BUT if you are involved in a nasty incident or accident in places like Indonesia and you are unlucky enough not to kill yourself, you will go to jail. Where you will wish that you had been killed.
Overall wise words but the last bit as quoted above isn't really true. There have been an inordinate number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in Indonesia. But in recent history the only pilot to have court action taken against him was the Captain of GA 200 that crashed in Yogjakarta in 2007. He served a minimal sentence and is now flying 737's freighters for Trigana in Papua.
Indonesia seemingly has a fairly mature attitude to air safety investigation, more so than Italy and France and does not out and out assume criminality in accidents.
On the Australian front, I've only just read up a bit on Alligator Airways and I guess I understand better now why ICAO and other contracting states are so concerned about CASA and aviation safety in Australia.
As I type this I am sitting in bed in the Susi Air crew hotel in Pangangderang awaiting an interview/assessment tomorrow.
I will report back on my experiences but so far I haven't seen anything with my own eyes (and i am quite sceptic) to suggest that Susi Air isn't professionally run or that it should be a pilots final career resort. That said with all the rumours going around there has to be a degree of truth but I imagine a great deal of it has been exagerated by the time it has been passed between enough people to get it around the world.
@ Captain_Bling,
Can you give us your feedback about your experience with SusiAir? Hope you got the job.
I am new to this site and have been reading through the thread regarding Susi Air. I am looking for all opportunities to build time instead of flight instructing. I sent them my CV and I received a reply quite promptly with a questionnaire to complete and submit back to them. I am aware of all of the negativity regarding this operation however, it seems like an adventure of a lifetime. I am a US citizen, young and single. I am also aware of the safety advisory my Embassy has issued against them. I have read that not many US citizens are still at Susi Air. The article I read said the reason was that the Americans simply could not cut the lifestyle of living in such a foreign county. My main question is and hopefully someone can answer it, is what can I expect for a career after Susi Air, assuming I spend a few years with them? Will US airlines look down at Susi Air experience? Could I come back and get on with regional airlines such as Skywest or ExpressJet or even larger ones such as Allegiant, JetBlue, Frontier? What would foreign carriers such as Cathay, Emirates, China Airlines, etc think about Susi Air time? I guess I just don't want to limit my possibilities by potentially flying for Susi Air if they are looked down upon from the larger established carriers, especially those in the US. Am I better off just becoming a CFI here in the US? Any comments would be appreciated!
Here's a few facts for you and others looking to join:
Lots of changes in the company. People working very very hard on implementing recommendations set forth by the Authority.
There seems to be an endless stream of people from all kinds of backgrounds and experience happy to join. The company can be very choosy as to whom they take on board.
The lifestyle you'll get to enjoy there is not bad at all. Decent pay, great AC'ed accom, domestic staff, free meals to restaurant standard every day, driver, and lots of ground crew to drain the fuel for you. All you'll be asked to do is to drive the company's plane around the network, safely and efficiently.
Planes: New. Modern. Great maintenance. Fun machine.
If you're a rookie it certainly is one of the best gigs you can get out there. And not only that, it indeed has been proven to be a great stepping stone to not only a few.
From little what I know about aviation is get anything you can and go from there. Being employed and current while sending out CVs helps wonders... Even in America!
I really envy the guys on the Porter - did that style of work across the border for 9 years on beat up 60s model C185s/Islander/Twin Otters - and LOVED every minute of it.
These are the best years of your career job satisfaction/fun wise - enjoy
Hi WeelardPassord, I wear glasses and have been put through to the interview process. they are aware of my need for corrective lenses because you have to send a photocopy of your medical etc before they give you dates
Susi Pudjiastuti runs a practical airline in a country where impracticalities make her business thrive.
‘’Disadvantage provides an opportunity,” said Pudjiastuti, the 48-year-old founder of Susi Air.
With 45 planes in its fleet, the charter airline runs as many as 200 flights a day, serving about 200 destinations and carrying fresh fish to market, the genesis of the company’s operations.
Since its start in 2004, demand has increased among mining and palm oil executives needing to reach remote operations. In Papua, the easternmost province of Indonesia, Susi delivers vital goods like rice, cement and fuel.
The airline also operates as a commuter service, helping connect people who live in remote areas to primary cities. “People need transportation,” Pudjiastuti said.
She has taken advantage of her country’s lack of infrastructure to build a flight network that delivers customers directly to their destinations, cutting costs and travel times as much as 80 percent.
But as her airline expands it has struggled with a persistent and increasingly urgent problem — finding enough pilots. “Business is so promising, but you have to develop the manpower,” she said.
Industry analysts say the country is facing a shortage of as many as 200 pilots per year, causing some carriers to fall back on underqualified staff members. That could damage new airlines struggling to establish themselves in an increasingly crowded market.
‘’Growth has not been matched in skills,” said Gerry Soejatman, an aviation specialist at Dini Nusa Kusuma, a communications company that focuses on aerospace services.
The smaller the airline, the more it depends on key people, like the chief pilot and director of safety, he added.
‘’If you don’t hire the right people, you’re going to start off on the wrong foot.”
Susi Air relies almost entirely on pilots from Europe and the United States. It has had luck finding recruits, thanks in part to economic crises in those regions, but Pudjiastuti is setting up a school with a goal of training 100 new Indonesian pilots each year, starting in 2015.
The Ministry of Transportation says it plans to add two new flight schools to the 13 already in operation. It is also working with the private sector and the Indonesian National Air Carrier Association to organize a handful of conferences this year on airport development, airline technology and aviation training and education.
Meanwhile, Pudjiastuti said she was in a sweet spot in a country where people were desperate to travel. “The demand has always been there,” she said. “Before, there was just no service.”
Location: turn L @ Taupo, just past the Niagra Falls...
Posts: 499
Quote:
Originally Posted by rally
...like get info on hotels etc to stay in jakarta,travel logistic jakarta etc etc...
I stayed at the Pomelotel (very new) in Patra Raya, Kuningan in Jakarta rally, very clean and comfortable. It may not be the best place for you in terms of Susi offices etc. -others working for Susi will be able to provide better, more specific information. It's just where I stayed whilst there and found it good. I paid Rp.380,000 (around NZD$40) a night there. Transport in general terms is very cheap in terms of what you'll be used to. Taxi's are plentiful and easy to find. A word to the wise though -don't go with any of the touts you'll find around the airport exit, get in the queue for one of the reputable firms. Bluebird would be my recommendation. If you're traveling back to the airport to catch a flight, leave your hotel about 3hrs before you need to be at the airport -traffic can be unbelievable late afternoon, especially on a Friday. Dodgy taxis are easy to spot -no meter in the car!!! Expect to pay around Rp.200,000 from the airport into town. For shorter journeys in town, taxis are a very cheap option. Also readily available at your hotel or on the street are motor-scooters. They cost a pittance.
As others have mentioned already, when you get to the airport DO NOT take taxi's from the guys walking up to you. Go and join the line for either Blue Bird or Express both of these are reputable and you wont get ripped off.
Stay as close to the Halim airport as possible for you trip to Pangandaran. If you use the Agoda.com web site you will get a lot of options and rates cheaper than those at the hotel.
For your trip home i recommend the FM7 hotel. Its close the international airport and reasonable priced. Again book through Agoda for better rates.
Once you actually get to the Halim airport, go and check in at the Susi counter, from that point on for the next few days you will be guided where and when you need to be.
Good luck with the interview.. If you need any further information PM me.. I will be in Jakarta again in 2 weeks..
Whats the current entry req for Susi? I'm based out of Perth working as a SKydive Pilot in the 206 but might want to head over one day when I've build up some more hours
Pretty sure they take guys with fresh CPL's and all the add-ons. I know a guy who has been flying there for 2 year. The fact that you start flying as a co-pilot on a caravan will allow guys with little time to start flying there. (Not sure how you would log that in your NZ log book though)
