Air Australia (Jandakot). WHATS THE DEAL?

[deer stalker]

To all the guys & gals in WA especially around Jandakot, Whats the deal with this company?

Have just spent the last few days walking the field and been offered a job at this company.

However, having seen a very nice building and alot of aircraft 4sale in the front yard i'm a bit concernd.

Apart from numerous pilots sitting around the lounge area and having spoken to the sales rep (an American guy) who promised me the earth, should i take the job.

I must add he wasn,t offering a salary, just the usual pay 4 the hours you fly.

Should i give this company a go, or would i be just another looser wasting my time?

[littlecloud]

deer stalker
some people like it there other people don't.
u basically work on a contract basis where by the owner (the texan guy) does not really employ anyone, as you work under your own abn as a sole trader.
like any first job it sometimes takes a while to see any rewards i.e flying. Air Oz really works like most of the other smaller flying schools. U have to work hard to find ur own work initially and eventually more flights will be thrown ur way.
it's what u make of it. sit around..and u probably won't get much flying...use some inititive and u will see some progress.
The people that work there are a great bunch of people
thats my 2 cents anyways

[Animalclub]

Just trivia.... the old Trans Australia Airlines had the name "Air Australia" registered. It would appear that QANTAS didn't take it over.

[swh]

I think the actual name of this org is AIR AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD not AIR AUSTRALIA which is a registered business in S.A.

AIR AUSTRALIA, AIR AUSTRALIA AIRLINES PTY. LTD., and TRANS AUSTRALIA AIRLINES PTY LTD are still registered.

[Islander Jock]

This is a load of bullsh1te. If you are working at a flying school using their procedures, premises and aircraft then you are a casual employee period!

This contractor crap is a scam used by some to slide out of their responsibilites for payment of workers comp and superannuation.

[Not_Another_Pot]

Actually if you earn (I think) 70% of your income frome a single source then you are deemed to be an emplyee and therefore the emplyer must pay your super and worker comp (or whatever it's called this week).

NAP

[Counter-rotation]

These bastards (all of 'em not just Air Australia) will always find a way to dodge their responsabilities as employers. The ATO I can assure you won't have a bar of it. They need to pay super, provide workplace PL insurance, workcover, etc.
They make me ******* sick!:yuk: :yuk:

[gaunty]

This might be a bit subtle BUT I think IJ, NOP and CR might agree with me when I paraphrase anothers wise words.

"If you can't afford the travel insurance then you can't afford to travel." :rolleyes:

[the wizard of auz]

*Insert muffled snicker and the sound of furious tongue biting here*

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

Perhaps the "numerous pilots sitting around the lounge area" should give you a clue....more pilots than aircraft perhaps?
Counter-rotation, not all the schools at JT do the slave labour thing. Jobs with the ones who reward instructors with the right pay and conditions are hard to come by as if the instructors are looked after, they will usually stick around.
There is/was? a scam at one place where the new instructors had to BUY thier job! Not sure if that is still going though.
There is also an infamous school who carry on merrily although former employees are still trying to get their super entitlements after several years. The ATO doesn't seem to give a hoot.
And we have to compete with these clowns!:rolleyes:

[Ang737]

These guys working under a sole trader ABN be warned. Make sure you have in writing who is liable for accidents and incidents. What would happen if one of you sole trader business owners put an aircraft through a fence, I bet my left nut that the Texan would sue you for the repair bill, or should I say sue your company of which your the only employee...

As sole trader you still have to pay yourself the 9% super, Workcover premiums, not to mention probably public liability and professional indemnity insurance... Be bloody careful. :mad:


Ang ;)

[Continental-520]

All these cheapskates are doing is opening themselves up to more trouble from potentially disgruntled employees.

What would be worse? Dobbing them into CASA or the ATO?

520

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Neither the ATO or CASA would give a fat rats arse.

The job is "as is", i.e. no body is forcing you to take it, infact there is probably a reason you haven't been offered a start anywhere else, inexperienced etc etc.

There are a number of pilots in Cathay that started from scratch with Chuck, it obviously worked for them.

I did my licence with him, in my opinion he is the only operator at JT that knows anything about running a flying school.

[Aerlik]

in my opinion he is the only operator at JT that knows anything about running a flying school

S-H-I-T-E. With that can we all assume you have had experience at all the other flight schools on the strip? Ask him about his enticing methods of getting clowns into the "mile High club"!!

And don't fall for the "ex-military pilot" stuff. Big difference between a navigator and a pilot

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Aerlik,

for your information, i did not go to his flying school ( when it was next door to the RACWA ) to be in the presence of a ex-USN pilot or navigator, after pretty much every other school in JT pissed me around, i went to chuck, he didn't piss me around, he treats his customers with respect, i liked that.

If a booking had to be changed, he rang and asked if that was OK, on one occasion he gave me a C172 at C150 prices as he had a broken C150 and i was unable to move my booking.

His instructor took a personal interest in my success and helped much more than a number of other schools did, i spent $20K with them.

Chuck, the fact that your business is doing well while others fall by the way is a statement, good job.

If i didnt have a pilots licence and could do it for myself, i'd pay a few hundred for one of " those" flights, to let the draw bridge down on a new girlfriend, gee i've paid far more than that for little or no reward.

[Icarus2001]

he is the only operator at JT that knows anything about running a flying school. he treats his customers with respect, i liked that. Priceless, absolutely priceless.
LHRT I am sure you are sincere in your praise but take it from some of us who have a little more knowledge of the ex navigator, he is a used car salesman running an aircraft hire service, the instructors work for themselves. He has been lucky in having some good people work for him but they soon wise up and leave.If i didnt have a pilots licence and could do it for myself, i'd pay a few hundred for one of " those" flights How does having a licence help in getting horizontal in the back of a Seneca for an hour? Do you have a particular technique you could share with us? I do know of a couple doing it in a C152. Pilots left foot on the left hand side "left" pedal, pilots right foot on the right hand side "right" pedal and watch your head there love...:uhoh:

[Sheepdog]

The little septic is a flea, make a wide berth son

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

The "Running of a flying school" is actually the role of a CFI.

How do you measure the success of a flying school? They all have different styles that suit different people. Some have excellent customer service, some are crap.

Could you name some of those who have "fallen by the way" in the last say ten years? I can only think of one lot, and they were ble to sell their business just in time.

[Checkerboard]

I haven't been around JT for a while but the last I heard was there was a class action against him by ex instructors amounting to some $200,000 in wages owing.

I was in your position a few years back and accepted a job there, only stayed a couple of weeks once I wised up to the joint. Went north instead, best move I could have made. Seeing as you asked.... my advice is dont bother with Air Canada or if you have to dont stay longer than absoulutley neccesary.:ok:

[Towering Q]

There are/have been some good people at Air America, but as a junior instructor you will be treated like an insect.

[Maximus B]

Having personal experience with both Chuck and his instructors I am pleased to report that all bar one of the above postees are sprouting absolute bullsh!t.

It is a fun, professional, customer based school. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

Yes I did 'shop around' but I am not a fan of the 'pretentious attitude' down the taxiway, nor the McDonalds type of training next door, professional as it was (yeah, before he moved). I wanted some 'hangar spirit'.

I am (as usual) saddened by the back biting garbage that goes on here, and note the usual culprits.

CFI, I expected better. How would you feel if the hounds came after your reputation!!!!

Gaunt, get back to chucking rocks at AOPA, you do less harm there, people have come to expect it. Leave aviation to aviators!!!


Max

[Icarus2001]

Maximus, you are entitled to your opinion. However there are those of us who know the bigger picture and disagree with you. Why do you think there are so many if we a dissembling?
Oh yes, it's a conspiracy.:rolleyes:

[Towering Q]

Max, I think you are mising an important point here. The original poster was enquiring about the operation from a potential employees position.

Your positive experience was from a customers point of view. Big difference.

I too have been a customer of Air America, several times since the late 80's. No complaints from me either. Great place to learn to fly, however I would hate to work there.

[Icarus2001]

That is certainly part of the reason for a different view. However a dishonest, untrustworthy and ignorant employer remains the same if you are a customer or an employee.

[Maximus B]

Q

I personally know of 2 people who worked there in the mid-90's. I had a few beers and discussed 'Chuck' and Air America generally. They expressed no concerns.

By the way, Chuck never once tried to convince me he was other than an entrpreneurial F4 backseater.

Icarus...bit out of your patch isn't it???

Max