http://www.pprune.org News and views on the fast growing and changing aviation scene on the planet. en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:47:50 GMT vBulletin 60 http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.pprune.org http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/396437-firefly-at7s-f50s.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:19:09 GMT What is it like flying for Firefly? How about pay and rosters? Cheers mates! What is it like flying for Firefly? How about pay and rosters? Cheers mates! ]]> South Asia and the Far East Donkey Duke http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/396437-firefly-at7s-f50s.html http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/396407-cargo-looking-up-eva-ci.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:11:24 GMT http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2009/11/20/2003458968 Things may be looking up for these two airlines. Robust cargo trade brings CAL,... http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/.../20/2003458968

Things may be looking up for these two airlines.


Robust cargo trade brings CAL, EVA back into black


STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
Friday, Nov 20, 2009, Page 12
Robust air cargo business propelled turnover for Taiwan’s two leading carriers from deficits to profits last month, airline sources said yesterday.

China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空) said the company’s balance sheet went from red to black in late September, when air cargo shipment rates soared to 70 percent and continued to rise.

To meet increasing demand, it said, CAL put two mothballed cargo planes back into use last month and a third mothballed plane is scheduled to resume service by early next month.

In addition, fares for air cargo transport have soared by 40 percent since September — also helping shore up the company’s overall business turnover for last month, CAL said.

EVA Airways Corp (EVA, 長榮航空) also reported positive growth in its monthly business turnover for last month, thanks to rising air cargo business since the end of the third quarter.

“Business became even hotter in November, [despite] the number of flights across the Taiwan Strait failing to meet booking requirements,” EVA said.

Increased air cargo fares for US and European routes, up between 10 percent and 15 percent in recent days, have prompted the company to forecast an even brighter future for the fourth quarter.

CAL posted an after-tax deficit of NT$2.619 billion (US$81.1 million) in the third quarter, with its EPS (earnings per share) standing at negative NT$0.78, while EVA’s after-tax deficit totaled NT$2.219 billion, with an EPS of negative NT$0.95.

As a result of the global economic meltdown that began late last year, CAL posted an after-tax deficit of NT$4.985 billion for the first three quarters of this year, compared with EVA’s deficit of NT$3.901 billion for the same period. ]]> South Asia and the Far East armchairpilot94116 http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/396407-cargo-looking-up-eva-ci.html http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/396400-unemployed-underground.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:26:45 GMT Yes .. It IS frustrating when fresh aspiring pilots in India are ridiculed and bashed up by seniors in the industry ... and now I realise why .. to... Yes .. It IS frustrating when fresh aspiring pilots in India are ridiculed and bashed up by seniors in the industry ... and now I realise why .. to an extent ...

Some have even said that the average IQ of a CPL holder is a little more than that of an Orang Utan ...

Stuff like this article does not help ...

Unemployed and underground | Mahafreed.com

"...........
Saddled with debt and the tag of being unemployed, a group of 20 trained commercial pilots met last week at Kalina. They prefer staying anonymous and say there are around 3,000 others like them. They’re people who spent Rs 30- 40 lakh to train and obtain a commercial pilot license, and are now just about barely managing to pay EMI. Some are 21-year-olds, who joined flying schools, after not scoring well enough to make it to medical or engineering school. For them it was the best alternative, but little did they know that three years down the line, the slowdown-hit sector would have no vacancies.
For 22-year-old Divyesh Trivedi the captain prefix before his name is only of ornamental value. Today, after completing 200 hours of flying, the Dadar-resident works with a BPO. “How else do I pay an EMI of Rs 45,000?’’ he asks. Trivedi says it was the air traffic boom, three years ago that attracted a large number of young students to the sector. But that gap was filled by over 900 expat pilots and those who had retired after the government increased the flying age from 60 to 65. “It hurts when airlines continue to employ foreigners when there are so many qualified Indians waiting for a job,’’ he says.
Recruited on a contractual basis, expat pilots are paid 30-70 % more than their Indian counterparts with a bonus of free accommodation. “Their contracts are being renewed and other expats are still being hired. Why the unfair treatment?’’ he asks. “We want a rollback in the retirement age back to 60,’’ say pilots like Trivedi who have come together and formed the Unemployed Pilots Welfare Association of India this year. “For all government jobs the retirement age is 60, then why is it still 65 for pilots? Isn’t it a security risk since the rarefied atmosphere, fatigue and jetlag can make it tougher for retired pilots to fly?’’ they ask emphasizing the need for all pilots to have quick reflexes. Members network using the Internet and hold meetings like the one at Kalina to make sure they make the right noises, at the right decibels. But when they warn out-of-school freshers against attractive aviation school adverts, they are snapped at with, “You are pulling us down,’’ in return.
So severe is the job drought that even small time airlines are taking advantage of the large number of unemployed who are eager to fly. When Air India advertised for 30 trainee pilot posts, it received more than 1,350 responses and no one was selected because of reported irregularities. Spirit Air in Ranchi, a private air-taxi provider invited applications but charged a fee of Rs 6,000 from every applicant. Other private operators charge heavy deposits for every application, making huge profits in the process and do not even tell the applicant the results. “Recruiters are taking advantage of the jobless and milking us as much as they can,’’ says Dhruv Sen who was asked to show 3,000 hours of flying experience by one recruiter. “It takes almost a year to finish 1000 hours, with each hour costing Rs 7000. It is next to impossible for a newbie who generally completes 200-280 flying hours to have that kind of experience.’’
Others believe, aviation related jobs can be created. Members give instances of how Air India and Indian Airlines have accommodated jobless pilots as flight dispatchers and operators in the past. Hiding behind their past, some don’t reveal they ever did the pilot training course. “When relatives ask, I say I took a break from studies but never tell them I spent Rs 40 lakh to end up being jobless.’’
When 25-year-old Anita Padukone was looking for vacancies, she was suggested to spend Rs 15 lakh on a type-rating course that gives aircraft-specific training. “The courses teach the various Airbuses like 329, 319, 321 or the Boeings or some of the smaller aircrafts,’’ says Padukone who thought it was “plain stupid’’ to take up the course with the guarantee of employment. “Three of my friends are sitting at home with the type-rating.’’
(Some names have been changed on request)

..............." ]]> South Asia and the Far East shanx http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/396400-unemployed-underground.html