multi-crew FO time.