The rex lads and ladettes are flying their tailplanes off, lots of hrs being done, their warriors are allways in the air and seem to be quite reliable now that a few teething problems with them have been sorted out. Much more so than the junk I;m trying to keep servicable.............hope my boss is reading this.
Both ours and their operations seem to be working well together now, hasnt been any real conflict..even the instructors seem to have mellowed out and are starting to be allright blokes.....just remember to join on crosswind when the circuit is busy. Nada straight in approaches.
Oh, if anyone is doing a nav on weekdays and feels a bit peckish, drop in to YMNG. They have opened the canteen to the public and hot food can me bought. They do a pretty decent hamburgerfor about 5 bucks.
Dont do your engine runups on the apron, the surface is deteriorating badly and you will pick up enough stones to file your props down to toothpicks. Do them on the taxiway.
Some new parking arangements on the apron too, there are now tiedowns in the middle of the apron with a taxilane going counter clockwise around. think its about 18m wide (dont quite me though). So stay on the yellow line and watch your wingtips.
Jets should enter the apron off the taxiways fom 05/23.
What would you expect ? Of course REX Management are going to bully and intimdate their cadets. It's easy to do when they're all 'kids' and you're dangling a carrot in one hand & a stick in the other !!
Seems this might be one of the reasons why REX is recruiting "kids" for their cadetships and not older applicants (above 32). Shame on you Mr. REX. It's much harder to bully an older person who has been around the traps - isn't it ?
Good luck to the "kids" already there ... I guess this is an introduction into the 'real World' for them and how management (in any organisation) conducts their business.
Not my cuppa tea ... but I hope they all pass and are trained to high standards. I also assume these cadets are aware that not all of them will transition directly onto SAAB 340B's ?
It's all fun and games until there's an oil crisis !
Its interesting, my son has been trying to get through the RAAF hoops for nearly two years now, through to the Pilots selection section now, he would love to do the REX thing because it provides him with a base and residential option.
Its difficult for a young person to crack it into flying so I am not supprised there is so much interest in REX.
It's always been difficult, and expensive, to break into this game. The determination required to suceed sometimes verged on the fanatical! Is it any wonder now, with the diminishing returns at the endgame, that a fraction of young Aussies compared to the past are learning to fly.
Ironically with the current state of the industry there has never been a better time to have a go. But you still have to appreciate the risks. You still have to be prepared to see it through. And you still have to be determined. Very Determined!
I sincerely wish your son all the best, but please make sure that both of you are fully aware of what you are getting into.
Phew!! I thought for a moment they had finally found a way to replace us all! (much as they would like). As far as the "arrival" is concerned, I haven't heard anything (very little coming out of MNG), but my guess, (and it is a guess) would be April 09 at the earliest.
What we do know is that 32 weeks was a little ambitious - this now has been proven. Some (cadets) would be capable but as they are trained as a group, if a substantial amount of 'robots' lag behind, then so do the rest of them by the looks of things.
I believe the objective of the course was to train a group all of the way through and then single out individual training for those that require further attention during the line training.
All in all, I hope that we start seeing a few on the right hand seat very soon. I really feel for these guys - especially with the evident communist ethic.
As a side note, it is becoming apparent that those involved with the cadetship (read: HR) are proactively viewing these forums and in particular monitoring this thread. For those employed by REX, choose your words wisely.
"As a side note, it is becoming apparent that those involved with the cadetship (read: HR) are proactively viewing these forums and in particular monitoring this thread. For those employed by REX, choose your words wisely."
Sage advice wesky. I think it would be a cold day in hell before REX management actually gave much positive thought to what is said on these threads. More the pity.
As for thoughts of retribution? That wouldn't surprise me in the least!
That'll be one hell of a cost benefit analysis if anyone at Rex actually ever dares to do one I would suspect if one added up a couple of years down the line how much money they will have spent on getting a few batches of beginners on line, they will find it was a very bad & expensive decision as they could have improved their skill base much quicker and cheaper by attracting and retaining experienced pilots with industry standard T's & C's! ..not to mention saving themselves a bundle in cost from planes sitting on the ground due to "poached" crews, and a massive headache from constantly trying to fight the windmills of supply and demand..
It'll be interesting to see whether they'll try to save face by hiding the losses in a "training division", or whether they'll just quietly shut the thing down in a couple of years..
I guess it's a question of mindset, and that is, as most will appreciate, the hardest to change, in this case it's probably a non-starter given the attitude of the top brass
If ever there was a post here that management should read it's yours Plank. Tragically, they are either unwilling, or more to the point incapable of assimilating it!
Re: the future of the Cadet program. It will be interesting indeed to see just how pragmatic a businessman LKH really is. The program was initially sold to the board as either a cost neutral or even a profitable excercise, with the total exposure being tendered out to the lowest bidder. Well, we've all seen how sucessful that little escapade was. Blind freddy could see, that considering the state of the industry (G/A in particular), it was unlikely that the over optomistic low bidders would ever be able to make a go of it. Now it's up to REX to make a go of it. The only way that will be done is to abandon all hope of it being profitable in it's own right. One thing on the boss's mind I might suggest, would have been the REX Chief of staff's assertion that the Cadets would be trained from Go to "Whoe" in 32 weeks!! The costing of their lodgings and the requirements for space to be made for subsequent courses would have been factored into the $80K fee. If the true time frame does, and probably will extend to at least 18 months (78weeks!), then the $80K is going to be stretched mighty thin.
The only arguement for it's continuation (and a lobsided one at that) is that of the "future" crewing needs of the company. With the boss's almost pathalogical approach to costs, it will be facinating to see how long it is before he decides to cut his loses.
Any QF cadets reading this post it would be interesting to see how long you guys take to get into the left seat of the dash (or the like)?? doing more credible QF cadet scheme!!
It seems the CFI at the Mangalore reservation has run foul of men who speak with forked tounge!
Plucked from the ranks of eager REX First Officers, this motivated but misguided soul has effectively had his career stopped dead in it's tracks for no other reason than the Company have been unable to replace him. Whilst his motives were noble, the outcome of dealing with the Devil has now become apparent.
Grow a backbone son, and tell them, don't ask them. By relinquishing your rights to progression, you only assist those who would throw you to the wolves at the first opportunity.
