Newbee pilot looking for advice in Oz

[Saul]

Okay first i'm sorry to have to post this topic, I know there are thousands of threads out there which relate to my predicement but its hard to find the time to trawl through all of them to get my answers.

So I'm half kiwi half English with dual passports, I have an NZ CPL with DPMEIR rating and around 350tt. I'm rated on a PA28 172 and BE76. I'm planning on going to Oz (as most people are in my situation) to look for the elusive first job. I know that its going to be a hard task and i will get rejected an awfull lot. I want to get into farm hand flying, nothing flash flying knackered 182's for bugger all but everyone needs to start somewhere eh and I think this is more realistic than going for an air carrier (and I think that'd be great fun).

If there are these farm hand jobs going does anyone know where these postions would be advertised such as a newspaper or web page or is it a case of just turning up on their doorsteps. Also as the distances are HUGE out there would I be better of renting an aircraft and flying around than buying a car and start driving?

Where should I start and where are the majority of these farms situated?

What are the more popular singles used out there? Would I be good on my 172 rating or would it be worth getting myslef a 182 and 206 rating before going out?

What really is the job situation? I know I have two main problems and thats that I am another bloody Pom and I have little "In country" experience however I am only 20 and would be able to put a few good years in with my first employer, would that help?

Any help is greatly appreciated :ok:

[rmcdonal]

Saul.
Firstly
I know there are thousands of threads out there which relate to my predicement YES there are, and YES they do relate to you almost exactly. Infact this topic was done just last week....twice.

Secondly:a question for you (and any other NZ CPL holder) does your Licence only rate you each aircraft individually? I would have thought it would say something like “S/E Aeroplanes <5700kg MTOW except requiring specific type or class endorsement” You well need a constant speed propeller, and probably a retractable undercarriage endorsement.
If you can get your hands on a C210 or C206 then I would recommend you do a couple of hours before you arrive.

Try looking at AFAP (http://www.afap.org.au/) they have the most up to date jobs.
Most of the large cattle stations (e.g. the ones with a pilot) can be found stretched across the top end WA, NT, QLD. And they aren’t located near any towns either (hence some of the reason for having a plane).
Luck :8

[Saul]

Just checked out AFAP and found a job that I would love to have, however as this is my first job I am unsure of what to send.

Do I just send them my CV with a cover letter or will "Hey just saw your advert on AFAP" do?

[Dupre]

rmcdonal,
Yeah, 'fraid that's how it works in nz... each type (747 down to C152) is rated individually. When I got back to NZ from OZ (having flown 172's as PIC), I couldn't fly a 172 because I didn't have the type rating - needed to get that signed off before I was allowed to go PIC.

Nor do we have any endorsements for CSU/Retract/Pressurisation etc. - you cover those issues while doing your type rating.

I guess for Saul's case, he/she would be considered to have CSU/Retract endorsements because of the BE76 type rating?

Dupre.

[Saul]

I've just started my type rating on the 182 through Coastguard , the chief pilot wanted me to have the duchess rating using CSU's and Undercarriage as an aid to speed up the type rating.

As you said every aircraft has an individual rating, even going from a 172 to a 172 RG you still have to get rated on that particular aircraft which makes a lot of sense to me, no 2 different aircraft types are the same, there'll always be some differences.

Thanks so much for the AFAP websight, that's exactly what I've been looking for, I asume that even if you dont get lucky through that there's still plenty of jobs going, it'll just take a bit of work driving around Oz to find a farm/carrier that has not advertised?

Oh, i'm a he as well!

[rmcdonal]

Any NZ'er, just curious do you need to convert your licence to an Aus CPL before flying over here? And if so would it automatically give you all S/E <5700 etc? How does it work the other way from Aus to NZ?

[Saul]

I checked this one to be sure with CASA, Oz and NZ have set it up so any qualifications can be directly transfered, all anyone has to do is pay the governing authority a fee and the licence is converted, I believe that its about $40 to transfer an NZ CPL to OZ CPL.

[Thallus]

Im jealous... to transfer my german CPL/ IR i got to do some hours first and then I got to fly an CPL and IR exam...something like 4-6K... and not to forget an CASA airlaw exam...

[AerocatS2A]

When you convert an NZ CPL to an Aus CPL, your C152, C172, C172RG, C182, C206... etc ratings all become a <5700kg rating.

I have no idea how it works the other way.

[Saul]

So say I get a job on a 182 in Oz flying on the farms, my 172 PA28 and BE76 ratings all get transfered to a <5700kg rating with CSU and undercarriage privlalges yeah? This means that when I get into the 182 I can hop in straight away and fly passengers or do I still need an instructor to sign me ok on the aircraft type?

If I am flying on the farms would they operate under part 91 or 135?

Is there anything else stopping me from going there with my converted NZ CPL and start work the next day? :confused: