Caravan pilot job up for grabs - but read the qualifications required.
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Australia
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Caravan pilot job up for grabs - but read the qualifications required.
In the Australian newspaper today is an advertisement for a C208 Caravan pilot. The qualifications required are impressive and higher than those needed to get into Qantas or Virgin Blue or Regionals.
Minimum qualifications to get the job and fly the Caravan included:
Total time 2500 hours.
Turbine time 400 hours.
Night flying time 200 hours.
Two instrument rating renewals.
When operators can place these minimum qualifications just to fly a small single engine propeller aeroplane, they must be confident of finding applicants with these hours - proving yet again the pilot shortage in Australia is a myth. This despite what flying schools tell you about all the airline pilot jobs just waiting for flying school graduates..
Minimum qualifications to get the job and fly the Caravan included:
Total time 2500 hours.
Turbine time 400 hours.
Night flying time 200 hours.
Two instrument rating renewals.
When operators can place these minimum qualifications just to fly a small single engine propeller aeroplane, they must be confident of finding applicants with these hours - proving yet again the pilot shortage in Australia is a myth. This despite what flying schools tell you about all the airline pilot jobs just waiting for flying school graduates..
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Oh there's still a shortage of pilots in some sectors, it's more a shortage of pilots with the required hrs for certain positions. But as for those levels of quals for a SE does seem over the top by todays std's.
Out of interest does anybody know of many Caravan jobs that would be based on IFR flights? Up nth where most of these types reside I would have thought mostly VFR, just curious regarding the 2x renewal req's.
CW
Out of interest does anybody know of many Caravan jobs that would be based on IFR flights? Up nth where most of these types reside I would have thought mostly VFR, just curious regarding the 2x renewal req's.
CW
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Alarmist?
When operators can place these minimum qualifications just to fly a small single engine propeller aeroplane, they must be confident of finding applicants with these hours - proving yet again the pilot shortage in Australia is a myth.
OTOH, yesterdays AFAP Jobs list had an ad for a C208 pilot that wanted:
* Australian Commercial Pilots Licence
* Current Instrument Rating
* Minimum 1000 hours TT
* Significant night experience
* Turbine Endorsed.
* Be of good character in the community
* Have the right to work and live in Australia
These hours are significantly less than the first ad, and probably more in line with the current requirements for a Caravan driver.
There were also jobs for a 400 hour pilot and a 250 hour pilot.
So I don't think that the pilot shortage is over just yet.
My 2c
DIVOSH!
I think you might find that these requirements are for a caravan, sure, but bearing in mind that the caravan is the smallest and slowest thing in thier fleet, you might be being hired with a view to advancement within the company.
Furthermore, the company may not be looking for low time guys, it MAY be a company that is looking for very long term career pilots that like to make a difference in regional Australia...
Furthermore, the company may not be looking for low time guys, it MAY be a company that is looking for very long term career pilots that like to make a difference in regional Australia...
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I think as long as there are adverts like this one around, there's really no merit in the debate 
CSG Limited (CSG Services Pty Ltd) – ALICE SPRINGSCSG is the Northern Territory’s largest ICT Company, with significant expertise in the provision of integrated technology solutions to Business and Government.
We invite applications to be submitted for the position of “Line Pilot – Alice Springs”. With an immediate start, the successful applicant will be responsible for working independently to provide in house services to surrounding locations, flying a Piper Lance P32R aircraft.
Minimum requirements:
* Commercial Pilot Licence
* 250 Hours Total Time
* Available for an immediate Start
* Willing to give a 12 month commitment.
* Current ASIC card
* Advantageous:
* 300HP Time (PA32/R, C210 etc)
* ME/CIR
Please send applications to [email protected] by COB, Friday 31st October.
We invite applications to be submitted for the position of “Line Pilot – Alice Springs”. With an immediate start, the successful applicant will be responsible for working independently to provide in house services to surrounding locations, flying a Piper Lance P32R aircraft.
Minimum requirements:
* Commercial Pilot Licence
* 250 Hours Total Time
* Available for an immediate Start
* Willing to give a 12 month commitment.
* Current ASIC card
* Advantageous:
* 300HP Time (PA32/R, C210 etc)
* ME/CIR
Please send applications to [email protected] by COB, Friday 31st October.
Join Date: Mar 2007
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The upward movement has stalled somewhat to the airlines, perhaps QF are still taking a few, the others are not as hungry. As a result guys are staying in the regionals, which soon will flow on to Piston twin drivers (its already getting harder to find a gig there from what a few mates around are saying) soon it will flow on to entry level piston jobs, i'm thinking you will see this effect in the 2010 dry season. Hopefully by then though there is movement back at the top as there are still many new shiny Jets on the way!
Flight training is still expensive, it will be much harder to secure a loan to cover the training expenses and i don't think too many parents will be willing to mortgage the house in todays climate, so as long as we are not pumping out an oversupply of pilots like yesteryear we should still be looking forward to good times.
Flight training is still expensive, it will be much harder to secure a loan to cover the training expenses and i don't think too many parents will be willing to mortgage the house in todays climate, so as long as we are not pumping out an oversupply of pilots like yesteryear we should still be looking forward to good times.
I did hear of a mob scouting for a van driver about 2 months ago through the industry. I was asked if I knew anybody. For contract reasons the hours were higher than one might normally expect. This may or may not be that job.
If the pay and lifestyle is good, people will come... Remember not everybody wants to fly a Boeing or Airbus RPT.
If the pay and lifestyle is good, people will come... Remember not everybody wants to fly a Boeing or Airbus RPT.
Couldn't agree more stallie, if I may call you that. It's all about lifestyle, if you pay me around 100k and give me a good roster, I'll fly just about anything.
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Putting those minimums on the adverts cuts out the mountain of crappy resumes that come in for people straight out of their CPL school. If only those that had those quals applied there wouldn't be a problem.
if you pay me around 100k and give me a good roster, I'll fly just about anything.
I'll be thinking of you as we sail over the top at FL410
Spent my time doing that stuff never again......
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Is this company doing any mining runs or related work?
From personal experience the mining companies a requiring these sort of numbers, OHS and all that. If the pilots don't have these figures they can't fly any mine work or the charter companys won't get any contracts.
Cheers
From personal experience the mining companies a requiring these sort of numbers, OHS and all that. If the pilots don't have these figures they can't fly any mine work or the charter companys won't get any contracts.
Cheers
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Couldn't agree more stallie, if I may call you that. It's all about lifestyle, if you pay me around 100k and give me a good roster, I'll fly just about anything.
~FRQ CB
Judgement?
IFR single on a dark and stormy night whilst storms light off all around you and you are wondering whether you will make it through the next line of cells
No offence mate but if a PPL came to me with anything LIKE the above comment I would ask them what the f**k they thought they were doing.
If one of my CHTR or SVY pilots came to me with the above they would receive formal couselling under the SMS.
By AIP definition the time the safety of your flight is in doubt you declare a PAN PAN
So what you guys refuse to fly in the wet season or what?
And no I am not gung ho and I have turned around and/or diverted a long way off track to get around weather. My point is flying through/around weather in a bugsmasher is not fun. Especially if you start going long way off track and fuel starts becoming a bit of an issue.
If these guys are going to be based in Cairns they may want to have a think about it. You can't call off the flight just because there are a few cells around. Similarly the weather forecasts aren't always accurate either. The worst night I had was one that was where the forecast looked OK. People buy IFR aircraft for that reason. You can't just go calling it off because of a bit of weather. It takes experience and judgment to decide what you can negotiate and what you can't.
So in answer to the question if it's blue skies flying yeah I agree a C208 is the ducks guts, absolutely wonderful, if it's a real all day all night operation I would be a little more comfortable in a pressurized machine, preferably jet. Anyway each to their own.
And no I am not gung ho and I have turned around and/or diverted a long way off track to get around weather. My point is flying through/around weather in a bugsmasher is not fun. Especially if you start going long way off track and fuel starts becoming a bit of an issue.
If these guys are going to be based in Cairns they may want to have a think about it. You can't call off the flight just because there are a few cells around. Similarly the weather forecasts aren't always accurate either. The worst night I had was one that was where the forecast looked OK. People buy IFR aircraft for that reason. You can't just go calling it off because of a bit of weather. It takes experience and judgment to decide what you can negotiate and what you can't.
So in answer to the question if it's blue skies flying yeah I agree a C208 is the ducks guts, absolutely wonderful, if it's a real all day all night operation I would be a little more comfortable in a pressurized machine, preferably jet. Anyway each to their own.
Neville,
IMHO there's not a huge difference in a well equipped non pressurised A/C at night in the wet ex CNS or picking your way around a wall unforecast CB's over India at FL400 at night and trying to get Mumbai on HF for diversion.
No arguments there. The issue is not being stuck with a prop and below A100, the issue is having a culture where ops (and other pilots) accept your decision to either turn back or reschedule elsewhere. Contrary to your implied opinion, I have seen that exist in GA.
IMHO there's not a huge difference in a well equipped non pressurised A/C at night in the wet ex CNS or picking your way around a wall unforecast CB's over India at FL400 at night and trying to get Mumbai on HF for diversion.
It takes experience and judgment to decide what you can negotiate and what you can't.