Pilot Jobs in Papua New Guinea

[The_Flyin_Kiwi]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has the latest news on the situation for jobs in PNG.
I am considering working up that way and would appreciate any info on which are the better companies and which are the ones to stay away from. What are the requirements for the different companies ect. I would appreciate factual information rather than emotive complaints about perceived injustices.

If anyone knows someone who is working there at the moment and wouldn't mind getting in contact I would appreciate that too.

Cheers:ok:

[anartificialhorizon]

Live in PNG?

Serious?

[Bush Boss]

Flying Kiwi, If you don't get the info you need here try posting in the 'Dunnunder, Godzone and the Pacific' forum. Fixed wing or rotary? You will need to give the guys an idea on your experience level. There are several other threads in the DG & P forum from guys with similar queries. Cheers, BB

[Waghi Warrior]

Do a search on this site bloke. You will find more than enough info even if it's old,nothing changes in a hurry up here. Tropicair,NCA,Southwest Air and Heavylift are the entry level companys up here at the moment. Being a Kiwi ? You will fit in as there are heaps of Kiwi pilots up here,even us Aussies will talk to you guys,well I will anyway regardless of the footy scores.

[the wizard of auz]

nothing changes in a hurry up here.
AAH, Tru tok. Olgata man na meri bilong PNG, kai kai buai tomus. :E

[YELOSUB]

I just got back from png couple of weeks ago. was hunting for jobs up there. didnt get any guarantees but am heading up again in a few weeks to convert my licence over. The flying outweighs the living conditions. The more flying experience you have the better your chances. min 1000tt plus some twin or turbine time should be enough i guess. But i wouldnt say that they are short of pilots up there. Pilots who already have a few hundred hours in png hold an advantage.
The pay is good by nz standards but nowhere as good as Aus award.

[The_Flyin_Kiwi]

At the moment I am only sitting on 2400+ total time with 2000 PIC on fixed wing. I am only on 400 multi which never seems to be enough. I have both CASA and CAA licences with current Multi IFR command. I hav done a bit of bush work before and was in Africa 2001 - 2002 for a few months. I am not sure what sort of job that would get me. I have been contacting some of the companies up there but never seem to get any reply.

[Chimbu chuckles]

Pilots don't generally get employed on the basis of an emailed resume - you want to work there you must go there and do a meet and greet.

[The_Flyin_Kiwi]

Yeah, you are absolutely right. That's how it works in Aviation.

[el_capitano]

All good to say do a meet and greet, does help if you phone ahead and find out wether the CP or OPS MGR or whom ever looks after employment is there to see, otherwise the good old meet and greet is as useless as pi$$ing in the wind... :ok:

[Xcel]

Not always the case chimbu... can be lucky to say ive only ever done one meet and greet and it was the first place i visited that i got work every other job was from email...

just got to be catchy lol

Just make sure you dont send more than a page or any attachments cause the 28.8k net is painful at the best of times so screening out rubbish is the best policy.. maybe best to put - awesome email inside - in the subject line or something ;)

[Chimbu chuckles]

Xcel are you referring to Australian jobs or PNG jobs?

Things may have changed in PNG since I left a decade ago - but I'd be a bit surprised if they have changed that much - in the 14 years I was there I don't know of anyone getting an initial job in PNG via snailmail. Email was yet to be invented. Subsequent jobs a different matter (you were a reasonably known quantity after 12 months) but initially meet and greet was about the only way - 98% of the time anyway.

[sky surfer]

Chimbu C. Im with you. Send CV and follow up in person works far better than most other methods. PNG hasnt changed in the years you have been away....hmmmm they dont have roads ... or power ...another day...

People like to see what product they might be buying and as we know PNG isnt for all.

[troppo]

Went there at 21. First OE. Hadn't even been to Australia before.
:eek::eek::eek::eek:
:ok:

[Torres]

Twenty years ago whilst managing a regional airline, I received a pilot application and resume, nicely bound in a black folder. On opening the cover, the first page was a delectable Playboy Bunny centerfold with the notation:

"Now I have your attention ... please read on!"

The management decision was unanimous and the pilot got the job, sight unseen!

[Aerodynamisist]

Thanks for the idea about the playboy bunny Torres, I will steel that idea. If it doesn't work - then I don't want to work there.

[the wizard of auz]

you will probably get locked up for importing porn. they are a little draconian that area. :ooh:

[solowflyer]

Classic, but I can see all operators incoming mail being laced with porn from now on that the secret is out:D

[troppo]

make sure the bunny has a good tan...silverbellies aren't that appealing when you've been in the islands for too long :}

[tinpis]

Flying a Kiap and his patrol box back to the Jimi River from Goroka in the days of "taim bilong masta"
He remarked that while he enjoyed his break in town, he thought he might have been going troppo because he caught himself looking at white women.

[flyon-thewall]

You dont seem to need any experience to get employed up here these days...APNG dont have any minimums...they hire guys with bare CPL's. After all...who wants to come to PNG to fly,only in times of jobs crisis.
APNG have lost alot of Otter experienced captains,(no thanks to the MLO)most new Otter FO's have no hours,no prior PNG experience,no IFR rating,& 1st industry job as Otter FO, & @ 250hrs total time.
God help us when the next crew CFIT.:ugh:

[psycho joe]

Do a search on this site bloke. You will find more than enough info even if it's old,nothing changes in a hurry up here. Tropicair,NCA,Southwest Air and Heavylift are the entry level companys up here at the moment. Being a Kiwi ? You will fit in as there are heaps of Kiwi pilots up here,even us Aussies will talk to you guys,well I will anyway regardless of the footy scores.

I think you mean Hevilift. Heavylift operate Belfast & B727's.

[luftwaffe]

Hope you guys could provide me with some insight! I am interested in flying for one of the Dash8 operators in PNG and was wondering what chance I would stand if I would come to Port Moresby with roughly 2500tt, 2200hrs multi turbine, 1100hrs in the Dash8 (400 and 300 rated), FAA+CAAP CPL. Almost all the flying in a tropical SEAsian country, VFR/IFR flying (of course nothing compared to what you guys do:D ).

What's the likelyhood of having a stable job, with career prospects with one of the local operators?

Out of the two Dash8 operators that I have found, would anyone here be willing to share some contact details with their HR dep.? I indeed appreciate any feedback.:ok:


Cheers,

luftwaffe

[chimbu warrior]

Luftwaffe, with your experience, you might be better off applying to Air Niugini.

[Killer Loop]

PX have put their mins up to 4000 TT.

[Captain Nomad]

That still leaves you with APNG and Nat Jet (Tabubil) to check out.

[luftwaffe]

Cheers CW, KL and CN. Good to have people on pprune willing to help and share!

One question for KL, is the 4000TT also applicable for rated guys?

I honestly would not have a problem at all "stepping" down onto something smaller like the twin otter (guess they fly into even more secluded and challenging places than the dash8) and then working my way back up thru the ranks, if that would be the only way. :ok:

For the meantime I'll try to get in contact with the people in charge and would still be grateful if you could updated me on any immediate openings in Papua New Guinea:) Planning on heading South :ok: sometime in November. And as one of my favourite saying goes....if it is meant for me then it will eventually happen.....


GOD speed to all of you!

Cheers,

luftwaffe

[Killer Loop]

The 4000 TT min is for everyone except the cadets. With your time you would have a very good chance with APNG on either the Dash 8 or Dhc-6 although I know APNG did do a round of interviews in Cairns last Tuesday so you might have a bit of a wait to get a look in. You could try ringing +675 3252011 (APNG) and see what they say.

[macdonaldjames93]

Give Capt Bruce Alabaster(Chief/Manager Flight Ops) a call his is a Kiwi himself....... ask him to give a fellow wantok a job;)..... you've met all their min req hrs for Otter and Dash8,

[kribi]

Do pilots have to be a member of the commonwealth to fly in PNG?

[Pinky the pilot]

Do pilots have to be a member of the commonwealth to fly in PNG?

No. If you meet the operators' requirements you have a good a chance as anyone else.

[tail wheel]

There have been Swiss made pilots in PNG in the past - and even Swiss made aeroplanes. You should be OK provided you don't take a Porter with you! :}

[uncopilot]

Been a few years since this thread has been updated. I'm thinking about getting on a plane to Port Moresby then trying to see who I can meet looking for a job. Flights are reasonable compared to when I have been to PNG before, accommodation is still outrageously expensive. Can anyone recommend any reasonably priced accommodation for a week?

Anyone that is able to provide any pointers for other places to try my luck looking for work would be appreciated. I'm looking for a PAC 750 or Twin Otter F/O etc job. My experience is 1900TT, 1300 turbine, 300 multi, no multi crew time. I'm just in the early stages of getting a plan together. Aim to head off start of August.

Any current info at all is appreciated, via PM or on this thread.

[catseye]

Unco, just be aware Mosbi is not somewhere you just walk around in. Lots of raskols and you really need to have some contacts in town to keep you safe. Make sure you know the right story for Customs otherwise it will be a very short trip. :rolleyes:

[uncopilot]

Unco, just be aware Mosbi is not somewhere you just walk around in. Lots of raskols and you really need to have some contacts in town to keep you safe. Make sure you know the right story for Customs otherwise it will be a very short trip.

Thanks for the warning catseye, I appreciate it. Fortunately I have been to Moresby a couple of times before (many years ago though) so I have a rough idea what to expect. Luckily the first time I went I was with people that have a business there and we didn't stay in town long, we went up to Lihir Island the next day. I do remember going to a bar named Shooters in Moresby. Later after we left that night the club lived up to it's name and someone was shot there :sad: Only a few days before we arrived, the motel I think it was the travelodge, was raided by Rascals. So we were on edge right from the first night.

Getting around is something I'm trying to work out amongst other things like the "story" at customs. I won't be on foot, in a PMV or with me driving a vehicle. One of the challenges of trying to do this trip I'm working on is transport.