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chchflyboy
1st Jun 2009, 09:39
Ok guys and gals, for the basics, I have an NZ CAA CPL, multi engine instrument, various single engine ratings, NVFR etc.. The basic training with 250hrs at hand. Now comes the first job.
In these 'down' times it almost seems impossible, but im optimistic.

Basically, I'm down to 2 choices, Papua New Guinea or South Africa/Botswana. I want go in November of this year.
Obviously I'm not going to have much lined up, other than emails and phone calls sent to various companies, so the doorstep with CV in hand approach must be used.

What do you think? I'm not worried about moving far from home, or the rough conditions I might encounter, I just want to start flying and i'll do anything to get that job.

Which one would be better?

Cheers

NGsim
4th Jun 2009, 03:29
Even in the best of markets you'd be very lucky to get into the PNG scene with your time........so given the current situation i'd say you'd be better off putting a wager on what exact date hell was going to freeze over!!

Out of the 2 options you're looking at, Bot's is definitely the more likely though things have slowed down there considerably as well.

All the best buddy.

chili peppered
6th Jun 2009, 09:52
i'm sort of in the same frame of thinking. not much happening here in Oz so thinking of biting the bullet and heading out to Africa. But have also heard that things are slowing down a bit there too. Are you any closer to a decision?

zakpeegoodus
6th Jun 2009, 16:45
Stay AT HOME !!!!

God only knows why low time pilots think that they only have to swap countries and they will be in demand…

The cold, hard simple facts are, you are far more likely to get your first flying job in your own county than elsewhere.

I have worked in many countries – Australia, to Asia to the Americas, to Africa and this comes up time and time again…Its damn hard to get a job flying in your own country, and it is harder to get one in another country where you don’t have a license, a work visa, a local language, and you are competing against local pilots who are themselves desperate to get work, and you have minimal time and no commercial avaition experience...Are really so attractive to a forigen company?

If you dont have a work visa, a contract, and a return ticket bought for you by the company you want to work for, then they are not serious about employing you, and the chances are you will waste your time and money going over to knock on their door...By all means go if you can afford that, but dont think your chances will be any better than knocking on doors in your own county...In reality, they will be less.

I drove around australia twice, knocking on doors, talking to people, until I got a job...I dont know why more people dont do that rather than trot off overseas thinking they will be indemand.

Stay at home, get some hours, then go overseas if you want to.

Okavango
7th Jun 2009, 09:19
When you say job - what are you thinking? Something that will pay the bills or merely allow you to fly? Can't see much in Africa or PNG for professional roles (ie paying the bills). In that context - surely there are meat bombing or scenic ops you can get involved with in Oz to build experience?

dartagnan
7th Jun 2009, 17:48
me too I am optimist, what do you think guys? flying a 747 in china or an A340 in congo?:hmm:

cuz now, I am sitting between 2 chairs, please I need help...

Albatross01
14th Jun 2009, 12:15
For those with an instructors rating, that can instruct at night, instrument instructor, single engine ok. Multi Engine preffered. There will be more instructing jobs coming up soon. Both in China and Saudi Arabia. For those in Australasia, you may not know of opportunities away from home. By the same token. There is something to be said for plugging away at home in a part time flying job, building experience. I would definitely recommend doing your instructors rating. You will become better at the things you learned in PPL, IR, CPL; build hours along the way, make contacts in aviation, increase your qualifications & have some experience/previous aviation employer to add to your resume.