Newbies take heart, experience requirements are falling!

[gulliBell]

Surprised to read the spin put on the latest Hevilift posting for VFR drivers in PNG ..."no minimum requirements"... don't think I've ever seen that in a job ad before!
Not so long ago it was virtually the case you needed to have logged 6 Earth orbits minimum in the Space Shuttle to be even considered for a job in PNG :}
So is this a sign of the times? Are crew schedulers finding it so difficult to make the rosters work with available pilots? Are helicopters sitting on the ground without crew?
Perhaps newbies might take some heart in this, required experience levels are falling and thus opening up more possibilities.

[i4iq]

Take a look at the CFI positions available - 300 hrs minimum. Still seems like the real low timers need more hours - not less!

[blave]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am available on short notice for either Space Shuttle flight/recovery or turbine helicopter ops of any kind, anywhere.

TT 450 (fixed/fling). I will be hovering abOOt the phone waiting for The Call.



Shuttle 549er, over, go Houston,



Dave Blevins

[SASless]

Lowering of minimums for pilots can mean only one thing....whoever is doing the cutting has to. For some reason they are unable to fill cockpit seats.

There is a reason for that....make sure you know exactly what it is before you jump.

[remote hook]

Not to throw cold water on the parade or anything, but sending very low-timers to PNG might not be the most advisable course of action. I've personally never flown there, but know a few who have and it doesn't seem like the place for a Newbie.

RH

[i4iq]

gulliBell

Is this the position you are referring too...?

As part of our ongoing expansion we are seeking experienced rotary wing VFR pilots to man our existing contract bases across PNG. Whilst there are no 'minimum requirements' the following attributes would rate very highly in our selection process:

· Significant rotary wing flying experience (2500 hrs +);

· Endorsements on at least one helicopter type within our fleet (Bell 206, 212, Eurocopter AS350 B3);

· Long line capability;

· Experience of flying within PNG or in mountainous terrain; and

· Importantly, the professional attributed necessary to ensure success in the position.

If this is the case, they're not really after low timers... :hmm:

[tribal]

i4iq,
thanks mate, glad you put the full story in, gullibell seems to like to take the sensational, and leave out the rest of the context to suit the needs.

[gulliBell]

That's the one....point being remains..."no minimum requirements" forms the crux of the job posting, and like I said I've never seen this in a job ad before. Obviously they are not looking for a newbie to fill these positions, and that goes without saying for most in this part of the world. However it was remiss in the opener not to elaborate further or link to the job, so point taken.
Notwithstanding, the hours mentioned as nice to have are 1,000 less than what used to be the minimum, and about 2,500 less than what many started out with in PNG until now. So the requirements have clearly been reduced, and this will soak up people in jobs who might not otherwise get a go in PNG. And the flow-on effect is of course to free up the lower end of the job market, and thus freeing up more opportunities for the newbies. So the bottom line, as I said first up, newbies take heart as experience requirements are falling.
And that is sensational news for newbies :ok:

[Bitmonx]

Where was this job advertised?

[gulliBell]

In the usual place, each Friday
http://www.afap.org.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=98&nav_cat_id=127&nav_top_id=73

[SASless]

At a recent industry meeting with customers and operators, the shortage of pilots and engineers (mechanics) was the most discussed issue. Operator representatives challenged the current system of specifying thousands of hours for pilots as most contracts do now and reminded the customers that various military services have young pilots doing night carrier landings in bad weather with far less than a thousand hours and suggested daytime VMC ops offshore should not be as intense or as demanding as the military pilots landing on aircraft carriers.

With Bristow buying HAI ....they will be in the lead as the industry finally begins to invest in training of replacement pilots as the Vietnam War pool of pilots dwindles due to retirement, loss of medicals, and worse.

There is no doubt the hours standard shall be changing......and about time too!

[feelerup]

As a pilot with years of PNG time, I can tell you experience levels have always been flexible.
I know several pilots who started with Pacific in late 80's with 400 TT and left as IFR capt's .
Hevilift also took on lots of 1000 hr guys .
It depends on the day you apply and if the CP walks out of his office and says " hey anyone know this guy ?".
If you have the ratings , mountain time , sling time and 1000 hours you are probably in , but having said that , it sorts the pussies out and lots of guys don't come back for the second tour.